Officials Outline Major Infrastructure Advances in Buffalo

Officials have directed $54.2 million in accelerated funding toward four waterfront projects in Buffalo, covering Wilkeson Pointe, the Bell Slip, the Gateway Building at Canalside and the Buffalo Riverwalk Feasibility Study.

The money arrives through a state announcement that advances timelines by as much as three years on those sites. Local leaders point to the need for faster connections between neighborhoods and the water as the reason the funds were moved forward now rather than later in the decade.

Waterfront and Corridor Work

The $87.5 million effort to reuse the former DL&W Trainshed remains underway, paired with $50 million in roadway and safety work along Tifft and Louisiana Street parkways paid for by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Over $10 million in federal dollars supports the Riverline Project, which converts a 1.5-mile, 40-acre railroad corridor into a greenway linking downtown to the waterfront while adding electric bus infrastructure and bike paths. Federal lawmakers highlighted these allocations in recent press materials as direct steps to reconnect Buffalo neighborhoods with the waterfront.

A separate $17 million repaving program is upgrading more than 190 streets citywide, with milling and paving crews already active in the Masten District under the 2025 capital budget. Construction has also started on a $9.9 million package to fix three Erie County bridges, including the Fillmore Avenue and Grider Street spans over the Kensington Expressway, with completion targeted for the end of 2025.

Next Steps for Residents

Work on the listed projects continues under existing contracts and budgets. City crews will keep milling and paving streets in rotation, while state and federal partners track progress on the waterfront and corridor sites through the channels listed in the funding announcements.