New York City officials are pressing the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to halt an ongoing design competition for a new Manhattan bus terminal and create a more "transparent" process.
Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris released a statement Thursday morning saying the city has "significant concerns" with the Port Authority's plans to replace the current 1950-opened 42nd St. terminal on Manhattan's west side. When authorizing an international design competition last October, the Port Authority's board of commissioners expressed support for a new facility west of the current terminal, but allowed design entrants to submit alternative sites.
"Replacing [the bus terminal] represents one of the most significant infrastructure challenges in the city over the next decade and demands a rigorous and transparent planning process," said Shorris, a former executive director at the Port Authority. "New York City and its residents must have a full voice in key issues such as site selection, terminal size, operational improvements and how to avoid the need for condemnation of private property in the area."
U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-Manhattan, urged that the Port Authority scrap the design competition during Thursday morning press conference shortly before a board of commissioners meeting. He urged the agency to consider other options beyond Manhattan's west side including a terminal across the Hudson River in New Jersey where commuters could connect to New York City-bound bus or rail.
Port Authority Chairman John Degnan said during a press conference following Thursday's meeting that the design competition will not be changed and its results will allow for a more productive process with concerned stakeholders. The agency is slated to pick a winning design this fall and has said a public-private partnership will be considered for part of the development.
"It's not designed to come up with a definitive concept that will be implemented exactly as recommended," said Degnan. "I look forward to a dialogue which allows those impacts and concerns to be expressed to the design competitors and to be reflected in addition to the directions we gave them at the outset of this, but I don't see a reason to defer a process, which is simply an early step in what needs to be an inclusive process going forward."
