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Transportation & Environment
Guiding Principals for the Port Authority Bus Terminal Project
1) The existing Port Authority Bus Terminal, between 8th and 9th Avenues and 40th and 42nd Street currently operates beyond capacity and cannot support the current bus rider demand. In addition, the Port Authority, projecting out to 2040, anticipates a dramatic growth in ridership in the years ahead. Further, the Port Authority projects that, due to its age, within ten years the current Port Authority terminal will likely become unsafe.
Therefore, Community Board Five believes that there is an urgent need for the creation of a new Manhattan bus facility (or facilities).
2) The existing Port Authority Bus Terminal is physically located within the boundaries of Community Board Four and Community Board Five wishes to be supportive of Community Board Four's concerns regarding any new facility that would be located within its Community district.
3) The current Port Authority Bus Terminal's inability to support existing bus demand has directly resulted in the presence of an unsustainable and ever-increasing number of intercity buses, dropping off and picking up passengers curbside throughout our district, clogging our streets and sidewalks, idling, increasing traffic congestion, and causing environmental damage and dangers to motorists and pedestrians.
Therefore, Community Board Five believes any new terminal MUST provide sufficient boarding gates for the projected long-term needs of the intercity buses coming into and out of Manhattan.
4) Community Board Five believes the study of a new facility (or facilities) should also give consideration to finding sufficient layaway space for the increasing number of tour buses, including the Broadway show tour buses, which further clog the streets of the Community district.
5) Community Board Five believes that ALL options, including a "multi-modal" solution, need to be fairly considered for the location/s of a new bus facility (or facilities) and that that consideration needs to take into account the "greater good" for the entire City that a new facility (or facilities) will bring.
6) Community Board Five further believes the study and evaluation of current conditions must consider the full context of the West Midtown transit corridor, including the Gateway project, the equally urgent needs of Penn Station, and the Moynihan/Farley redevelopment.
7) Community Board Five believes that the new bus facility must have direct and substantial links to the New York City Subway system.
8) Community Board Five believes that all new bus facilities must conform to the highest environmental standards achievable.