JULY 23, 2015, 3:47 PM LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2015, 6:13 PM
BY SHAWN BOBURG
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
A planned reconfiguration of gates inside the Port Authority’s midtown Manhattan bus terminal is expected to reduce delays in the cramped building, agency officials said Thursday.
The changes, to take effect in early September, would consolidate NJ Transit bus service on the building’s third floor, eliminating the operational mess that ensues when private carriers and New Jersey’s mass transit buses try to navigate around each other in the same space. Currently, the third floor is split among NJ Transit and private bus operators.
The move was presented as another stop-gap measure to improve service out of the often-criticized terminal while the Port Authority explores options for replacing the building.
“We believe that our commuters will experience a more reliable trip while we work with staff to develop a new modern facility,” said Port Authority Chairman John Degnan.
Last year, amid pressure from commuters and some New Jersey lawmakers, the Port Authority agreed to put $90 million into improvements at the bus terminal, including revamped bathrooms, new air conditioning units and repairs to ceiling tiles. The agency also added new traffic management personnel inside the terminal last September to help keep buses moving, a change that agency officials said created significant improvement
