The Citizens Regional Transit Corporation (CRTC) met with the City’s transportation committee today in the wake of an announcement by Representative Louise Slaughter that the Buffalo Central Terminal would not be used as a hub if Buffalo receives stimulus dollars for the purpose of building high-speed rail.
Slaughter said she has been told by NYS transit officials that the Central Terminal’s location is wrong, based on freight/passenger congestion issues. CRTC President Gladys Gifford countered, “The CRTC understands that the Buffalo terminus of higher-speed rail has to be outside of downtown Buffalo, in order to accommodate passengers making connections with points west–Cleveland, Chicago. That’s the reason for the location of the Central Terminal, as well as the inadequate station off of Dick Road in Depew.”
Gifford said that the most interesting comment she heard at the CRTC meeting today came from Buffalo Common Council President, David Franczyk, who found the objection based on freight congestion to be absurd, and demanded that the NYSDOT come to the council and explain.
“I expect that the current Amtrak station locations will continue at least for the short-term,” Gifford said. “The Central Terminal Restoration Corp. must continue to be supported in its efforts to restore the terminal, so that when the right time and funding comes along the Buffalo area will have a train terminal to be proud of.”
Slaughter, who is a long-time supporter of the Central Terminal and the efforts of the CTRC said that regardless of the terminal’s future as a hub, she will work to see the building is restored. According to Slaughter $4.6M should be approved in the near future for land and signal upgrades that would be necessary before the installation of high-speed rail.
In addition, Gifford said the CRTC will hold a press conference this coming Monday at 11AM, at NFTA Headquarters on Ellicott Street to discuss the sale of land that encompasses the Southtowns Corridor.