What NYC’s Port Authority Bus Terminal Could Look Like After a $10 Billion Redesign

Two decades ago, when I first moved to New Jersey, I was repeatedly warned to avoid taking the bus on my commute into Manhattan because it would mean going through the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Dark, dank, and dated, not much has changed since then, despite connecting millions of commuters and travelers to the city’s sprawling network of airports, subways, and train stations.

With 260,000 passengers running through the terminal on high-volume weekdays, the Midtown Manhattan transit hub is the busiest bus terminal in the world—and one of the most outdated. Now, after years of planning and debate, the Port Authority has unveiled a $10 billion redesign it hopes will erase that reputation once and for all.

The sweeping ground-up renovation plan released in February includes a new 2.1 million-square-foot main terminal, a separate Storage and Staging Facility, direct ramps for access in and out of the Lincoln Tunnel, and even 3.5 acres of green space. And like every good rebrand, it also comes with a shiny new name: the Midtown Bus Terminal.

“Anything that was built as a major transportation hub nearly 75 years ago is almost by definition going to be outdated,” Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton tells Condé Nast Traveler, explaining that the terminal which opened in December 1950 has gone through intense usage and deterioration. “Time has not been kind to the old facility.”

In particular, he says that buses these days are bigger and heavier, a challenge for the aging building to handle. “The designers back in the day weren’t oriented to thinking about anything other than something which buses pull into and pull out of,” he says, unabashedly calling the current design “an eyesore.”

The $10 billion project proposes permanently closing a portion of 41st Street between Eighth and Ninth avenues in order to build a multi-story atrium, pictured in this rendering.

A bright and airy design

The architects tasked with taking the bus terminal into the modern era are from the British architectural firm Foster + Partners, best known for their work on Hong Kong International Airport and France’s Millau Viaduct bridges. The first priority: turn dark and dank into “light and airy.” The current building lacks skylights, and even windows. “It’s exactly the reverse of today’s architecture,” Cotton says. “The point is to have an experience that is uplifting and appealing, and where natural light is a major part of the architecture.”

A small peak at that feel can be found in the terminal’s current bathrooms, which started going through a restroom rehabilitation project renovation in 2015. In contrast to their previous iteration with disheveled, crowded stalls, those willing to step inside are treated to brightly-lit restrooms that are surprisingly Instagram-friendly and have even become one of the trendiest places in town to primp.

“There’s no question that the Port Authority has made an effort to have the old building function as well as it can within the very severe constraints of the original architecture to make it top-graded,” Cotton tells Traveler. “But to really do justice to the bus riders and to really have a profound impact on the community, it’s just got to be redone.”

Improved navigation

While aesthetics might decide a visitor’s first impression of a space, getting lost underground is the surest way to permanently turn off travelers from using public transit. Arguably the most pressing design challenge that passengers face in the current terminal is the simple act of getting to the correct gate. With 41st Street bisecting the building, many people find themselves navigating a maze of passageways connecting the north and south wings with little directional signage along the way, sometimes traveling up and down stairs and escalators just to get between the two sides.

The project’s proposed solution to this is a permanent closure of a portion of 41st Street between Eighth and Ninth avenues in order to create a multi-story indoor atrium that would serve as the bus station’s main hub with clear digital signage offering simple directions.

“That way when you come in, you can visually see where the bus gates are,” Cotton says, adding that passengers will also be able to use their phones for step-by-step navigational directions. “Wayfinding can move up a step order of effectiveness by virtue of today’s technology—I suppose, actually yesterday’s technology.”

Bus traffic coordinated by AI

With buses currently letting passengers on and off on the third and fourth floors in an intricate, but outdated, series of pathways, backups have become the norm for both arrivals and departures, leading to frustrating delays for riders.

“In order for the busiest bus terminal in the world to serve its ridership, you need gates to be used multiple times an hour during rush hours,” Cotton says. The goal is to have five to six buses use each gate in an hour. In order to coordinate that “ballet,” he says artificial intelligence will be key. By increasing the technological capabilities of the terminal, AI can help decide which gate each bus should go to as they arrive in order to keep a constant flow.

Also essential will be the construction of a new building west of the current terminal called the Storage and Staging Facility, where buses not being used during peak hours can park. The space would be built by putting a deck over the current open trench on Dyer Avenue, where vehicles exit the Lincoln Tunnel and head downtown toward 30th Street from 42nd Street.

The additional bus parking space would also relieve surrounding areas of the extra buses currently operating from the local streets, including some regional buses (like Megabus) and airport transfer services—one of the top pain points voiced by the community. A new set of ramps providing direct access into the Lincoln Tunnel would also help alleviate traffic build-up.

A rendering shows how new escalators, elevators, and directional signage would improve accessibility and navigability.

A commitment to accessibility

Getting to many of the bus terminal gates currently requires climbing stairs, as some areas lack elevator options or have difficult-to-find escalators. But the improved design will prioritize an accessibility-first mentality, Cotton says.

That includes both the number and placement of elevators and escalators, as well as how the gates themselves are designed. The new terminal could also include spaces for neurodivergent travelers and travelers on the autism spectrum, similar to the Port Authority’s sensory room at Newark Liberty International Airport.

In addition to bringing in outside professionals to assess accessibility needs of all kinds, the Port Authority will also tap its own Abilities Network, an employee group organized through its diversity and inclusion initiative. Cotton describes the network as a “real world sophisticated set of users of our facilities” who help identify accessibility issues and potential barriers to individuals with special needs.

“We are designing it to be as accessible as possible right from the beginning,” he says. “Today’s standards are very rigorous, and we won’t stop at the minimum.”

Green infrastructure

With such a large number of gas-operated buses operating through the terminal, another important pillar of the new design is to build green infrastructure that will help the Port Authority reach a net-zero emissions target. Currently, the terminal isn’t properly prepped for electric charging, meaning the redesign will need to include charging stations capable of handling a large volume of heavy vehicles.

Not only is full electrification a government mandate, but the terminal’s biggest carrier, New Jersey Transit, aims to transition to an all-electric fleet by the mid-2030s. “This facility absolutely has to be capable of handling their buses,” Cotton says.

The green mentality starts with the construction itself. That includes using concrete that’s the least energy intensive, as well as modern construction vehicles that aren’t the historically “dirty diesel industrial equipment,” he says. Additionally, the heating and cooling of the massive midtown structure will be designed to minimize greenhouse gasses and carbon emissions. “You really have to identify every aspect of the construction and the operation of the building,” Cotton says.

When construction is complete, the remaining area of the new deck for the Storing and Staging Facility will provide 3.5 acres of park space, a potential boon for the dense urban neighborhood.

A community gathering place

While old reputations take time to heal, Cotton says he now often hears about travelers wanting to go to arrive extra early to New York’s LaGuardia Airport since it started rolling out its recent renovations in 2020—and that’s his hope for the Midtown Bus Terminal as well.

“The terminal as it currently exists was built almost like a fortress, with the outward facing walls having virtually no concessions,” Cotton says. “The structure wasn’t built to be really a major positive influence on the community and we’re committed to changing that.” That includes outward-facing cafes, shops, and other outlets that truly merge with NYC’s western midtown offerings.

Beyond that, he always says that one of the most commented upon aspects of LaGuardia is its public art, which the Midtown Bus Terminal will also emulate.

“Historically, in many of New York’s transportation hubs, it’s been an experience which is been intensely negative,” Cotton says. “These civic structures are part of the fabric of the city—that’s what we aspire to be.”

Renovation timeline

The proposed redesign is currently in a 45-day public comment period following the release of the environmental impact statement draft earlier this month. After a review of the comments, a final environmental impact statement will be issued and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will decide the project’s final approval. Cotton is confident that the approvals will come later this year.

After ground-breaking, the project will roll out in two phases over eight years. The first four-year stage is to build the new ramps as well as the Storage and Staging Facility, followed by the second period, which will require tearing down the existing terminal and building the new one from the ground up.

Compared to other major infrastructure projects in the New York City area, like the current Hudson Tunnel Project, this one will have a tremendous effect on residents and commuters during construction.

“It’s going to be tough on the community,” Cotton admits. “It’s going to be inconvenient with $10 billion worth of construction in the middle of the westside of Manhattan.” However, he believes that the long-term benefits of the area’s revitalization will make the challenges in the short term well worth it.

“The building itself will be a pleasant experience,” he says. “We hope people will forward to enjoying it and not feeling as if it’s something to be endured. Our goal is to have it not just be the busiest bus terminal, but have it be the best.”