5/4/2019 3:15:42 PM
On May 3, Senator Tim Kennedy was joined by Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, NFTA Executive Director Kim Minkel, and Robin Tashjian, a Metro Rail-dependent rider, to discuss improvements to Metro Rail’s Main Street line that riders can expect to see over the next five years.
In this year’s budget process, Kennedy secured a commitment from Governor Andrew Cuomo to provide $100 million to the NFTA to fund a five year capital plan for maintenance and improvements of Metro Rail, along with $6 million to fund preliminary design work for the planned Amherst extension. The funds, which will be appropriated in a supplemental capital budget bill expected to be introduced in the coming weeks, will represent the first time Metro Rail has had a dedicated funding stream from the state for capital needs, answering a call that advocates have long pushed for.
The planned work will total roughly $20 million per year over the next five years, beginning with FY 2019-20. This funding will help the NFTA to make significant improvements to the Metro system and continue to provide the community with vital connectivity, which is important to the city's resurgence.
In this year’s budget process, Kennedy secured a commitment from Governor Andrew Cuomo to provide $100 million to the NFTA to fund a five year capital plan for maintenance and improvements of Metro Rail, along with $6 million to fund preliminary design work for the planned Amherst extension. The funds, which will be appropriated in a supplemental capital budget bill expected to be introduced in the coming weeks, will represent the first time Metro Rail has had a dedicated funding stream from the state for capital needs, answering a call that advocates have long pushed for.
The planned work will total roughly $20 million per year over the next five years, beginning with FY 2019-20. This funding will help the NFTA to make significant improvements to the Metro system and continue to provide the community with vital connectivity, which is important to the city's resurgence.