$10B renovation planned for Port Authority Bus Terminal

Each year, 65 million passengers come in and out of the Port Authority Bus Terminal, 24 hours, seven days a week. By 2040, experts estimate that number will increase by 50%.

To better serve those commuters and make the major terminal more functional, the City Planning Commission has approved a $10 billion plan to revamp the transit hub.

“It’s far past time for a replacement,” Dan Garodnick, chair of the commission, said at Wednesday’s vote. “The new transit hub we’re voting on today would be designed to meet the expected increase in bus ridership in the coming decades, improve bus storage, reduce on-street congestion and idling, and offer modern services and amenities for passengers."

“With this truly transformational replacement plan, we can ensure this hub takes its place among our city’s great civic infrastructure projects and has the capacity to serve New York City’s residents, those who live in neighboring states, and those who visit from throughout the country, for decades to come," he added.

If all goes according to plan, the renovation is expected to happen in three phases. The first, beginning as soon as early next year, would include the construction of a five-story bus storage and staging facility for 350 buses from Ninth Avenue to 10th Avenue.

The second phase would start right after the first phase completes, around 2029.

Demolition and construction of the new, more than 2 million-square-foot main bus terminal would begin, and the storage facility built during the first phase would operate as the temporary terminal until the second phase wraps.

The third phase would include building two new 60-story office towers, wider sidewalks and new green space.

The project would be funded in part by city tax revenue, Port Authority capital funding, federal loans, development rights and other sources of revenue. Modernizing and updating the functionality of the transit hub has been in the works for years.

Some commuters NY1 spoke with said the renovation is needed.

“It’s long overdue," commuter Pete Joyce said. "I mean, this place is a mess."

“It needs to be done. We got to improve the city, can’t let it fall apart,” commuter Arne Johnson added.

Others said the money should be spent elsewhere.

"I think there’s a lot better things we can allocate 10 billion dollars to in this city before upgrading the Port Authority, which is pretty functional as far as I can tell,” said Nour Barakat, who uses the terminal to commute from New Jersey.

The City Council now has 50 days to hold a hearing and a vote on the project, for the next step in the approval process.

If the plan moves forward, full completion of the project is expected around 2040.