For all the lip service given from the University at Buffalo about being connected and committed to fostering the growth of the city of Buffalo, it is Canisius College that is putting money where its mouth is. The college has rolled out a plan, in conjunction with the Niagara Falls Transit Authority, to give students a bus pass good for all Metro bus and subway lines in the city.
The Spectrum feels the plan is a huge economic advantage to the area and will serve to expand the horizons of the students. The Spectrum encourages UB to consider a similar plan.
The city of Buffalo is not in the best shape financially, and the university does bear some responsibility. Thousands of students come to the region with money to spend, and the revenue, unfortunately, is not being spent in the right places in Buffalo. The sheltering sprawl of the North Campus separates students from the city, but the separation is not helping the situation. While students can always take their cars downtown, this solution neglects a large portion of UB students who do not own cars or simply prefer to leave their vehicle at home in order to avoid worries of traffic, parking or high gas prices.
The Canisius plan is likely to be successful because it can incorporate already existing city and bus lines to work to the advantage of the school. Students from the city can easily commute to school and do not have to worry about parking. While that infrastructure does not exist for North Campus in terms of getting to and from school, it would be useful in other regards. The South Campus Metro station could become a thriving hub where students embark on free journeys into Buffalo.
A plan to give UB students free trips on the Metro and buses would not only be beneficial for the school, but for the city as well. If a plan for students would cost the same as the plan for Canisius, costs could be spread out through different parties. Canisius has received state and federal grants to fund their project, and it is reasonable to assume the same funds could be available to UB
While UB still needs to form a plan to get students to and from the city, the school has already started a bus line running from the residence halls down Maple Avenue to Tops Supermarket and the Boulevard Mall. They took the first step to recognize a problem, and The Spectrum encourages UB officials to push the program further into the city.
In the future, student interaction with the city of Buffalo will be discouraged when the Lee Road complex becomes a reality. That issue should be dealt with down the road, but for now it is important to help the city as well as give students access to a wide variety of stores and services - a necessity UB has already acknowledged with the plans for Lee Road.
For years, UB has not been part of the Buffalo financial solution, and many students come to the school expecting a city experience, only to find separation from the real cosmopolitan experience.
For the school to maximize the college experience and help revitalize the city, a transportation plan for the students should be seriously considered and put into effect as soon as possible.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
