Weinberg Issues Statement Applauding Plans for Redevelopment of Port Authority Bus Terminal

TRENTON – As public hearings begin this week on plans to rehabilitate and redevelop the Port Authority Bus Terminal in midtown Manhattan, Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, a long-time advocate for the facility’s upgrade, released the following statement praising the plan that will bring the facility into the 21st Century:

“The Port Authority Bus Terminal — opened in 1950, and expanded in 1981 — has long since outlived its utility in current form. Thousands upon thousands New Jersey commuters know all too well its shortcomings,” said Senator Weinberg, a champion of the modernization of the terminal, which is expected to have space and accommodation to handle larger-sized newer buses, as well as to incorporate anticipated technological upgrades, such as charging stations for electric buses.

“A 21^st Century bus terminal that provides greater reliability, more space and basic modern conveniences will make life easier for commuters, and their families, and will play a crucial role in the further growth of our regional economy.”

The environmental review will include a total of four public meetings that are being held virtually on June 23 and June 24. The Federal Transit Administration published its Notice of Intent to prepare an environmental impact statement based on the final scoping document on the proposal, which calls for replacement of the existing terminal on Eighth Avenue for commuter bus services with a state-of-the-art facility, a potential 40-percent increase in bus rider capacity, and a bus storage and staging building expected to decrease the number of buses on congested city streets.

“The building of this new terminal is a culmination of what so many of us on both sides of the river have worked for over the years,” added Senator Weinberg. “This is a technologically ambitious plan that marks real progress in our transportation infrastructure, and will have a positive, lasting impact for years to come.”