Buffalo, NY (WBEN) - Construction is ongoing at the DL&W terminal behind KeyBank Center, and it's become noticeable as more people flood the area for important Sabres games.
The construction happening now to the terminal, which opened this past winter for Metro Rail riders, is focused on preparing the second story for events and the walkway that will eventually connect the DL&W to KeyBank Center.
"This spring we plan on opening up the outdoor deck so that will be ready this summer," John Schaefer, NFTA VP of Capital Delivery and Support Operations told WBEN. "Next summer we'll have a bridge to the arena which many of us are looking forward to."
That timeline differs from the one originally set by the NFTA, which previously said that the walkway could be open in 2026, in time for the next hockey season.
The construction has caused an issue along South Park Avenue before and after Sabres games, where pedestrians are being forced into the street where cars are entering and exiting the arena parking ramp because of the construction equipment placed along the sidewalk. The problem is expected to be greater when neighboring Canalside hosts watch parties for Sabres home games.
"Nobody was planning on the success of the Sabres," Schaefer said. "If this was last year we wouldn't have had this problem, would we? We love this problem because we're excited about these Sabres and we're excited about our construction."
Schaefer said that they continue to have conversations with the Sabres on how they can best store their construction equipment to best accommodate crowds in that area, but the construction equipment blocking the sidewalk will last into the playoffs. He called it "short term pain for long term gain."
Schaefer couldn't speak much to the further development of the second story of the DL&W because of the ongoing lawsuit with developer Sam Savarino, but did say that there will be access by the end of the summer to the outdoor deck there.
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