Higgins supports federal transportation grant to continue 'Cars Sharing Main Street' project in Buffalo

Congressman Brian Higgins is supporting efforts by the City of Buffalo to secure additional federal transportation funding for the "Cars Sharing Main Street" project. With Higgins' help, the project, which is returning cars to the Main Street business district, has already received $21 million in federal funding.

In April, Higgins wrote to the U.S. transportation secretary supporting an application by the City of Buffalo for additional funding through the TIGER6-FY14 program to continue the project further up Main Street. Higgins also worked to keep momentum on the project by bringing stakeholders together to solve problems when federal transit officials threatened to slow the project.

Higgins said the city is already seeing an economic turnaround where portions of the project are complete or near completion.

"Over three decades ago, automobiles were removed form Main Street, pulling traffic and people away from our central corridor and, as a result, turning the potential for economic prosperity and growth away from this stretch, as well," he said. "When the 700 block reopened to traffic, reconnecting the downtown business district with the growing Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, we saw people come back to Main Street both for business and residential opportunities."