JOINT STATEMENT OF PORT AUTHORITY AND ELECTED OFFICIALS OF NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ON PRELIMINARY PLANNING EFFORTS TO DESIGN AND DELIVER A 21ST CENTURY WEST SIDE BUS TERMINAL

NEW YORK -- Port Authority officials and representatives of New York and New Jersey have agreed on the need for a new West Side bus terminal and endorsed a new expanded, comprehensive planning process, which would include an analysis of potential temporary and additional bus facility sites and how a new bus facility should be integrated with current and future regional transportation assets. All future planning for the project will include significant stakeholder and public input.

Joining with the agency on today's statement from New York are Congressman Jerry Nadler, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, State Senator Brad Hoylman, Assembly Members Richard Gottfried and Linda Rosenthal, Councilmember Corey Johnson, Community Board 5 Chair Vikki Barbero, and Community Board 4 Chair Delores Rubin. Joining with the agency on today’s statement from New Jersey are New Jersey State Senators Loretta Weinberg, Thomas Kean Jr. and Robert Gordon.

Ideas and input from a panel review of five design competition concepts submitted Aug. 29 as part of the Port Authority’s Design and Deliverability Competition may inform the planning process, which will include a larger universe of planning options to be considered for replacing the existing obsolete and deteriorating 66-year-old terminal, which serves approximately 232,000 passengers each weekday – a figure the Port Authority expects to jump to 337,000 passengers daily by 2040.

The agency’s Board of Commissioners has not yet been presented with these concepts and the panel will not designate a recommended concept. 

The comprehensive planning process will comply with expected federal, state and local environmental review and regulatory processes, with extensive public and stakeholder input, including regular meetings with city and state officials and local partners which the Port Authority expects to begin this month, as well as public meetings in the future.

The five concepts the panel will evaluate will be available (Thursday) for public review and comment at www.PABTcompetition.com, which further explains the agency’s goals. Five separate concepts previously developed by staff can be viewed at http://www.panynj.gov/bus-terminals/pdf/bus-board-3-19-15u-FiveConcepts.pdf.

Inclusion of concepts on the website does not express a view as to feasibility from construction or financial standpoints or community acceptability. Members of the public are invited to submit their comments via the website. The Port Authority encourages all interested parties – commuters, neighborhood residents, business partners and other stakeholders – to provide their assessments, which will be reviewed as part of the planning process by agency officials.