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 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?
In 2024, a detailed assessment of the corridor to examine the environmental, social and economic impacts of building The Riverline was completed. More details about this assessment, known as The Riverline Study, can be found here. The assessment process is a requirement of the New York State Department of Transportation on all infrastructure projects before any construction can begin. We worked with partners who developed detailed preliminary design plans and construction documents. We also worked with the public to ensure they had every opportunity to receive updates and provide input each step of the way.
Currently the NFTA has funding secured to design and construct an initial portion of The Riverline. The exact timeline for construction will be determined by the NFTA and additional available funding.
