Who is conducting the study?
The New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA) and the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration.

Recent changes to the Thruway toll structure in the Buffalo area, specifically at the Black Rock and City Line Toll Barriers, have begun to alter regional traffic patterns. These changes could affect the magnitude of the transportation issues in the Corridor that are being identified by the Study, and impact potential solutions to those issues. Since further changes in the traffic volumes can be anticipated after the toll plazas on the Niagara Thruway are removed, sometime in the Spring 2007, the Thruway Authority has postponed work on the Buffalo Corridor Study until the toll plazas have been removed and traffic patterns stabilize.

Where is the Buffalo Corridor located?
The Buffalo Corridor is located between Interchanges 49 (Transit Road) and Interchange 53 (I-190) on the New York State Thruway. A section of the Youngmann Memorial Highway (I-290), between I-90 and Interchange 7 (Main Street) is also part of the Buffalo Corridor.

Why study the Buffalo Corridor?
There are known structural, operational, mobility and access needs that exist along the Buffalo Corridor. The study will identify the significance or severity of any existing and future problems and needs, and determine what improvements are necessary to address them.

What improvements will be evaluated in the Buffalo Corridor Study?
All reasonable alternatives will be evaluated.

How many vehicles travel the Buffalo Corridor each day?

What will happen if improvements are not made to the Buffalo Corridor?
If improvements are not made to the Buffalo Corridor, bridge/pavement conditions will continue to deteriorate and delays on the mainline and at interchanges will become longer and more frequent.

What is the accident history in the Buffalo Corridor?
As part of the Study, accident data from within the Corridor will be collected to identify high accident locations. The Study will also recommend safety improvements at those locations.

What is a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and what role does it have in this study?
A MPO is responsible for coordinating transportation planning activities in an urbanized area. The MPO for the Buffalo and Niagara region is the Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council (GBNRTC). The GBNRTC is conducting the traffic forecasts for this study. The Buffalo Corridor Project Team consults with the GBNRTC on a regular basis.

How can I obtain more information about the Study?
Public meetings will be announced on this Website and in area newspapers. This site will be updated on a regular basis. If you would like your name to be placed on our mailing list, please refer to the "Get Involved" section.

Is an Environmental Impact Study (EIS) required?
It is expected that an EIS could be required for some projects that the Study may recommend.

Will additional lanes be special use lanes such as HOV lanes, Trucks-Only lanes, or Express lanes?
The Study will evaluate the effectiveness of special use lanes, general use lanes, and other alternatives for improving mobility.

What options will be considered instead of adding lanes?
In addition to highway improvements, transit, Transportation Systems Management (TSM), and Traffic Demand Management (TDM) alternatives will be investigated and evaluated.

What impact will the Study have on regional air quality?
An evaluation of the impact on regional air quality for all reasonable alternatives will be conducted during the course of the environmental review process or a project-by-project basis.

How will traffic be maintained during construction?
It is too early to determine how traffic will be maintained at this stage of the project.

What are the next steps?
Preliminary Study findings including proposed project alternatives and evaluations will be presented to the public for comment in the Spring of 2007 and a final Study report is scheduled to be published a few months later.

If you have additional questions concerning this project please use the form on the "Contact Us" section.