The Port Authority Board of Commissioners today committed to keep on Manhattan’s West Side a new state-of-the-art bus terminal to replace the aging and outmoded current facility, while also voting to dedicate the funding necessary for completion of the project.
The Board committed to allocate the necessary funds for the project’s construction in New York City when the Port Authority establishes its 2017-2026 Capital Plan.
The anticipated capacity needs and funding for a new bus terminal will be determined in part by the results of the recently announced Port Authority International Design + Deliverability Competition. The competition seeks to deliver a winning conceptual design for a new terminal through a qualified multi-disciplinary team, informed in part by the results of an ongoing Trans-Hudson Commuting Capacity Study.
“By committing to build a much-needed 21st century bus terminal on the West Side of Manhattan, with the understanding that no bus terminal will be built in New Jersey, we are making a crucial investment in our region’s economic growth,” said Port Authority Chairman John Degnan. “This is a vital service for the many thousands of riders who rely on this critical link for their daily commute for decades to come.”
The ongoing design and deliverability competition, announced March 11, is being conducted in two phases. Phase One submissions from multidisciplinary design-led teams are due in April. Finalist submissions will be due in late summer 2016, with the competition winner expected to be announced in September.
The winning design concept is expected to deliver on agency objectives that include an appropriate level of service to meet future bus passenger demand, improved functionality for bus parking and staging, minimizing traffic impact on surrounding local streets, and sustaining safety and security.
The design concept must be cost-effective, taking into account both capital and future operating costs given limited financial resources and the history of significant operating losses at the existing bus terminal.
