Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA) is set to receive $5,064,369 in U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to construct a new transit center in Downtown Rochester. The new transportation hub will provide an indoor facility for local residents to catch and transfer buses. The funds will be used to construct a new 26-bay transit center in Downtown Rochester to replace its existing on-street system of bus transfers. The project is proposed to greatly enhance the comfort, convenience and safety of customers, and improve the operation of the bus system.
“With winter now upon us, the need for a sheltered indoor transportation hub in downtown Rochester is plain to see,” Schumer said. “This funding complements millions in prior investments I secured to make this project a reality to help spur downtown development, create new construction jobs, and improve the accessibility and convenience of Rochester’s public transit system. I eagerly await the project’s groundbreaking this spring”
“With bus ridership at a 20 year high, this is an important investment for the Greater Rochester Area,” Senator Gillibrand said. “These federal dollars will support the construction of new infrastructure to improve the bus station and provide better service for travelers.”
“This is really good news for the 50,000 people in our community who use public transportation daily,” said Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority Chief Executive Officer Bill Carpenter. “We are grateful to our federal delegation for standing behind us to support this important and historic project, which will bring a fully enclosed bus terminal to the heart of downtown Rochester.”
RGRTA employs 832 people and utilizes a 413 bus fleet, providing ridership for 17.7 million people annually in Monroe, Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, Wayne, Wyoming and Seneca counties.