U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer announced last week that the Seneca Nation had received a major federal grant of $7.625 million. The grant is aimed at providing an economic initiative for transportation service on the Seneca Nation, which covers 21,618 acres in Western New York.
The grant is made possible through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program. The funds from the grant will build a state-of-the-art transit hub and storage facility for buses on the reservation.
The goal for the transit hub will be to improve bus service and increase access for the nearly 8,000 citizens who live in Seneca Nation. It will also link to regional services such as Seneca Transit System, Chautauqua Area Regional Transit System (CARTS), and Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA). It is also home to three casinos that will also be aided by the transit hub.
Construction is expected to start in 2024 and the facility will be built on tribal land along Route 20 in Irving, New York.
Seneca Nation President Rickey Armstrong said improving transit in the area was long overdue.
“Access to reliable transportation is an important tool in helping to bridge socio-economic gaps that exist for many of our people, which can be particularly challenging in rural communities,” Armstrong said. “Our Seneca Transit System is a vital service that connects Senecas on our Cattaraugus and Allegany Territories to healthcare, employment, commerce, recreation and other needs on our territories and within the greater region. The Sothern Tier Regional Transit Hub, funded by this RAISE grant, will be a transformational addition to that effort.”
Armstrong, along with Schumer, were on hand in Irving, New York, last week to announce the grant.
“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’s Cattaraugus Territory to create a hub for transit services and build a more equitable transportation future,” Senator Schumer said. “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.”
