A two-mile stretch of Niagara Falls Boulevard that runs along the border of Amherst and Tonawanda, just north of the I-290, is one the busiest and deadly sections of road in the Greater Buffalo area. Since 2013, five pedestrians have been struck and killed - all but one accident happening when it was dark.
The deadly stretch of road is now about to get an upgrade. Working on a recommendation by the NYS Department of Transportation, Amherst and Townawda will be installing street lights on both sides of the boulevard from the I-290 up to Tonawanda Creek Road.
Design work for the project is still being completed but it is hoped all the lights can be installed by Spring 2019.
On the Tonawanda side, installation of lights will be easier because utility poles are already in place. It gets more complicated on the Amherst side because 70 utility poles have to be placed before the lights are put up.
It is estimated the Amherst part of the project will cost $935,000 - with $295,000 coming from the town's Capital Improvement Program and the rest from NYS and federal grants.
The lights will be placed approximately 100'-200' apart with emphasis on putting them near intersections, bus stops, and areas where pedestrians have been killed.
7 Eyewitness News Reporter Ed Reilly has more in his reports.
