Tonawanda - Amherst NY Light Rail

Planned metro line expansion project still draws opposition

TONAWANDA, N.Y. — The NFTA and the Federal Transit Administration are wrapping up their current round of public comment sessions on a planned Metro Rail extension... to the U-B North Campus in Amherst. While a decision point is closer for the projected $1 billion project, 2 On Your Side found out there is still significant opposition with some favoring another transit option.

The Town of Tonawanda Supervisor Joseph Emminger puts it this way "I'm all for progress but I think this is not in the best interests of the Town of Tonawanda at this time."

Emminger says for years he and the town board have had concerns with residents about the push to build seven miles of new Metro-line tracks with some tunneling up to the UB North Campus which could be routed now along NFTA's preferred Niagara Falls Boulevard corridor. He added "They say they're not looking to do eminent domain. I think property values in all honesty - some of those properties on the boulevard - they're gonna lose some property value."
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Jeff Smith wrote: ↑Wed Jan 31, 2024 6:36 am Never knew this existed: WGRZ.com

Planned metro line expansion project still draws opposition

TONAWANDA, N.Y. — The NFTA and the Federal Transit Administration are wrapping up their current round of public comment sessions on a planned Metro Rail extension... to the U-B North Campus in Amherst. While a decision point is closer for the projected $1 billion project, 2 On Your Side found out there is still significant opposition with some favoring another transit option.

The Town of Tonawanda Supervisor Joseph Emminger puts it this way "I'm all for progress but I think this is not in the best interests of the Town of Tonawanda at this time."

Emminger says for years he and the town board have had concerns with residents about the push to build seven miles of new Metro-line tracks with some tunneling up to the UB North Campus which could be routed now along NFTA's preferred Niagara Falls Boulevard corridor. He added "They say they're not looking to do eminent domain. I think property values in all honesty - some of those properties on the boulevard - they're gonna lose some property value."
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SST wrote: ↑Thu Feb 01, 2024 11:48 am While poking around on google maps, why not come out of the tunnel at UB South and head up Bailey Ave, make a right turn onto Millersport Hwy and go straight into the UB North campus. This would be logical to me if this light rail is planned on only going to either campus...no station stops along the way. But if they at least have a stop at Sheridan Dr where Duff's Famous Wings is located, this could become a popular station stop. Long ago, my friend and I would frequently go to Duffs for some eye watering blazing hot chicken wings with pitchers of Gin and Tonics to kill the sting of the hot sauce. One stop at Duffs equals 5 stops on the Blvd.

The other question is, is this light rail going to have station stops along Niagara Falls Blvd for access to various store locations? If this is the plan, then I guess Niagara Falls Blvd would be more logical even though it goes much further west of UB North than Millersport Hwy. Somebody is going to have light rail through either their back yard or beneath their basement.

As I relook at google maps, the Niagara Falls Blvd run could be interesting in that when leaving the UBN campus, maybe the ROW will follow the I-990 to the I-290 and cross under/over it and then cross over Bailey Ave into the area full of stores such as Target, Best Buy and T.J. Max etc, then head south along the Blvd to UBS. Very useful for students or people that live near the stations at either end but totally useless for me...I'll just drive.

SST wrote: ↑Wed Jan 31, 2024 11:18 am Paid for by people who will never ride it while those that do, will likely have a free pass [students].
For all the years that the NFTA Metro has been in operation, I have only ridden on it 4 times. Is our great NY Gov going to supply millions of NYS tax dollars from people that will likely never ride this? I say, "Block it!"

videobruce wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:44 am It's far more than "a few" that live along what was Humboldt Parkway.
This is to correct the Robert Moses (Buffalo) version of the "Cross Bronx Expressway" abortion of the 50's? AFA a few thousand using that stadium a few times each year vs neighborhoods that were decimated affecting hundreds plus continuously 24/7, guess that doesn't matter to you. Same goes for the 198.

Then there is that waste product; the 990 that basically parallels Millersport out in the middle of nowhere just like that 219 extension of a few additional miles south of Springville that few use. I suppose that wasn't money?

As to your statement that YOU don't use the LRRT and don't see the benefit, that's YOU, as opposed to
"In 2022, the system had a ridership of 2,386,400, or about 8,200 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2023".
That's 8,200 PER DAY that disagree with you. And that would of doubled or tripled if the originally planned Tonawanda extension using the old Erie Niagara Falls branch was built, inside of that bike/pedestrian path.

Enlighten yourself;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Metro_Rail

So keep on polluting the atmosphere with your internal combusting engine in you car happy suburb just so you can get somewhere 5 or so minutes faster..
Oh, BTW, you never took into consideration of the time saving (and expense) of parking in downtown Buffalo.

videobruce wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:44 am AFA a few thousand using that stadium a few times each year vs neighborhoods that were decimated affecting hundreds plus continuously 24/7, guess that doesn't matter to you. Same goes for the 198