Location
New York, NY
Client
Port Authority of NY + NJ
Services
Traffic Engineering
Transit Planning
Construction Logistics
Port Authority Bus Terminal Replacement
The Port Authority Bus Terminal (PABT) is the busiest bus station by volume in the world, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. Open in 1950 and last expanded in 1981, the terminal now handles far higher traffic volumes than those for which it was designed. In response, the Port Authority is planning an ambitious replacement of the PABT, which will enhance passenger experience and increase operational efficiency. The project will reshape a swath of Midtown Manhattan, expanding bus facilities while incorporating commercial, retail, and residential development, plus open spaces.
Sam Schwartz assisted the Port Authority in developing the Preferred Alternative program for the Environmental Impact Statement. The firm performed a multi-disciplinary, comprehensive review of the preferred concept for the project. Over the course of this review, Sam Schwartz worked closely with Port Authority Traffic Engineering to develop an alternative concept, with the firm's team of traffic engineers, transit operations subject matter experts, and transportation planners provided extensive input and feedback. Detailed comparisons were performed between the original and revised concepts to develop "proof of concept" level analyses that considered traffic operations, bus operations, pedestrian access and circulation, and constructability. Sam Schwartz also served as subject matter experts for a series of workshops during the Summer of 2021, working with PANYNJ representatives and other consultants to further the review of the preferred concept.