Groundbreaking held for Niagara Falls intermodal station

Government officials held a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday for the Niagara Falls, N.Y., International Railway Station and Intermodal Transportation Center at the historic U.S. Custom House on Whirlpool Street.

The event marked a new chapter in the city's efforts to ensure passenger-rail connections to Buffalo and Toronto, and the the construction of the first high-speed rail station in New York State to receive Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery II discretionary funding, city officials said in a press release.

When completed, the $25 million project will include renovation of the U.S. Custom House, a nationally registered historic location, for use as a Department of Homeland Security border inspection and processing station. The new railway station will serve as a transportation hub for multiple transportation modes.

The federal government will cover 80 percent of the project's cost, while the state will cover 10 percent.

"For nearly three decades, the Niagara Falls International Railway Station has been a goal for the community, and for forward-thinking leaders," said U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) in a prepared statement. "That's why together we've fought for federal, state and local funding to turn this dream into a reality. Because with the completion of this station, rail will once again be the conductor of the regional economy, with the potential to generate millions annually in tourism revenue from visitors coming from Canada and throughout the Northeast."