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Downtown Buffalo train station to be recommended to Gov. Cuomo

Train station to be located near Canalside
Posted at 11:42 AM, Apr 20, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-20 18:36:50-04

It's one step closer to reality -- downtown Buffalo will likely be the destination for a new train station.

Consultants made their final presentation to the Train Station Site Selection Stakeholders early Thursday morning, who voted to recommend the Canalside location. This recommendation now heads to Governor Cuomo.

The final vote was 11 for downtown, 4 against, and one abstaining.

On Tuesday, Buffalo Mayor Bryon Brown told 7 Eyewitness news that he expects the governor will honor the committee's recommendation.

Not everyone is happy about this decision. Congressman Brian Higgins wanted the committee to choose the Central Terminal. 

Higgins recently told 7 Eyewitness News that the site selection process "is on course to make a serious, generational mistake by failing to return service to Buffalo's historic, landmark New York Central Terminal complex."

Mayor Brown's committee consisted of transportation representatives and local and state politicians. The committee will hear proposals from the public and will have to make a decision by this spring.

Governor Andrew Cuomo put a timeline on the selection of a new train station location, meaning the committee had a few months to analyze and choose a location for the Amtrak station.