NEW YORK (AP) – New York City’s main bus station, mocked and criticized for years for leaking ceilings, dirty bathrooms and frequent delays, could receive a major makeover.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey released a proposal Thursday to rebuild and expand the building in Manhattan. “Everyone knows the bus station. Few have anything good to say, ”said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “It is time to replace the building.”
The new station would be built over the current one, with modern glass walls at the entrances and extensions to receive more buses. Ramps extending several blocks would be moved and a building would be constructed to park buses off the street.
Construction of the project could begin in 2024, finish by 2031 and cost up to $ 10 billion, the port authority said. Some 3 billion would come from selling the rights to build four commercial buildings in the area, including one above the terminal. The project would also require municipal and federal funds.
The Port Authority Bus Terminal was opened in 1950 on 8th Avenue, between 40th and 42nd streets, near the central Times Square. Before the coronavirus pandemic, the terminal received more than 250,000 passengers on weekdays, many from New Jersey.
Authorities have debated replacing or remodeling the station for years. A previous plan to build a new terminal west of the current building caused a heated dispute between the New York and New Jersey branches of the agency.
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