New York City’s Midtown Manhattan Bus Terminal replacement project moved forward last week after the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey released a draft environmental impact statement and project plan Revised based on feedback from travelers, residents and local officials.
The proposed $10 billion reconstruction of the nation’s largest and world’s busiest bus terminal updates a plan originally presented in 2021. The revised plan would include a 2.1 million-square-foot main terminal, an bus storage and ramps directly connected to the Lincoln Tunnel. The proposal also calls for two additional support structures on Port Authority property to reduce bus congestion on the street and create 3.5 acres of community green space.
The “major step forward” will transform “the nation’s worst infrastructure violation and replace it with the highest quality facility,” Rick Cotton, the Port Authority’s executive director, said in a statement.
Phased construction would allow for continued use of the terminal for the approximately eight years of the project. Once completed in 2028, the bus storage and staging facilities will serve as a temporary terminal while the existing terminal is demolished. The project is expected to create 6,000 union construction jobs and is expected to be completed by 2032, according to the Port Authority.
The Port Authority is currently applying for a federal Transportation Infrastructure Innovation and Financing (TIFIA) loan to help finance the project. The authority is also negotiating plans for commercial development above the terminal with city officials through payments in lieu of taxes, a similar financing vehicle used to finance the Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station .
“We look forward to completing our ongoing discussions to reach an agreement with New York City on the contribution of PILOT payments related to our commercial development as we work to secure funding for this critical project that will serve as an economic engine for decades to come,” said Cotton.
After the 45-day public comment period expires this spring, the US Environmental Protection Agency is expected to announce its decision on the final EIS later this year.
Sustainable makeover
The Port Authority says the first major upgrade to the bus terminal since 2007 addresses a number of long-standing problems affecting local residents and the 98,000 passengers who travel there daily, ranging from street congestion and terminals to local air pollution to appearance.
US Rep. Jerrold Nadler (DN). .Y.) said in a statement.
The plan has a number of sustainability features to achieve its goal of net zero emissions, including all electric bus fleets and charging stations, on-site renewable energy, zoned heating and cooling systems, as well as recovery technology and heat reuse. A new traffic management system with sensor-based monitoring systems will improve traffic flow in and out of the terminal and enable remote monitoring of bus engines to reduce breakdowns in express bus lanes.
The makeover also includes a new facade, a multi-story interior atrium, and space for new commercial and retail amenities accessible from the street and inside the terminal.
The proposed deck raised over the current Dyer Avenue “cut” below grade creates an area for public green space that will be installed once the terminal’s construction is complete.
Although the original construction of the bus terminal from the 1940s was based on eminent domain that had a lasting impact on the surrounding neighborhoods, the redesign aims to address some of these impacts and its expansion will only on the property of the Port Authority. According to the Port Authority, “extensive community outreach” has been a key principle in the design process, marking a transition towards a deeper consideration of the needs of those most affected by the presence of the terminal.
“For too long, the bus terminal and its roads have been divisive in Hell’s Kitchen, separating communities and making life difficult for residents,” Jessica Chait, chair of Manhattan Community Board 4, said in a statement.
