BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The 7 News I-Team has learned the NFTA is weeks away, from starting construction on a major part of Main Street in Buffalo, north and south of Lafayette Square.
When this work begins, it'll also start the cars sharing Main project in this area.
But this is a lengthy process and won't be ready for you to use, anytime soon.
As trains travel along Main Street in Buffalo, cars are also sharing the road until a very certain point.
Mohawk Street is the line of demarcation. If you look north, you'll see a Main Street that is bright and booming. If you look south, it's a stark contrast.
"A ghost town," says Darlynn Hoy. She's the owner of Rainbow Deli inside the Brisbaine Building. Hoy has owned the deli for almost 30 years.
The last few years have been a little complicated for her. Fewer office workers downtown means fewer people coming in.
Hoy says it's been devastating. She's the last remaining employee at the business.
Storefronts are bare along the 400 block of Main. Rainbow has a for rent sign in the window. The iconic home of AM&A's is still empty.
Any thought of driving on this block is still years away.
"Well, there's two different components to this project," said Tom George, the NFTA's Vice President of Operations.
The NFTA is on track to start the first phase of construction in July. Track beds will be fixed, along with overhead cables after years of deterioration.
"It's a two year construction period," George said. "So it won't all be completed this year. It will take two years to get through the whole project."
So what does that actually mean for you?
"Two years from now the rail infrastructure will be done," George said.
Then the City of Buffalo has to come through.
"Yeah, we'll start our construction in 2024," said Nate Marton, the City of Buffalo's Commissioner of the Department of Public Works.
"I think we always want advance things as quick as we could there are funding issues that come in place, like when can you do work, and when you have to complete work by phases take time," Marton said.
But when questioned about the time it's taken to get this design started, Marton said, "I don't know if it's, it's taken long. I think we've kind of complete our phases, our funding's in place, and then we're lining our work and our design work to move forward."
Despite being awarded $54 million for this project -- a combination of state and federal dollars and something that was announced last July-- Marton explains the city was only officially given the money in late December.
That's of little matter for Darlynn Hoy, who despite having a rough few years is still smiling.
"I don't know what to expect," Hoy said. "I don't know what to expect. I am only hopeful thinking as a business owner. That's exactly what you need to do."
Buffalo Business First reports, having cars back on Main Street in the theater district alone brought in more than $100 million
in private projects.
The city says it'll use the $54 million investment to finish the 400 block, south.
