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Home > Leadership > Mayor > Archive Press Releases > 2008 Archives > January 2008 > Congressman Higgins, Mayor Brown Announce Main Street Reconstruction Plan F

Congressman Higgins, Mayor Brown Announce Main Street Reconstruction Plan For 700 Block

Source/Contact
Office of the Mayor
Peter K. Cutler
Director of Communications
716-851-4841



Current one-way section will be returned to two-way traffic, linking Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus with Downtown Buffalo

 

Congressman Brian Higgins and Mayor Byron W. Brown today unveiled plans to restore the 700 Block of Main Street to two-way traffic, opening a critical section of Downtown Buffalo to the booming Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus to the north and the planned restoration of car traffic to Main Street south of West Tupper Street.  It is estimated the project will cost $2.4 million.

“Returning two-way traffic to the 700 block of Main Street opens up the critical link between the 800 block and the medical campus, where we are seeing significant investments, and Buffalo’s central business district,” said Congressman Brian Higgins.  “This construction, which will take place next year, marks positive progress on a long-delayed project to open up access and revive activity to the heart of downtown Buffalo.”

It is expected that the Planning and Coordinating Committee of the Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Commission will give formal approval of this project at a scheduled meeting on January 9th. Following that meeting, NYSDOT will immediately seek Federal authorization approving this project.  Upon receipt of this authorization, the City will become eligible for 95% Federal/State funding and the associated reimbursements for the two-way traffic conversion and landscape enhancements. 

“This is an important step in returning cars to Main Street in Downtown Buffalo, which has been one of my goals since taking office,” said Mayor Brown. “Returning two-way traffic to the 700 Block of Main Street provides the necessary impetus to linking the dynamic development activity of the Medical Campus with the continuing growth of residential, cultural and commercial activity throughout downtown. This is a low-cost, high-impact effort that will be successfully completed in a very short period of time.”

The schedule for the two-way conversion process is as follows:

January 2008 - Create Consultant Contract and Start Design
February 2008 to Mid-April 2008 – Complete Design
Late April 2008 or early May 2008 – Advertise for Construction (Bids)
Late May 2008 – Open Bids & Report to Council for Contract Approval
Late June 2008 to early July 2008 – Obtain Control Board Approval
Mid-July 2008 – Start Construction
August to November 2008 – Construct Project
Late November 2008 – Complete Majority of Construction – Open 700 Block
Spring 2009 – Finish “Punch-List” Items and Complete Project