Schumer, Gillibrand: Project Will Build on Previous Success and Continue Main St. Transformation

Statement

U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded the City of Buffalo with $18 million in federal funds that will allow the city to transform Buffalo's lower Main Street by making it accessible to both cars and light rail. Schumer previously pushed for Buffalo to receive this critical federal investment from this extremely competitive process. Schumer and Gillibrand said the City of Buffalo will now be able to upgrade transportation and automobile access to downtown's Main Street. Specifically, it would re-introduce vehicular traffic to lower Main Street and rebuild the Lower Main Street segment of Metro Rail. Since Buffalo's Metro Rail was put in place 25 years ago, Main Street in downtown Buffalo has been closed to vehicular traffic, which is a hindrance on economic activity in this area. The City of Buffalo will receive these funds through the USDOT's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grant Program -- one of the most competitive federal grant programs. This funding when combined with the $15 million Senator Schumer secured for the 500 Block of Main Street in 2011 brings the total federal commitment to the project to over $33 million.

"I am thrilled to announce that this critical federal investment of $18 million in TIGER funds will breathe new life into Buffalo's downtown," said Senator Schumer. "This has been a top priority for Buffalo and Mayor Byron Brown and we worked very hard to get this one past the finished line. This $18 million award -- along with the $15 million we previously secured -- have been a game changer for Buffalo's Main Street and downtown, and it will help create hundreds of good-paying construction jobs. With the completion of this project, businesses and restaurants will be clamoring to open up shop, and we will once again see "open for business' signs along Main Street. Step One was breathing new life into Main Street, and Step Two is connecting main Street to buffalo's exciting waterfront revival."

"This federal funding through the Department of Transportation will allow the City of Buffalo to make critical upgrades to transit and pedestrian facilities," said Senator Gillibrand. "Investing in our transportation infrastructure helps to create jobs now, and lay the foundation for more jobs tomorrow. Combined with previously awarded federal funds, Buffalo will be able to continue the development momentum generated by these investments.

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