By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – US Congressman Brian Higgins and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown say the time is right to get construction underway for a new Peace Bridge plaza and "signature" bridge.
The two leaders met with reporters near the Peace Bridge Monday. Just last week, Canadian officials opened a newly constructed plaza on the Fort Erie side.
Higgins and Brown were joined by members of the Buffalo Building and Construction Trades Council. They say the entire Peace Bridge project has the potential of generating thousands of new construction jobs.
Higgins says he believes the total project for the plaza and a new signature bridge would cost about $315 million. Most of the funding would be borrowed by the Peace Bridge Authority.
Brown says the time to build a US plaza and new bridge construction is now.
"We believe the project must move forward now," Brown said. "We want to be aggressive in moving the project forward. I'm going to do everything I can, in my power as mayor, to make sure that this project moves forward."
The Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority says they are hoping to break ground on the US Plaza by late 2009, followed by bridge construction.