"Every time there is a public investment of infrastructure dollars, private sector investment follows, and in many cases, three to four to five times that," said Higgins. "That's not coincidental, that's a correlation; there's a cause and effect relationship."
Kennedy added to Higgins' points, saying that the transformation that Buffalo has witnessed, specifically in the Old First Ward, has been inspiring to watch.
"Investing in Buffalo's waterfront and infrastructure while also preserving our city's past is key to embracing a new Buffalo," said Kennedy. "By funding this renovation of the Ohio Street Lift Bridge, we're building a stronger foundation for economic opportunity, residential accessibility and recreational growth, which is already generating new energy along this important corridor."
Higgins expects construction to begin in 2021.