Congresswoman Louise Slaughter says the new Rochester train station is on schedule to be completed by the end of summer.
She joined officials from the Pike Company, New York State Department of Transportation and local business leaders for a tour of the new facility.
Slaughter says the new station is nearly finished after three years of work, and this will be good for business in Rochester.
"We'll be able to show people that we are up to date here and there are goods and there are people that can be moved to where they need to go. That is one of the most important things for business people is that the infrastructure is up to date, and workable, "she said. "A new company coming here wants to make sure that everybody's working for them and the goods they produce are going to be able to get to markets wherever it may be."
Slaughter helped secure over $15 million in federal funding for the project.
For business people like Tom Battley, executive director of the Rochester Regional Photonics Cluster, a modern train station is a must.
"I just think we need to have a state-of-the-art, or at least a contemporary transportation
infrastructure to be seen as a legitimate city to do business in," he said.
AIM Photonics Corporate Outreach Executive, Ed White, says while they do provide goods and services to the local community, AIM photonics is really a national and global resource, and the new train station will improve access to Rochester.
"The ability for people to come in from outside of the area via air, via rail, is incredibly important," he said.
Officials say the new ADA compliant station will be "intermodal," bringing together trains, buses, improved station parking and bicycle and pedestrian access.
Here's Bob Traver, Regional Construction Engineer for the New York State Department of Transportation, helping lead Rep. Slaughter and business leaders on a tour of the new train station: