Sidewalks suggested near new bus station

by Susan Mikula Campbell
Niagara Wheatfield Tribune, March 13, 2008

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority is willing to work with the Town of Niagara and Niagara County to see sidewalks installed near its new bus station.

The $6.4 million transportation center, which opened in December, is located at 2250 Factory Outlet Blvd. There is plenty of free parking, but no sidewalks leading from the facility to Military Road.

NFTA Vice Chairman Henry M. Sloma said Wednesday he has asked NFTA Executive Director Lawrence M. Meckler to send the company’s engineering people to look at the area around the new facility and check to see if sidewalks might already be planned to make the area more accessible to people on foot.

The Town of Niagara Town Board has a resolution on the agenda for its 7 p.m. meeting on Tuesday, March 18, asking the county and NFTA to install sidewalks to ensure the safety of pedestrian traffic on the county road.

The resolution was introduced by Councilman Charles F. Teixeira, who lives near the new transportation center. He’d like to see sidewalk put in not only from the bus station to Military Road, but on the side of the road opposite the facility, running the entire length of Factory Outlet Boulevard, from Military to Niagara Falls Boulevard.

“Most people who take the bus don’t drive,” said Teixeira, noting that sidewalks are a common sense item in terms of safety.

He said the town was not involved in the planning for the new facility. He noticed when he went to the transportation center’s grand opening and had to park across the street that walking in the area could be dangerous. Someone with a motorized wheelchair, for example, would have to ride in the street.

Sloma said Teixeira’s idea has merit and should be explored. The intention is to have the Niagara Falls trolley system that operates for tourists loop through the transportation center, and sidewalks are a good idea, not only up to, but along Military Road, he said.

Teixeira said one safety issue at the corner already has been resolved. With the help of Sen. George Maziarz, the town was able to have a traffic study done quickly and approval from the Department of Transportation for a left turn arrow for people driving from Factory Outlet Boulevard and turning onto Military.