Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer's trip to Western New York this week included a stop in Salamanca, where he announced that the Seneca Nation will receive over $7.6 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation's highly competitive Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program to develop and construct a Southern Tier Regional Transit Hub. Schumer explained that the project will build a transit facility comprised of a combined transit hub and bus storage facility operated by the Seneca Nation Department of Transportation (SNDOT) and Seneca Transit System (STS) to increase accessibility, streamline bus services, and spur economic growth across the region.
Schumer says, "For far too long our tribal communities have had to face inadequate public transit options due to a lack of federal assistance. That is why I am proud to deliver this over $7 million investment for the Seneca Nation to create a hub for transit services between the Allegany and Cattaraugus territories and build a more equitable transportation future. The Seneca Nation's families, businesses, and communities need and deserve a modern, easily accessible transit system, and this major federal investment, in tandem with our major wins from the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law for our tribal communities will pave the way for new economic growth, reconnect residents, create good paying jobs, and drive the future of transportation for the region."
Specifically, the Southern Tier Regional Transit Hub will be located on the Cattaraugus Territory and is intended to support the expansion of transit services for the STS and regional partners across the Seneca Nation from Salamanca to Irving. The transit hub portion of the proposed project will serve as a transfer facility at which riders will be able to connect to buses that provide regional transit services like STS, Chautauqua Area Regional Transit System (CARTS), Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), and other transit services that bring tourism to the area, making it easier for locals and visitors alike to easily travel to other major hubs. The facility will be able to accommodate travelers with additional parking for vehicles and buses and other passenger amenities. The bus storage facility portion will provide an area for interior storage of the buses operated by the STS on a daily basis, and Schumer said it will help streamline the Seneca Nation's public transit services by increasing accessibility for residents and giving STS the one-stop hub they need to keep transit running smoothly.
Photo by Senator Charles Schumer's Office
