New York State will provide $100 million in funding over five years for capital improvements on Buffalo's Metro Rail system. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the agreement late Saturday night along with State Senator Tim Kennedy of Buffalo.
The capital funding will not be approved as part of the new state budget but will be voted on later in this year's session.
The money will pay for track bed replacement, a new fare collection system and rebuilding escalators.
“Like many Western New Yorkers, I remember when Metro Rail was new and state-of-the-art. Unfortunately, it has suffered from years of disinvestment," Kennedy said. "I was proud to fight alongside Governor Cuomo and Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes for this funding, which will increase safety, performance, and rider experience.”
Cuomo said the funding will upgrade Metro Rail into a "21st century railway." He said it will help the economy grow and ensure that Buffalo "remains a region on the move."
The agreement also includes a $6 million allocation for an engineering study of an expansion of Metro Rail into Amherst.