Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is moving forward with its plan to reimagine the world’s busiest bus terminal

New York NY, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is moving forward with its plan to reimagine the world’s busiest bus terminal with the launch today of the federal environmental review process and announcement of a total of four public meetings to be held virtually on June 23 and 24.

The Federal Transit Administration today published its Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) based on the Port Authority’s final scoping document on the proposal, the details of which were previously announced in January 2021. The proposal accommodates a potential 40-percent increase in bus rider capacity while responding to the needs of the local community.

Based on community comments gathered during earlier planning-level draft proposals, the new plan includes a storage and staging facility that removes commuter buses from street-level storage lots and accommodates intercity buses that currently pick up and drop off riders on city streets in the vicinity of the existing terminal. In addition, it responds to community requests for more public green space.

“The Port Authority’s proposal for a new Midtown Bus Terminal will not only ease commutes for workers throughout our region, it will be a vital component in the redevelopment of the nation’s busiest transit district in Midtown West, joining a new Moynihan Train Hall and an expanded and reimagined Penn Station,” said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. “Transforming what is considered one of New York’s most glaring eyesores and turning it into a world-class facility we can all be proud of is a project that is decades overdue and will create opportunity well into the future.”

“Commuters from New Jersey and throughout the region have long struggled with the outdated Midtown Bus Terminal,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. “Today’s steps by the Port Authority and the FTA are critical to advancing this much-needed infrastructure project. The new terminal will provide a clean, modern and sustainable facility for residents of New Jersey, New York and travelers to the region. We look forward to seeing this project coming to fruition in the near future.”

“The new Midtown Bus Terminal is a creative, audacious and forward-thinking reimagining of the bus commuting experience through the lens of modern new standards of public transit and customer experience,” said Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “We look forward to moving ahead with this critical project and hearing from the community and the commuting public.”

“The Port Authority’s revolutionary proposal for the Midtown Bus Terminal not only will bring 21^st century standards and technology to the fore to benefit bus commuters but will also get bus traffic off the streets, which has plagued the local community for decades,” said Executive Director Rick Cotton. “We look forward to receiving further public comment and input as part of the environmental review process.”

Once published in the Federal Register, the NOI launches a 45-day period of public comment running through July 19. During this time, members of the public are invited to submit comments and feedback on the proposal by mail, electronically by e-mail or through the project website, or by voicemail at (929) 502-7304.

Additionally, the Port Authority will host four public virtual scoping meetings to provide information and an additional opportunity for the public to submit comments, in accordance with COVID-related public health guidance. The livestreamed meetings are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, June 23 and 24, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. and again from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on both days. Details on how to join the meetings are available on the project website: pabtreplacement.com. Requests for special assistance such as translation services, closed captioning or signing services, must be made by June 17.

Reliable and efficient bus service between New York and New Jersey is critical to the interconnected economies of both states, as many New Jersey residents work in New York City. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the terminal served an estimated 260,000 passenger trips (8,000 bus movements) on weekdays, or 23 percent of trans-Hudson bus trips entering or exiting Manhattan’s central business district. Based on pre-pandemic ridership trends, demand through 2040 is expected to increase by 30 percent with estimates of up to 337,000 weekday passenger trips.

The existing Midtown Bus Terminal was built in 1950 and expanded in 1981. Between 2013 and 2017, the Port Authority sought proposals to replace the outdated terminal with a modern facility that would meet the needs of commuters, long distance travelers and the local community.

The plan takes no private land and will be built entirely on existing Port Authority property. The new terminal will incorporate state-of-the art technology in its design to improve the passenger experience, maximize operational efficiencies and foster sustainability.

The proposal for the new Midtown Bus Terminal includes:

Replacement of the existing terminal on Eighth Avenue for commuter bus services with a state-of-the-art, best-in-class facility.

A bus storage and staging building from Ninth to 10^th avenues between 39^th and 40^th streets that will decrease dramatically the number of buses on congested city streets.

The storage and staging facility also will include additional capacity to handle intercity buses that currently load and unload on city streets, reducing pedestrian and vehicular congestion and curbside traffic.

New bus ramp infrastructure between 10^th and 11^th avenues enabling direct bus access to and from the Lincoln Tunnel to both the new staging and storage building and to the new terminal, which is also designed to minimize bus travel on city streets.

A new underpass under Ninth Avenue between 40^th and 41^st streets linking Dyer Avenue to the lower level for buses entering the new facility.

Approximately 3.5 additional acres of new green space in the community between Ninth and 10^th avenues created by decking over sections of the Dyer Avenue entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel. Those areas will serve as temporary staging locations during early phases of construction and will be transformed for public green space when construction is complete.

Up to four high-rise towers — on Eighth Avenue between 41^st and 42^nd streets, Ninth Avenue between 40^th and 41^st streets, 11^th Avenue between 39^th and 40^th streets, and 10^th Avenue between 39^th and 40^th streets.

The terminal construction plan will be developed with input from the construction industry through an industry forum and with the local community. Tentative plans call for a phased timeline including the construction of the staging and bus storage facility to occur first, so that it can serve as a temporary terminal while the existing terminal is demolished and rebuilt. Decking over sections of Dyer Avenue would occur early in the phased construction and provide temporary bus staging locations while the main bus terminal is rebuilt. Once completed, the decked-over areas of Dyer Avenue will become new public green space that reknits the local community.

The Port Authority expects to fund the project through multiple sources in addition to the $3 billion contained in the agency’s 2017-2026 Capital Plan, such as provisions to secure additional funding through the development of up to four new high-rise towers. The added funding from these developments would be derived from proceeds from the sale of the development rights for the new towers; funding from Payments In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOTs) that would otherwise be paid to the city of New York, pending an agreement with the city; and financial assistance from existing FTA programs or from a new federal infrastructure program. This multi-source funding model proved successful in the financing of Moynihan Train Hall.

For more information on the project and how to submit a public comment, including the final scoping report and all project-related public documents and presentations, please visit the project website: pabtreplacement.com.

Contact:
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
212-435-7777
press@panynj.gov