BUFFALO, N.Y. — Clean Mobility Buffalo has a mission to make transportation greener and more affordable for people on the East Side.
There's a big East Side Forward Expo this weekend where you can learn more about how the group is using millions of dollars to reach those goals.
Clean Mobility Buffalo received $10 million from the state last year to help reduce air pollution on the East Side. On Tuesday, we found out how the groups involved in that plan are using some of that money.
"As communities predominantly comprised of people of color, we've often been sidelined, our autonomy and visions for our neighborhoods overshadowed," said Tendaji Ya'Ukuu, Open Buffalo, Ecological Justice Coordinator.
This Saturday, you will be able to talk to a lot of the people who were at Tuesday morning's press conference about how Clean Mobility Buffalo plans to use millions to make it easier to get around on Buffalo's East side.
"Over the past eight months, the neighborhood leadership group and I have delved into the intricacies of clean mobility, crafting educational programs, and channeling grassroots feedback to our partners' transit projects with the key focus on Buffalo's East Side," said Ya'Ukuu.
The East Side Forward Expo will have workshops, bike demonstrations, the NFTA's electric bus, and more.
Part of the initiative focuses on bike safety and accessibility. The East Side Bike Club announced Tuesday that a new e-bike library is opening soon at 291 East Delavan.
"So the whole project is to provide e-bikes, this new technology to those who may be less likely to enjoy this, or those who need it for transportation, health, and wellness, or even just, I want to check one out to see if I want to buy one for my main transportation," said Harvey Miles with the East Side Bike Club.
Reddy Bikeshare works with the East Side Bike Club and GoBike to give people more transportation options. That group is part of this, too.
"For the past year, we have been doing community engagement to see where there's high traffic areas, where people need more assistance getting to places, from Point A to Point B. We already have about 15 stations on the East Side, and we're looking to double that footprint so we're already starting partner communications to get new hubs on the East Side," said Marli Parish, E-bike Program Coordinator with Reddy Bikeshare.
If you want to learn more, the Expo is this Saturday at the Northland Workforce Training Center from 11:30 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon. That is the official launch of the Clean Mobility Buffalo initiative.