BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — An investigation is underway after a large portion of the Buffalo River shoreline near the DL&W Station collapsed.
According to an NFTA spokesperson, the 12-foot-by-200-foot section of shoreline at the east end of the DL&W Station collapsed around 1:15 a.m. Saturday. The incident did not have an impact on NFTA operations as the area has been closed to the public for several months due to an unrelated project that is in a different area. Barriers and markers are in place.
A marine contractor has been retained and an underwater investigation is underway. An estimated cost to repair the shoreline is not available at this time.
The United States Coast Guard, the Buffalo District of the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the City of Buffalo are assisting the NFTA.
Congressman Brian Higgins was informed about this incident, and he says this incident is most likely from climate change.
““Climate change could be a contributing factor to this but if a part of a seawall is breaking apart then that means the seawall is deteriorating,” Higgins says. “And often say the least aspect of waterfront development is the infrastructure that people just take for granted so these issues would need to be addressed and there are a number of agencies working to do that.”
Higgins says the 31 million dollars funds that were given to NFTA by the Federal Transit Administration should cover some of the cost of the seawall.
