Erie County is a county along the shore of Lake Erie in western New York State. As of the 2020 census, the population was 954,236. The county seat is Buffalo, which makes up about 28% of the county's population. Both the county and Lake Erie were named for the regional Iroquoian language-speaking Erie tribe of Native Americans, who lived in the area before 1654. They were later pushed out by the more powerful Iroquoian nations tribes. The county is part of the Western New York region of the state.
The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) is the public agency responsible for operating most public transportation services in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The NFTA, as an authority, oversees a number of subsidiaries, including the NFTA Metro bus and rail system, the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport, the Niagara Falls International Airport and NFTA Small Boat Harbor. The NFTA Metro bus and rail system is a multi-modal agency, utilizing various vehicle modes, using the brand names: NFTA Metro Bus, NFTA Metro Rail, NFTA Metrolink and NFTA PAL. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 15,429,900, or about 53,600 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023.
Buffalo Metro Rail is the public transit rail system in Buffalo, New York, operated by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA). The system consists of a single, 6.4-mile-long (10.3 km) light rail line that runs for most of the length of Main Street from KeyBank Center in Canalside to the south campus of the University at Buffalo in the northeast corner of the city. The first section of the line opened in October 1984; the current system was completed in November 1986. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 2,433,300, or about 6,600 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023.
The Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad was a part of the New York Central Railroad system, connecting Buffalo, New York to Niagara Falls. It is still used by CSX for freight and Amtrak for passenger service.
Seneca is a Buffalo Metro Rail station located in the 200 block of Main Street between Seneca and Swan Streets in the Free Fare Zone, which allows passengers free travel between Erie Canal Harbor and Fountain Plaza station. Passengers continuing northbound past Fountain Plaza are required to provide proof-of-payment. On June 27, 2019, The Buffalo News announced that Merchants Insurance, which has been located at 260 Main Street since the 1960s, bought the naming rights for $161,000 for initially five years, with the option to renew for another five years.
Church is a Buffalo Metro Rail station located in the 300 block of Main Street in the Free Fare Zone, which allows passengers free travel between Erie Canal Harbor and Fountain Plaza. Passengers continuing northbound past Fountain Plaza are required to have proof-of-payment. Church is the closest to the Buffalo Metropolitan Transportation Center, located two blocks east at Ellicott and North Division Streets.
Erie Canal Harbor is a Buffalo Metro Rail station located in the 100 block of Main Street next to the South Aud Block of Canalside in the Free Fare Zone, which allows passengers free travel between this station and Fountain Plaza station. Passengers continuing past Fountain Plaza are required to provide proof-of-payment. Unless there are events occurring at KeyBank Center, in which case Special Events station will be utilized, this is the southern terminus of Metro Rail. Since Erie Canal Harbor station serves as a terminal, immediately north is a double crossover. Erie Canal Harbor station is located close to Amtrak's Buffalo–Exchange Street station and the two stations are connected by a lit pathway beneath Interstate 190 with decorative cement and signage.
Special Events is the southernmost station in the Buffalo Metro Rail system located at the corner of Main and Perry Streets in the Free Fare Zone, which allows passengers free travel between this station and Fountain Plaza station. Passengers continuing northbound past Fountain Plaza are required to have proof-of-payment. Special Events station is located next to the KeyBank Center, which it serves immediately before and after an event. If there is no event at KeyBank Center, Erie Canal Harbor station serves as the southern terminus. The tracks continue to the NFTA Rail Maintenance Yard.
Fountain Plaza is a Buffalo Metro Rail station located in the 500 block of Main Street between Huron and Chippewa Streets. Fountain Plaza serves the northern section of the Buffalo Downtown Central Business District and the Buffalo Theater District since the permanent closing of Theater station on February 18, 2013. Fountain Plaza is at the north end of the Free Fare Zone, where customers traveling north are required to have proof-of-payment.
Allen/Medical Campus is a Buffalo Metro Rail station located at the corner of Main and Allen Streets at the northern end of Buffalo, New York's downtown and is the last underground station to the south requiring payment before entering the Free Fare Zone. The station was temporarily closed in 2015 to incorporate a new building at the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences into the station's aboveground entrances.
Utica is a Buffalo Metro Rail station located at the corner of Main and East Utica Streets. The station was formerly known at the shortened "Utica" name until December 29, 2021, when it was named as the Robert Traynham Coles Utica Station, named after a deceased architect that worked in the design of the Utica station.
LaSalle is a Buffalo Metro Rail underground station located at the corner of Main Street and LaSalle Avenue and is one stop from the northern terminus. Original drafting plans had the station used as a turnout between the current Metro Rail line and three proposed extensions; the Tonawanda Line, which would extend service into the cities of Tonawanda and Niagara Falls; the North Buffalo Line, which would extend service to Elmwood Avenue on an abandoned railroad right-of-way between Hertel and Kenmore Avenues; and the East Buffalo line, to connect the Main Street line with the proposed Airport Line, carrying passengers to the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport. The only visible sign of the turnout is located below ground by way of partially finished tunnel just west of the LaSalle station platforms. From May 20, 1985 to November 10, 1986, due to construction issues at LaSalle station, Amherst Street station served as the northern terminus. Since November 10, 1986, University station serves as the northern terminus.
University is a Buffalo Metro Rail station located near the intersection of Main Street and Niagara Falls Boulevard on the University at Buffalo South Campus. It is a major transfer point between Metro Rail and many city and suburban bus routes and offers a unique "Kiss and Ride" facility on the top level, above the mezzanine. This allows drivers of automobiles a separate area to drop off passengers, so they do not add to the traffic congestion from buses at the station during rush-hour periods and a large park-and-ride facility directly to the east of the station. Since University station serves as a terminal, immediately south is a double crossover. From May 20, 1985, to November 10, 1986, due to construction issues at LaSalle station, Amherst Street station served as the northern terminus. Since November 10, 1986, university station has served as the northern terminus.
New York State Route 266 (NY 266) is a state highway in Erie County, New York, in the United States. It runs along the Niagara River from the city of Buffalo to the city of Tonawanda. The southern terminus of the route is at the ramps leading to Interstate 190 (I-190) exit 8 in Buffalo. Its northern terminus is at an intersection with NY 265 just south of North Tonawanda in Tonawanda.
Since the Buffalo Metro Rail light rail was proposed in the 1970s, there have been multiple proposals for expanding the system, which is currently a single 6.4-mile (10.3 km) long line. Public officials, agencies and advocacy groups have created plans, with the most recent and extensive being an extension to the town of Amherst. Groups have formed on both sides of the issue.
The International Railway Company (IRC) was a transportation company formed in a 1902 merger between several Buffalo-area interurban and street railways. The city railways that merged were the West Side Street Railway, the Crosstown Street Railway and the Buffalo Traction Company. The suburban railroads that merged included the Buffalo & Niagara Electric Street Railway, and its subsidiary the Buffalo, Lockport & Olcott Beach Railway; the Buffalo, Depew & Lancaster Railway; and the Niagara Falls Park & River Railway. Later the IRC acquired the Niagara Gorge Railroad (NGRR) as a subsidiary, which was sold in 1924 to the Niagara Falls Power Company. The NGRR also leased the Lewiston & Youngstown Frontier Railroad.
Lafayette Square is a park in the center of downtown Buffalo, Erie County, New York, United States, that hosts a Civil War monument. The block, which was once square, is lined by many of the city's tallest buildings. The square was named for General Lafayette, who visited Buffalo in 1825.
The Buffalo Metropolitan Transportation Center is located on the southeast corner of North Division and Ellicott Streets in Downtown Buffalo, New York. The transportation center is open 24 hours daily.
Transportation in Buffalo, New York is dominated by automobile use, but other modes of transportation exist in the city.
