New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced last week that the new Exchange Street Station in Buffalo has been completed.
The intermodal transportation hub is twice the size of the previous rail station and provides an interconnected gateway to downtown Buffalo, Cuomo’s office said. The hub was constructed on time and on budget, the office said, and will provide access to local bus and light rail service.
“Access to multiple forms of transportation is essential to growing any local economy. For far too long, the Queen City has been without a welcoming rail station that’s commensurate with the growth Western New York has experienced in recent years,” Cuomo said. “Thanks to the hard work of so many people, Buffalo now has the modern transportation hub it deserves – and with the completion of this project we are sending a message that we can still build and get things done even during COVID.”
The new hub is located near popular destinations in Buffalo like Canalside and the Key Bank Arena and was constructed on the same grounds as the previous Amtrak station. The structure was designed to accommodate expansion of intercity bus service, as well as additional train routes, the governor’s office said.
Also included in the design was increased accommodation for cars, pedestrians and bicycles. The new hub offers additional seating, more parking, a designated drop-of and pick-up area and a redesigned platform to make boarding and disembarking easier and safer.
“This new, world-class Buffalo Station is part of New York State’s historic commitment to not only restore our transportation infrastructure but build it back better and more resilient for the benefit of this generation and generations to come,” State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said. “The Station exemplifies the Department of Transportation’s continued capability to design and build world class transportation facilities across New York State.”