Buffalo, NY—Mayor Byron W. Brown kicked off “Capital Investment Week” by highlighting the over $10.9 million contained in his Capital Budget proposal for transportation infrastructure projects throughout the City of Buffalo. In addition to the investments included in the Capital Budget, Mayor Brown also indicated how the increased likelihood of additional federal funding will shape Buffalo’s mobility landscape and economic recovery.
Mayor Brown said, “Connecting people to places and each other lies at the very core of what cities should do well. That is why we are investing a third of the Capital Budget’s projected spending into improving the quality of our streets and sidewalks, making it easier to travel around downtown, and expanding the use of our complete streets design principles to sections of Jefferson Avenue and the middle section of Main Street. These projects not only will improve the quality of travel around the City of Buffalo but also accelerate our economic recovery by helping put people to work once COVID-19 has been contained and creating new commercial corridors that will be the foundation of place-based economic development activity.”
The Mayor’s Capital Budget proposal of $10.9 million is an increase over last year’s Capital Budget by $1.6 million. Part of the reason for this increased investment is to catch up on the street and sidewalk repair projects that were deferred last spring as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the steps which had to be taken to slow its spread. Those projects will be undertaken at the earliest possible time. In addition to the street and sidewalk repairs, the City is investing $1 million of bond funds in its downtown Entertainment District to match significant grant funds from other sources for a total project cost of $8.5 million. This project has been a collaborative effort between the City, New York State and the Chippewa Alliance and will make it easier for people to move around and enjoy the various destinations located in the district.
Earlier this year, Mayor Brown unveiled a list of “shovel ready” projects as part of his People’s Infrastructure Agenda. With the change in Administrations at the federal level, the possibility of federal investment in transportation infrastructure is greater than it has been in several years. President-Elect Biden has repeatedly emphasized the importance of federal infrastructure funding as a means to jumpstarting a sustainable economic recovery and laying the foundation for the development and deployment of greener, safer, and affordable transportation technologies. The Mayor will continue to support any efforts by the federal government to fund those and other City initiatives that promote greater mobility and a more robust transportation infrastructure network.
For a list of the Capital Budget’s funding categories and other projects supported by the Mayor’s proposal visit the City’s website: buffalony.gov.
