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.

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.

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.

• Scoping Meeting Flyer
• Scoping Meeting Social Media and E-Blast Image
• Scoping Meeting Presentation
• Video: Virtual Scoping Meeting Afternoon session
• Video: Virtual Scoping Meeting Evening session

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.

View the Draft Scoping Information Packet.

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.

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.