Advocates unveil proposals for three new light rail transit lines in Buffalo

There is a new push to expand public transportation in the City of Buffalo.

University at Buffalo students have teamed up with "Citizens for Regional Transit" to unveil their proposal for three new light rail transit lines.

The proposal includes new stations that would connect the city's Central Business District and the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

The groups say this proposal would address long-term transportation needs and several problems like low transit ridership and limited access to jobs and services.

"It could do a lot, it carries a lot of people," Doug Funke, president of Citizens for Regional Transit said. "If you look at what we have right now, we have a six mile system that carries 20% of the NFTA ridership. That includes over 100 miles of bus transit. It can carry a lot of people, it can carry them fast and it works well so we're hoping that now we're starting to get a move on this it'll happen."

The three proposed lines include:

• The Belt Line — would run along the existing railroad corridor that circles the city and connects neighborhoods
• The Airport Line — would run from the Central Business District to the Buffalo Airport
• The Kensington Line — would run adjacent to the Kensington Expressway and run from the Belt Line to the Airport Line