The Tri-State Transportation Campaign joined locals in Hell's Kitchen today to call on the Port Authority to invest in improved and expanded bus facilities to relieve pressure on local streets.
With no more space left in the authority's existing facilities, a growing number of buses are parked by curbs near the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Locals and advocates have long urged the Port Authority to remove idle buses from neighborhood streets and improve conditions for bus riders with a new garage and renovations to the terminal.
"The asthma rate for our children is the third highest in Manhattan," said Christine Berthet, chair of Manhattan Community Board 4 and co-founder of CHEKPEDS, in a written statement. "Bus gridlock prevents pedestrians from crossing the streets and retail stores see their revenues plummet. With each residential tower replacing a bus parking lot, the problem has escalated to crisis proportions."
Today's event took place before the Port Authority board was scheduled to vote on the 2014-2023 capital program.
"Every day, more than 8,500 buses carry nearly 400,000 people through the PABT and the GWBBS [George Washington Bridge Bus Station] so it's baffling that there are no funds in the next capital program for a new bus garage or improvements to the bus terminal," said Veronica Vanterpool, TSTC executive director.
A billion-dollar bus garage was proposed in the authority's 2007-2013 capital program, but the project was dropped in 2009, Vanterpool told Streetsblog. The authority is looking to build a 100-spot garage annex on W. 39th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues, but that proposal is dependent on a federal grant. It's also much smaller than the garage that was shelved by the authority, Vanterpool said.
Vanterpool noted that the authority can make year-to-year budget and capital spending adjustments, which leaves room for bus improvements to resurface.
"The annex is certainly something that will help," said Vanterpool, "but the Port Authority needs to revisit its priorities and start making capital investments for buses."
