Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - City of Buffalo officials, including Mayor Byron Brown, Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia and Fire Commissioner William Renaldo, have released parking and traffic details for the services for fallen Buffalo Firefighter Jason Arno on Thursday and Friday.
Thursday will be the public wake for Firefighter Arno with calling hours being held for relatives and friends from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. EST at the Amigone Funeral Home at 1132 Delaware Avenue.
Delaware Avenue will be closed to traffic between West Ferry Street and West Utica Street from 12:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. EST.
Due to limited space, parking at the Amigone Funeral Home is limited to immediate family and friends of the Arno family and those with disabilities.
Buffalo Professional Firefighters Local 282 has secured additional parking usage in the following lots:
- All day: Gurney Becker and Bourne - 976 Delaware Avenue
- All day: Hellenic Orthodox Church of the Annunciation - 1000 Delaware Avenue
- All day: Former Rite Aid Site - 214 West Utica Street
- After 4 p.m. EST: Canisius High School Lots - 1180 and 1193 Delaware Avenue between West Ferry and Cleveland Avenue
Then on Friday, a Mass of Christian Burial will be held beginning around 10 a.m. EST at the Saint Joseph Cathedral on Franklin St.
There are a number of important travel advisories and parking Information for the public to be aware of. The following streets will be closed on Friday, March 10th:
- Virginia St. between S. Elmwood Ave. and Mariner St.: 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. EST
- Delaware Ave. between W. Ferry St. and W. Utica St.: 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. EST
- Franklin St. between W. Seneca St. and W. Eagle St.: 6 a.m. – 1 p.m. EST
- Church St. between Pearl St. and Delaware Ave.: 6 a.m. – 1 p.m. EST
- Erie St. between Lower Terrace and Franklin St.: 6 a.m. – 1 p.m. EST
- Upper Terrace between Pearl St. and W. Seneca St.: 6 a.m. – 1 p.m. EST
- Swan St. between Franklin St. and Pearl St.: 6 a.m. – 1 p.m. EST
- Allen St. between Delaware Ave. and Elmwood Ave.: 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. EST
In addition, rolling road and street closures will begin at 9 a.m. EST, as the funeral procession for Firefighter Arno moves from the Amigone Funeral Home to Saint Joseph Cathedral.
The procession route to the cathedral is as follows:
- Depart South from 1132 Delaware Ave (Amigone) turning West onto Allen St.
- West on Allen St. turning South onto S. Elmwood Ave.
- South on S. Elmwood Ave. (passing BFD Engine 2 Station at Virginia St.), continuing South on S. Elmwood Ave. across W. Eagle St. to Lower Terrace.
- South on Lower Terrace turning East on Erie St. (family) and W. Seneca St. (casket).
- Engine 2 will be met at Franklin St. and W. Seneca St. by the Greater Buffalo Firefighters Pipes and Drums.
- North on Franklin St. to arrive at Saint Joseph Cathedral.
The procession route to the cemetery is as follows:
- Depart North from the cathedral turning West onto Church St.
- West on Church turning North on Delaware Ave.
- The procession will travel north on Delaware Ave. until arrival at Forest Lawn Cemetery at Delaware Ave. and W. Delavan Ave.
Anyone that is not participating in Friday's funeral service is asked to avoid the area in-and-around Saint Joseph Cathedral, if at all possible.
Buffalo Fire Department personnel who are not part of the procession, or those traveling by bus, and all other first responders will be directed to park at Buffalo RiverWorks, where shuttles will be provided to-and-from the cathedral from 7 a.m. to 8:40 a.m. EST. Attendees are asked to assemble outside Saint Joseph Cathedral no later than 9:30 a.m. EST.
The Mass of Christian Burial is anticipated to last approximately 90 minutes to two hours. The procession route to the cemetery will begin between 11:30 a.m. EST and Noon, depending on the mass length.
Due to the heavy influx of out-of-town firefighters coming in for the funeral, with hundreds of them booked in downtown hotels, the city is asking members of the public who wish to pay their respects to Firefighter Arno to line the processional route for sidewalk viewing on the day of the funeral.
Members of the public can watch live coverage of the funeral on a large outdoor screen, located at the corner of Franklin St. and W. Eagle St. In addition, local network TV stations, as well as the City of Buffalo Government Channel will be streaming the service live. It can also be viewed on Mayor Brown’s Facebook page.
Due to limited parking along the processional route, members of the public who want to view the procession to-and-from the cathedral are encouraged to utilize public transportation, as the NFTA will continue to provide rail service throughout the day.
The following Buffalo Civic Auto Ramps will be open and are located within walking distance to the church:
- Adam Ramp: 343 Washington St.
- Fernbach Ramp: 200 Pearl St.
- Turner Ramp: 1 Perkins Dr.