Project Milestones
January 2024
Project Update
NFTA will be holding a series of drop-in listening sessions. Please attend or drop-in to a listening session at any time during the event. There will not be a scheduled presentation. Project staff will be available to answer questions about the Project.
- Thursday, January 25
Location: US itek, 1016 Niagara Falls Boulevard, Tonawanda, NY 14150
Time(s): 1-3 PM and 4-7 PM (Note revised extended evening time) - Monday, January 29
Location: Amherst Main Library at Audubon, 350 John James Audubon Parkway, Amherst, NY 14228
Time: 4-6 PM - Tuesday, January 30
Location: Kenilworth Branch Library, 318 Montrose Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14223
Time: 1-3 PM
If you are unable to attend one of the drop-in listening sessions, you can also share your input via our online survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NFTATransitExpansion.
March 2023
Project Update
Metro is completing the development of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement, in cooperation with the Federal Transit Administration. The release of the DEIS will include a public comment period and public hearings. Check back for more details.
September 2021
Project Update
On September 15, 2021, Metro hosted two public virtual scoping meetings as part of a scoping comment period. The videos for these meetings can be found below, along with the meeting materials. Metro will be accepting comments on the proposed scope of the environmental impact statement through October 14, 2021.
View the Draft Scoping Information Packet.
August 2021
Project Update
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), as lead Federal agency, and the Niagara Frontier Transit Metro System, Inc. (Metro) as the local Project Sponsor and joint lead agency, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate potential benefits and impacts to expand Metro’s Metro Rail system in Buffalo, NY to Amherst and Tonawanda, NY. Both light-rail transit and bus-rapid transit alternative are being considered. Metro invites public comments on environmental impacts that may be associated with the proposed project and alternatives. The comment period for NEPA scoping extends from August 30, 2021 to October 14, 2021. During this period, FTA and Metro will hold two virtual public scoping meetings to inform and obtain input from the public. In light of COVID-19, Metro will be hosting the public scoping meetings virtually. View the Notice of Intent (NOI).
- Wednesday, September 15, 2021 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Register to attend
- Wednesday, September 15, 2021 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Register to attend
Requests for special assistance such as translation services, closed captioning or signing services, must be made by September 8.
December 2020
Traffic and Noise Update
Over the next few months, NFTA will be updating the traffic analysis presented in the January 2020 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to evaluate operations at select un-signalized intersections along the corridor. The inclusion of un-signalized intersections in the traffic analysis is in response to comments received during the DEIS public comment period related to future traffic operations with the Metro Rail Expansion.
In addition, NFTA will be conducting additional noise monitoring and noise modeling analysis to continue to evaluate potential noises impacts related to the Metro Rail Expansion.
October 2020
Project Update
We are pleased to announce that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has accepted the role of lead agency for the Metro Rail Expansion environmental review process. As a likely funder of future phases of this project, having FTA on board is a crucial step forward for the Metro Rail Expansion.
Metro would normally respond to public comments received during review of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and at the public hearing in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). However, because of the change in lead agency and conversion of the environmental review from a state process to a federal/state review, the FEIS will be prepared as part of the federal/state review.
Metro has prepared a stand-alone document to summarize and respond to the substantive comments received during public review of the DEIS and the public hearings. These comments have been considered and Metro's responses will be incorporated into the federal/state environmental review, as appropriate. The Response to Comments document is available for review.
Project News
Locations Close To Public Transit Boost Residential, Commercial Real Estate Values
APTA recently released a THE REAL ESTATE MANTRA "LOCATE NEAR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION" report. The report compares the performance of residential and commercial property sales near fixed-guideway stations with areas without public transit access to those areas where fixed-guideway was implemented and the results to residential sales price performance.
NFTA Rail Expansion Taking Shape
By Fadia Patterson, published December 7, 2018
Buffalo News Exclusive - NFTA proposes new, cheaper route for Metro Rail extension to Amherst
By Robert J. McCarthy, published November 20, 2018
The Metro Rail Expansion Project is LIVE!
Stay informed and up-to-date on the project as we progress through the environmental documentation process, coordinate with federal and state agencies, conduct various public outreach efforts, and complete conceptual engineering in order to identify project costs, potential environmental impacts, and how those impacts would be mitigated.
NFTA will be seeking entry into Federal Transit Administration’s New Starts Program for project funding through the Capital Improvement Grant program.
Stay tuned and sign up for project updates!