The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will hold an international design competition for a new Port Authority Bus Terminal.
The agency’s board of commissioners voted Thursday for the competition, with plans to choose a winner by September 2016. The board supports having the new facility be located west of the current 1950-opened 42nd St. terminal, but design entrants will have the option to submit alternative sites.
“Not only is this one of largest projects in Port Authority history, it is frankly is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the country ever and it is important to get it right,” said Port Authority Executive Director Pat Foye in a press conference after the meeting. “This is an unbelievably complicated project.”
The Port Authority has already authorized more than $100 million in its current 10-year capital plan to improve the current bus station. Port Authority officials said funding for bus terminal planning stages will be included in a new 10-year capital plan slated to be released in December. Foye said the agency will consider a public-private partnership for part of the bus facility development.
“I think that this is a giant step forward for one of the most important transportation projects in the country and certainly within our region,” said Port Authority Commissioner Kenneth Lipper during the board meeting. “It is something that the board has focused on very heavily for two years and this is a giant step, but only the beginning.”
