What's Happening in Buffalo, NY…

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) wants to extend Metro Rail service into the area, and use the old train shed as part of the project.

This would be the first time rail service has expanded since the system was completed in 1985, but the development could be more than just a new station; NFTA and others hope that redeveloping the depot, which could be a showplace, will encourage more redevelopment in the area.

Virtually all major cities have a union station, which is a huge railroad station that once served thousands of passengers per day. With the decline in rail trail in the United States, these behemoths became run down, underutilized, or abandoned entirely.

However, cities like Washington, D.C. and St. Louis, Missouri have transformed the old stations into new and exciting venues. They may still handle some rail traffic, but they are also filled with restaurants, boutiques, and entertainment venues. Now, Buffalo is considering revamping its old Delaware, Lackawanna & Western station into such a hub.

Among the ideas that might be considered if the DL&W station is renovated could be sky bridges to allow pedestrians to walk to the adjacent First Niagara Center, and new docks in the Buffalo River to be used to handle commuter river traffic.

NFTA and local officials are excited by the options they have created, and will present plans to NFTA's board and the public soon. In order to solicit public opinion, which will be vital to the project's success, officials could create Brochures that illustrate the proposed terminal renovations.




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