Public Access Upgrades Set For Buffalo’s Historic Lighthouse

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Plans are in the works to improve public access to Buffalo's historic lighthouse on the city's Lake Erie waterfront.

U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins announced on Monday that the Coast Guard has agreed to changes that will make the lighthouse more accessible in time for next summer.

The Buffalo Democrat says he has been working with Coast Guard officials on a plan that would allow easier public access to the area around the lighthouse and its views of downtown Buffalo. He says those plans include opening a 4-acre park at the site.

Built in 1833, the lighthouse is adjacent to the Coast Guard's Buffalo station, located on the Outer Harbor where the Buffalo River flows into the lake.

The lighthouse was off limits to the public for more than a decade after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

[STORY BY: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS]