Preliminary Plans For New Port Authority Bus Terminal

The Port Authority has released a report describing some preliminary options for replacing its crumbling mid-town bus terminal. Several options involve relocating long distance inter-city bus services to an unspecified off-site location.  Two alternatives are to construct a new terminal somewhere between 9th and 11th avenues which would mean a lack of direct subway access for commuters.  Others involve keeping the terminal near its current location, which would require interim bus terminal facilities for several years while the terminal is re-built.


The report discusses several near-term options for dealing with commuting issues in and out of the terminal which may seem promising:

• Exploring strategies to manage near term growth at the existing terminal:
• Route consolidation
• Hub & spoke operations
• Hudson River ferries
• Service to other transit hubs in NY and NJ (George Washington Bridge Bus Station, Secaucus Junction, ferry terminals)
• Gate utilization

We have long been an advocate of shifting some buses to run via the under-utilized George Washington Bridge Bus Station, and then via the east side as an alternative to the Lincoln Tunnel and the mid-town terminal.  NJT is already coordinating the NY Waterway ferry on its River Road bus service.  Further, the infamous port authority gate re-shuffling has seemed to alleviate some of the pm rush hour commuting delays.

A new terminal is a must for New Jersey commuters.  However, it looks like it will be years of more commuting chaos for NJ commuters to deal with the current terminal, and then years of construction, and alternate commuting as the new terminal is built.

George Washington Bridge Bus Station Renovations

Construction at the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal continues as part of its $183 million renovation.  On Monday August 25, the concourse level and the lower departure levels were closed leaving only the upper level available for bus arrivals and departures.  Passengers must use steep temporary stair cases to enter and leave the station.  A trailer has been set up on Fort Washington Avenue where passengers can use rest rooms, wait for their bus and buy tickets.  Passengers will also have to exit the terminal and walk outside to catch the A train at 177th and Ft. Washington Ave.

This phase of the construction is expected to last approximately one year.  More information about the renovations, and some renderings of what the terminal will look like are available here.

Bus service and ridership to the terminal has diminished over the past few years.  Hopefully the revived terminal will attract new riders as an alternative to the decrepit and overcrowded Port Authority Bus Terminal in midtown.  We continue to advocate for increased bus service over the GWB to the terminal.   Innovative new express routes, service to midtown via the east side and express bus lanes at the bridge are all potential solutions at little additional investment to the infrastructure to help alleviate overcrowding at the Port Authority Bus Terminal.   

NJT to take over Rockland Coaches 11C and 20/84 Routes?

There is a possibility that NJ Transit may be taking over Rockland Coaches 11C and 20/84 routes.  We previously reported that TransportAzumah announced that it will begin operating the route from the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal to Spring Valley, NY effective May 5, 2014 replacing the  discontinued Rockland Coaches 11C. 

Transport Azumah has also announced it will revive the Route 303 line from the GWB to Newark Airport starting May 5, 2014.  The express route will run daily between 5:15AM and 11PM.  NJT ran a similar route 303 in the 1980s. 

GWB Bus Station April 18, 2014 (updated)

NJBus visited the GWB Bus Station at rush hour on April 18, 2014.  Only three platforms are in service due to the terminal's reconstruction.  There is still uncertainty regarding which company will take over the 11C and 20/84 lines when Rockland Coaches discontinues service on May 4, 2014. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time for some free tolls to compensate for traffic problems...

In light of all of the recent stories, apologies, lawsuits and investigations arising out of the GW BridgeGate Scandal, a very easy way to make reparations to NJ commuters who use the Bridge would be to offer free car tolls and free bus service over the Bridge for a week.  Of course, this should be done without any additional taxpayer expense.  It is this blog's opinion that free tolls speak louder than words.