Final day for NFTA Metro to run

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - After Sunday, the NFTA Metro Rail's Theater Station will be shutdown for good. It is expected to be taken out as the city continues work on the 600 block of Main Street to return vehicle traffic.

On Thursday, February 14th, the citizens for Regional Transit put up flowers as a memorial for the transportation system.

Citizen for Regional Transit Seth Triggs said, "We felt that this was really something that is a bad idea to the community. It's certainly a bad idea for transit riders.

Sunday's Sabres game brought plenty of traffic to the station. One rider said it will be an inconvenience not having it with the Fountain Plaza Station being 700-800 feet away.

Mike Haworth who used the station during Sabres games said, "When it is really cold out, absolutely, this is very convenient and not just for me. But, I don't understand why in the middle of the Theater District when people use this to go to the theater. It doesn't make any sense to me."

Businesses are welcoming the change and the addition of the car traffic. Empty spaces are being filled on both 500 and 600 blocks in anticipation of the new traffic.

Bea Militello from Bijou Grille said, "Right now a lot of the out-of-towners can't drive down Main Street so they don't know we exist. I think it will be a good thing for all of downtown because we have a lot to be proud of on this end."

Some people like Triggs feel that additional traffic to the area would have happened if more businesses moved in even without car access. He says, "We really had not encouraged people to live downtown for many years. Apartment units were removed from downtown and neighborhoods were separated from downtown by expressways and urban renewal projects. Now that we are doing that, you are seeing more people downtown."