Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - A meeting is set to take place Wednesday evening to take a look at a trio of proposals to expand light rail transit lines. A group of University at Buffalo students is helping Citizens for Regional Transit come up with potential routes.
Doug Funke says it's exciting, considering he's been promoting extending light rail for years by building on the NFTA's plans. He's partnered with the UB's School of Architecture to develop several ideas.
"One is the Beltline, it's encircled Buffalo, went through the west side and up along the Niagara River, then back to the central terminal," said Funke, who adds that route still there has been used by CSX.
Another possible route is the Airport line.
"They're all railroad lines and part of it goes along the route that Amtrak takes. It's about a 10 mile route, and it would take you to the airport," Funke said with WBEN.
He adds the Kensington Line would run from the Belt Line to the airport, serving Erie County Medical Center along the way.
Funke wants all parties involved to be on the same page. At Wednesday's presentation, the public will get to see what the students have come up with regarding light rail lines, with stations.
"It's really a conceptual vision, by and large," Funke noted. "There are some of the extensions being planned. The Amherst extension is in the final environmental impact statement and should be released in the fall, but then that move into actual construct or design and then in construction, so that's very near term."
The meeting takes place at 6 p.m. ET at St. Philip's Episcopal Church on Fernhill Avenue in Buffalo.