subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Tue, Nov 10 2009 

Published: July 11, 2008 09:13 pm    print this story  

NIAGARA FALLS: More cash for train station

$500K in federal cash will reach half-way mark in funding

By Rick Forgione
E-mail Rick

Niagara Gazette

Needed funding for the long-awaited $33 million Niagara Falls International Rail Station in the city’s North End has reached the halfway mark.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer announced Friday that an allocation of $500,000 for the project was approved by the senate appropriations committee as part of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill. It must still be approved by the entire Senate and signed into law by President Bush, but both Schumer and local officials are confident the money is a lock.

“We’re coming closer and closer to the finish line,” said Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster, who traveled to Washington, D.C. in June to lobby for the project.

City Planner Thomas DeSantis said the $500,000 federal allocation brings the total amount raised to more than $16 million. Phase one of the project, which consists of restoring the old U.S.. Customs House at the site, will cost $2.5 million and that funding is already in place to begin.

“We will be finishing the final design for phase one this year and go out to bid next year,” DeSantis said.

Phases two and three consist of repairing the rail and road infrastructure surrounding the new station and eventually renovating the Customs House into an Amtrak passenger depot and inspections station.

The new train station could be operational by 2012, DeSantis said, and will replace an existing Amtrak station on Lockport Road. While plans have been talked about for more than a decade, the project has picked up steam in the past few years.

Schumer helped secure $2.5 million for phase one in 2004 and earlier this year urged the Federal Highway Administration to expedite its environment review on the plans to restore the Customs House.

“With hundreds of thousands of visitors flocking to Niagara Falls every year, it makes no sense to have a point of arrival miles away from the central tourist area,” Schumer said, referring to the existing Lockport Road station. “This ($500,000) in federal dollars would be icing on the cake and I intend to fight tooth-and-nail to see them through the appropriations process.”

Once approved, the funding will be allocated for phase two of the project.

Dyster pointed out the ever-rising gas prices are making it obvious there’s a need to diversify transportation options in the city.

“We need to get this going as soon as possible,” he said. “I think the success we’re having in building up funds shows people are recognizing that this is the right project at the right time.”

print this story  



autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Premier Guide

Find a job! Find a Home! Find a car!

Featured Jobs

Instructors
Join Our Team!
Would you like to work on a top performing team who is ranked 17th in the nation and have the opport
...>MORE

Certified Pharmacy Tech's & Certified Medication Tech's
Certified Pharmacy Tech’s & Certified
Medication Tech’s Competitive wages. Call Lisa McKensie Ransomville Manor 79
...>MORE

Inventory Control
Inventory Control
Carousel Pickers
Order Pickers
Receivers/Shippers
Packers
Pay: $10/hr
Sh
...>MORE

Insulation Installer
Insulation Installers. Exp. preferred but will train the right candidates. Start $8-$10/hr. Earn $15. in less than 30 da...>MORE

Activities Director
Activities Director FT AS Degree and /or or 3-5 yrs exp working in adult home. Send Resume To: Ransomville Manor at 35...>MORE

Facilities Director
Facilities
Director 
Strategically manage commercial and residential portfolios onsite in US and Canada. Exe
...>MORE

Cook Manager
COOK /Manager full time exp. req. Call for appt. 297-2500 ask for general manager. ...>MORE

COLLECTORS
Exp. collectors, high hrly., low cash goals, 20% overage, 500 4 hitting, Chuck @ 597-2538...>MORE

Echo Tech
ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY TECHNICIAN, Full-time. Certification by ARDMS or registry eligible. Up to $7500 Sign On Bonus!; MEDICAL...>MORE

FLOOR ASSISTANT
Floor asst. needed for approx. 30-35 hrs/wk in a podiatry office, no exp. nec., will train, call between 12-2:30 pm for ...>MORE

See all ads

Feature Autos

1996 Mazda L3000
MAZDA L3000 pick-up 1996, 6 cyl, runs good, new tires & battery, just inspect., $1500. 284-7529....>MORE

Dodge 2001 Neon
Dodge 2001 Neon 4 dr, auto, a/c, new tires, c/d no rust, inspected, $3900. white 860-2854...>MORE

Chevy 2007 Impala LT
CHEVY 2007 Impala LT
25,800 mi, ext. warranty
Exc. Cond, $16,500
297-2199
...>MORE

VW 2001 Beetle
VW 2001 Beetle, loaded, GLX turbo, exc. cond, all service records, fun to drive, blue bk $5600, take best offer, 990-06...>MORE

Buick 2005 LeSabre
BUICK 2005 Lesabre Custom, excellent condition, fully loaded, $6700 or best offer, 754-4540...>MORE

Pontiac 1999 Montana
PONTIAC 1999 Montana 57,000 original miles, full options, like new, $3300, 694-0441...>MORE

Chevy 2003 Impala
CHEVY 2003 Impala
25,600 miles, loaded
Exc. Cond. $10,000/bo
297-2199
...>MORE

Ford 1995 Crown Victoria
Ford 1995 Crown Victoria 4 dr, loaded, new tires must see & drive $3500. red. 860-2854...>MORE

Ford Windstar 1998
FORD 1998 Windstar $1000 or best offer.
298-5220
...>MORE

2000 Dodge Caravan
DODGE 2000 Caravan, V6, power everything, excellent body, runs great, $2195. Call 754-4608....>MORE

See all ads





 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2009. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index