Tonawanda, N.Y. (WBEN) - The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) announced on Tuesday the federal government has completed its environmental review process of the Metro Rail Expansion project, marking a major milestone in advancing to project forward.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has issued the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) for the NFTA Metro Transit Expansion Project. The project is slated to expand high-capacity transit service approximately seven miles from the current terminus at the Metro Rail University Station on the University at Buffalo South Campus to Tonawanda and Amherst, including connections to UB North Campus.
President of the Amherst Chamber of Commerce, A.J. Baynes sees this as a sign of progress coming on something that has been long talked about: Connecting the Metro Rail from Downtown Buffalo with the suburbs.
"A project of this scope has been in the works for quite some time, and at the Amherst Chamber of Commerce, this is something that we've advocated for, seeing the value in it," said Baynes in an interview with WBEN. "When you think about major cities, they have a robust public transit system, and for us to continue to grow the line out into the suburbs, that's going to be a tremendous benefit for the community."
While Baynes acknowledges the likelihood of some disruption with the construction of this project if and when it takes place, the end goal of the project will greatly benefit the entire region.
"Ultimately, when you're able to connect residents with Downtown Buffalo, I think they'll enjoy having that opportunity to jump the Metro line to head downtown. Whether it's to Shea's or to [KeyBank Center], they'll have plenty of opportunity to use the rail," Baynes said. "And when you're thinking about people in the City of Buffalo coming out to the suburbs, having the reverse effect; as we think about the redevelopment of the Boulevard Mall and the connectivity to University at Buffalo North Campus potentially, these are all good things."
It is unclear just how long before the gears are put in motion with this project to see the potential expansion of the NFTA Metro Rail. Baynes kows projects of this size require support from the federal government.
"It takes a lot of time, but these projects don't come out of nowhere. They're very well thought out," he said. "The NFTA, under the leadership of Kim Minkel, has worked tirelessly on this. You're going back over probably nearly 10 years now of public hearings, design plans, thoughts of how we're going to put this all together, and a lot of advocacy around it. This is just another step, another hurdle that has been cleared to seeing this project come to fruition."
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While the project has gotten ringing endorsements from many across the region, there are also detractors that continue to speak out against the project and its intended purpose.
Tonawanda Town Supervisor Joe Emminger is not surprised the environmental review process went through without too many concerns on it. However, he still remains opposed to the project.
"We do not believe it is the best plan for residents of the Town of Tonawanda, but we understand, at the same time, why they are looking to take it up Niagara Falls Boulevard, because it's got to meet the criteria for the federal government and their funding application. But the Town of Tonawanda residents, specifically those businesses along Niagara Falls Boulevard, we don't think it's a good idea," said Emminger in an interview with WBEN.
Emminger feels the route the NFTA should have taken with its expansion of the Metro Rail would have been more Amherst concentrated.
Emminger feels this project will only be a disruption and an inconvenience for residents and businesses alike along the Boulevard not only during construction, but also post-construction.
"Those issues are always going to be there, it's nothing you can do about it," Emminger said. "The proponents of it will just say, 'Supervisor, you're living in the past. There are people in your town who will rely on bus transportation, rapid transit transportation to get downtown.' I certainly understand that, and that's one of the reasons why we were advocates, proponents of doing the rapid bus transit alternative, as opposed to a light rail rapid transit alternative that they chose. We certainly understand what they're trying to do to get people from UB North downtown, to get people from downtown up to the employment centers. But at the end of the day, the community that benefits the most, in our opinion and my opinion, is the Town of Amherst, and it does not benefit the Town of Tonawanda equally. And we're asked to endure this more than the Town of Amherst is."
At this point in time, Emminger is unsure of what more he and other officials or residents can do in order to further voice their opposition to the project.
"We voiced our concerns in our written letters, the residents I know have done the same thing. At this point, it's in the federal government's hands," he said. "The big issue - the 800-pound gorilla, if you will - is the funding for the project. I've heard estimates from $1.2 billion-to-$2 billion for the project. That's a big ask for federal dollars, but if the federal government wants to do the project and take it that seven-and-a-half mile stretch, I don't think there's anything that the residents or I can do. We've already voiced our opinions on this matter."
With the conclusion of the federal environmental review process, the project will continue through the remaining federal and local approval processes with construction, phasing, and funding strategies further refined as it advances toward implementation.