FAQs
What is The Riverline?
The Riverline will be a 1.5-mile, 40-acre nature trail and multi-use greenway that will connect downtown Buffalo, NY near Canalside on the Lake Erie waterfront to the Buffalo River across from the Tesla Gigafactory at Riverbend. The trail will be on land where Indigenous communities lived and prospered for centuries before being forced to displace. In 1853, the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, also known as the DL&W, was built on this site, connecting Buffalo to Hoboken, NJ and New York City and coinciding with explosion of shipping and industry in Buffalo. The DL&W was decommissioned in the 1960s and the land is now owned by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA).
​By reimagining this former railway into a public space connecting people to nature, the Buffalo River waterfront, and one another, The Riverline will be an innovative and inspiring place that celebrates this area of Buffalo and will be a place of refuge for all. The Riverline will prioritize native plants and wildlife, health and wellness, public art, and community connectedness and accessibility. It will be a string of engaging experiences in nature that everyone can enjoy – right in the city, only minutes from downtown
As a member of the Highline Network, The Riverline is on the forefront of infrastructure reuse projects that are being constructed across North America to create vibrant and equitable public spaces.
Where Can I Find The Riverline?
The former DL&W corridor that will be transformed into The Riverline is currently in development and is not yet publicly accessible. The corridor runs through three historic Buffalo neighborhoods – the Old First Ward, Perry, and the Valley. One of our key aims when constructing The Riverline will be to create “gateways” and “community connectors” in all three neighborhoods. These will be essential access points that will make it easy to find The Riverline at multiple locations while celebrating and respecting the character of the communities along its route. You can view a concept map of The Riverline here.
When Will The Riverline Be Built?
We are currently undertaking a detailed assessment of the corridor to examine the environmental, social and economic impacts of building The Riverline. We are referring to this assessment as The Riverline Study and you can find more details here. This assessment process is a requirement of the New York State Department of Transportation before construction can begin. We are working with partners who are developing detailed design plans and construction documents. We are also working to involve the public to ensure they have every opportunity to receive updates and provide input on these components each step of the way. We do do this through community meetings, updates on our website, tabling and presenting at events around the city, our Facebook page, through the work of our Community Ambassadors, and other community engagement activities. We anticipate that the environmental assessment and the preliminary design plans will be completed by the end of 2024 and our goal is to begin initial construction in 2025. The exact timeline for construction will be determined by the design schedule and available funding.
How Can I Stay Involved Or Help With The Project?
You can donate here​ to help build an asset that will bring connection to nature and one another accessible to all. Please go here for our series of public meetings designed to keep all community members informed and gather input on design ideas. You can follow us on Facebook to stay up to date on all our events, learn more, and get involved and share your thoughts and hopes for The Riverline here.
