Dormant rail corridors should be rehabilitated
Erie County should think twice before allowing the Buffalo & Pittsburgh rail line to be turned into a trail. Besides passing through one the area’s most populous suburbs with its stadium, it also continues through ski country to Ellicottville. If Canadian commerce demands more transportation capacity, it should be by rail, which is far more economical in terms of fuel consumption than extending Route 219, with its steep grades and construction challenges.
We have several dormant rail corridors that should be rehabilitated to provide high-speed transportation into the city from Hamburg, Springville, East Aurora and Niagara Falls via Tonawanda. If the price of gas continues to rise, these lines could be the nucleus of a regional network to Salamanca, Olean and Jamestown. Charlotte, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Minneapolis, Phoenix and Houston are all building rapid transit.
Although drivers here usually enjoy short commutes and manageable congestion, the rush-hour scenes at “the blue water tower” and the Thruway before Bills games show that our roads are nearing capacity. Buffalo is not preparing for growth and is headed for gridlock. And, if there were five trains daily to Toronto, we might not need another Peace Bridge.
Glenn Hufnagel
Buffalo
