Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and White House Infrastructure Coordinator and Senior Advisor to the President Mitch Landrieu held a press conference at Buffalo City Hall with Mayor Byron Brown, Congressman Brian Higgins and local leaders, advocates and workers to support the ongoing community-led effort concerning the transformation of Buffalo’s Main Street. The project, which recently received $25 million in federal funding made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will renovate a 2.5 mile section of Main Street to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists and help connect Buffalo residents with jobs. Senator Gillibrand is committed to seeing this project through and her visit will help support the implementation of this major infrastructure investment. Gillibrand and Landrieu were also joined by Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, State Senator Tim Kennedy, and State Senator Sean Ryan.
“I fought hard in Congress to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and invest in innovative transit projects like the one we’re here to talk about today in Buffalo,” said Senator Gillibrand. “These federal dollars will provide Buffalo’s pedestrians and cyclists with an improved, safer travel route and create economic opportunity along the corridor. I look forward to seeing Buffalo’s new and improved Main Street and I’ll keep fighting to upgrade our state’s infrastructure and make sure New York remains a leader in sustainable development.”
“President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is our once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver for communities across New York, and this Administration’s $25 million investment to transform Main Street in Buffalo is a great example of how we are working to make communities’ streets safer, increase sustainability, and spur economic development,” White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu said. “We look forward to continuing our partnership across local and state government to rebuild New York’s roads and bridges and create economic opportunity as we go.”
Congressman Brian Higgins said, “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s impact on Buffalo and Western New York will be transformational. This $25 million federal investment in Main Street goes beyond road repairs to deliver dramatic improvements to safety, accessibility, and opportunity. For residents this translates into safer and user-friendly streets for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers, as well as enhanced features and connections between retail, universities, cultural experiences, healthcare facilities and neighborhoods. We know from projects like Ohio Street, Niagara Street, and Cars Sharing Main Street, that return on federal infrastructure investments is multiplied several times over through stronger neighborhoods, new investments and job growth.”
“Because of the efforts and leadership of President Biden, Majority Leader Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, and Congressmen Higgins, Buffalo and WNY will benefit from the largest infusion of infrastructure funding in almost 80 years,” said Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown. “As part of this record infrastructure investment, the $25 million RAISE grant award will revitalize Middle Main Street and make it a modern, multimodal gateway that will connect East Buffalo to our downtown core. This is exciting news for the City of Buffalo, the businesses along Main Street, our drivers, pedestrians, bikers, and all who utilize public transit.”
“Instead of serving as a dividing line between communities, this project will transform Main Street into a place that ties neighborhoods together,” said Senator Tim Kennedy. “As Chair of the State Senate Transportation Committee, I fully support this project and its smart use of complete streets principles. Thank you to Senator Gillibrand for her ongoing support for the City of Buffalo and Western New York.”
Senator Sean Ryan said, “There is no doubt that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering for Buffalo and Western New York, and I thank Senator Gillibrand and our federal delegation for working so hard to bring this much-needed funding to our region. The $25 million RAISE grant will expand our continuing efforts to invest in complete streets and improve walkability and pedestrian safety in the City of Buffalo.”
“President Biden and our Democratic Leaders in Congress continue to deliver for Buffalo and Erie County. Today’s announcement is further proof that federal investment in our infrastructure can be transformational,” said Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz.
With money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this project will improve a 2.5-mile corridor of Main Street to turn it into a multimodal complete street. It will create a dedicated cycle track with smart bicycle signal sensors, allowing for safer and more efficient bicycle travel to major employment centers along the corridor, and repave the roadway to reduce emergency response times. This $25 million grant accounts for over half the estimated total cost of the project.
Funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has already provided millions in federal funding to improve New York infrastructure. New York airports have received more than $156 million, including over $7 million for Buffalo Niagara International Airport, nearly $1.5 million for Niagara Falls International Airport and over $600,000 in combined funding for smaller airports in Western New York.