Federal funding for an East Side public transit project is at risk of being rescinded as part of the Trump administration’s reconciliation package titled the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” according to local lawmakers.
$102 million in federal funds earmarked for a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project on Bailey Avenue could be withdrawn.
The planned transit project includes bus lanes, improved road traffic signals and enhanced bus stations along the seven-and-a-half-mile Bailey Avenue corridor, with a completion date of 2028.
The corridor, which runs from Main St. to South Park Ave., saw more than 2,500 crashes between 2014 to 2019 according to an NFTA study. Congressman Tim Kennedy, a Democrat, said that means the plans are as much about safety as infrastructure.
"Cutting this funding means that another generation of Buffalonians would have to endure one of our region's most dangerous roadways," Kennedy said. "This isn't just another transportation or infrastructure project. It's about saving lives and making our community better for everyone."
Erie County Legislator for District 2, Taisha St. Jean-Tard, said the project serves around 100,000 people.
"Losing this is more than just infrastructure. We're going to lose our community's trust," she said. "They call this the 'big, beautiful bill.' Have you rode down Bailey? It's not beautiful yet, but it should be, and with this money, it could change Bailey Avenue."
The reconciliation package was passed by the House last week. It includes the repeal of unobligated funds for the Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant Program, which supports the Bailey transit project.
$102 million is already obligated to the NFTA according to a federal grant database. However the funding is discretionary.
In an email, the NFTA said they are continuing to focus on next steps to advance the initiative.
