This presentation was delivered at the October 15 CRT meeting by Darren Kempner, manager of Manager, Grants and Government Affairs for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority.

Below is the application for the City of Buffalo's Better Buffalo Transit Oriented Development Fund. If you have a Transit Oriented Development project in mind, apply using this application.

These comments were submitted as public comments to the Board of Directors of the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation on September 24, 2014.

---

Representatives of Citizens for Regional Transit attended the Outer Harbor public meeting at the WNED Studios on September 9th as well as the previous public meetings. We hope that feedback received from community organizations and individuals will be used by the ECHDC to establish a framework for an Outer Harbor that complements our city, takes best advantage of the unique location and character of the Outer Harbor, and reflects the concerns of WNY citizens. However, we are disappointed with the planning process because it restrains and limits public engagement. We also are opposed to some key aspects of the preferred plan.

The fundamental problem with the process is that it does not allow adequate ability for the public to voice concerns and ask questions. Without meaningful public engagement the plan will not reflect public desires for the use of this public land, and it will not benefit from the expertise of organizations knowledgeable in important issues relating to development of the Outer Harbor. For example, relegating public comments at meetings to “yellow stickies” and informal small group discussions does not provide an effective means for the public to raise questions, and does not require the ECHDC and its contractor to respond publicly, on the record. This short circuits the openness of the process and leads to results not fully reflective public views. We want a chance to publicly express our views and to be informed by the views of other groups and citizens. The ECHDC should want this too. We hope that the next public meeting will allow public comments and discussion of issues, and will provide a forum for the ECHDC to respond publicly. Microphones should be available for this purpose.

From https://onlinempa.unc.edu/5-largest-us-public-transit-systems-inforgrap… (1.9MB in size)

Credit: MPA@UNC

These are the two presentations by Gladys Gifford, Lynn Magdol and Doug Funke that Citizens for Regional Transit shared at CNU 22.

http://www.citizenstransit.org/presentations/CNU22-Gladys.pdf

http://www.citizenstransit.org/presentations/dontforgettransit-dougfunk…

CRT President Doug Funke and Secretary Lynn Magdol explain the great benefits to the public of transit.

James LaRusch of the American Public Transportation Association (www.publictransportation.org) presents news of a renaissance of public transit in the United States.

Action Alert!

The National Highway Trust Fund (an important source for transit funding) is going broke!
As cars are becoming more fuel-efficient and Americans are driving fewer miles, there is a lot less gas tax revenue collected; the highway trust fund is becoming exhausted. The federal gasoline tax hasn't been raised since 1993 and has never been indexed to inflation. Given this looming fiscal cliff, doing nothing is not an option.

http://t4america.org/our-vision/investment/

Contact your federal representative today!

Here, you can find links to the various videos we exhibited at the 2013 CRT Transit Conference in Buffalo, NY, September 14, 2013.
Each listing gives you the runtime for the video.

1. Moving Beyond the Automobile: Transit Oriented Development (3:18).

http://vimeo.com/19836629#at=0
After the light rail is extended, businesses move in, followed by people. Note that in Jersey City car ownership is even lower than in Buffalo!

2. William Lind: A Conservative Voice For Public Transportation by Elizabeth Press on November 12, 2009 (3:21).

http://vimeo.com/12743336#at=0
Transit expansion is not just a green issue. The business perspective is presented here.

3. Active Living For All Ages: Creating Neighborhoods Around Transit by Robin

Urban Smith on April 17, 2012 (6:40). http://www.amara.org/en/videos/WQu2IVetxYLy/info/
Seniors need to be near transit to continue active living. This has benefits for everyone.

4. Phoenix's METRO Light Rail Takes Flight by Clarence Eckerson, Jr. on June 17, 2009 (3:21).

http://vimeo.com/12745105#at=0
Planning for large increases in population.

5. Take a Ride on the Seattle Streetcar by Clarence Eckerson, Jr. on March 10, 2009 (3:58).

http://vimeo.com/12796321#at=0
The new streetcar line connects to rail and to interesting neighborhoods.