For nearly 200,000 interstate bus commuters shuttling daily between New York and New Jersey, a decade-long construction pain period is set to officially begin this Thursday, October 15th.
To advance the $11 billion Port Authority Midtown Bus Terminal reconstruction project, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) will officially kick off the next phase of large-scale demolition and construction this Thursday. The aging and dilapidated transportation hub, with a 75-year history, is on the brink of a complete revitalization, but it comes at the cost of almost a decade of traffic congestion and detours in the foreseeable future.
Starting this Thursday, the construction team will begin demolishing the entrance ramp extending from the Lincoln Tunnel to the interior of the existing bus terminal building. Consequently, all buses coming from New Jersey through the Lincoln Tunnel into Midtown Manhattan will no longer be able to access the terminal directly via the current ramp. Instead, they will be forced to detour by turning onto West 39th Street, proceeding along 10th Avenue before finally accessing another alternate ramp to enter the bus terminal boarding area.
The Port Authority has issued an early warning that, in the foreseeable future, bus commuters during peak rush hours on workdays must prepare for significant delays and vehicle congestion. Simultaneously, there will be restrictions on ground-level vehicular traffic on West 39th Street, only permitting local residents and nearby workers’ vehicles to enter.
The Port Authority indicated that this traffic diversion plan is just the initial step in a nearly decade-long construction pain period. The entire $11 billion reconstruction project is divided into two core phases:
Phase One (from now until 2030) involves constructing new ramps and a temporary bus facility while building a bus parking facility. The Port Authority plans to smoothly transition all bus operations to the temporary facility by the end of 2030. Phase Two (from 2030 to 2035) will entail the complete demolition of the old main bus terminal building and constructing a modern, attractive new hub building on the same site. The goal is to officially open to passengers by 2035. The future new terminal will not only significantly improve bus throughput and operational capacity but will also accommodate modern retail and dining facilities, enhancing connections with the subway network, and fundamentally alleviating road congestion in the surrounding communities.