Port Authority outlines replacement of Midtown Bus Terminal, highlights benefits for Passaic County commuters

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey officials presented details of the Midtown Bus Terminal Replacement Project to the Passaic County Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 9, telling commissioners the work is intended to improve reliability and passenger experience for commuters who travel into Manhattan from New Jersey.

The project will replace the 75-year-old terminal with a main facility that includes five floors of bus gates, a separate storage and staging facility to the west, new ramp structures linking to the Lincoln Tunnel, and deckovers of Dyer Avenue that the agency plans to convert to roughly 3.5 acres of publicly accessible open space, Port Authority speaker Zach McHugh said. "The Midtown Bus Terminal in Manhattan is the busiest bus terminal in the world," McHugh said, and the replacement aims to modernize operations and passenger access.

The Port Authority said Passaic County is among the counties with the most commuters to the terminal, with roughly 6,600 monthly riders from the county prior to the pandemic. Presenters said the new staging facility, not currently on site, will allow buses to wait off the local street grid and will include about 300–350 storage spots; the agency said that capability will reduce reliance on scattered off-site lots and minimize street impacts during construction. The new ramps are intended to provide additional bypass opportunities around disabled buses to limit bottlenecks at Lincoln Tunnel approaches and Manhattan streets.

Presenters walked commissioners through a phased schedule: Phase 1A (deckovers) is under way and will run to 2027; Phase 1B (ramps, staging/storage and a temporary terminal) is slated to begin later this calendar year and continue to 2029; and main terminal construction is planned for a Phase 2 running roughly 2029–2032, McHugh said. The Port Authority said it will coordinate with carriers, including New Jersey Transit, on schedule changes and provide advance notice to commuters.

The presentation included conceptual renderings of a widened, more pedestrian-friendly street frontage, a larger central atrium with natural light and expanded retail, and a reconfigured passenger circulation to connect subway and Times Square transit hubs. Port Authority staff left contact information and the project website for residents seeking more details.

Commissioners did not ask substantive questions during the presentation, and no formal county action was taken during the meeting on the Port Authority item.