PRESENTATION
Current conditions and limitations of the existing Port Authority Bus Terminal
0:21:22
·
119 sec
Hersh Parekh describes the current state of the Port Authority Bus Terminal, highlighting its limitations and the need for improvement. This chapter provides context for why the replacement project is necessary.
- Describes the existing terminal as unwelcoming and struggling to accommodate current demand
- Highlights issues with the current ramp structure, including single lanes and lack of bypass capability
- Mentions the use of surface-level parking lots that create congestion and pollution in the community
Hersh Parekh
0:21:22
Great.
0:21:22
Thank you, Adam.
0:21:23
Next slide, please.
0:21:24
So we'll begin with just, a description of the current conditions of the bus terminal.
0:21:29
Chair Riley and council member Bachar already alluded to these.
0:21:32
We can go to the next slide.
0:21:34
But you can see that, it is not the most welcoming environment.
0:21:38
The terminal, functions in the best way it can, accommodating the hundreds of thousands of commuters that utilize it every day, but we know we can do better.
0:21:48
We know New York deserves better, commuters deserve better, and the community deserves better.
0:21:52
Can you go to the next slide, please?
0:21:56
So in terms of what exists today, you have the existing bus terminal, which is highlighted in yellow, and you have the existing ramp structure highlighted in red.
0:22:05
The way the system currently operates is approximately, 850 buses per hour, which is actually currently about 600 buses per hour in the post COVID environment.
0:22:16
They they come in the morning, they drop off customers, and then, they come back in the afternoon, and they pick up commuters to to head home for the day.
0:22:26
The ramps are relatively short.
0:22:27
They're single lanes that that don't allow bypass capability, so if there is a breakdown or other issue, it creates as it causes havoc across the system.
0:22:37
If an unauthorized vehicle enters the ramp network, it it's not simple to get it out of the ramp network.
0:22:44
And I'll also just highlight, in blue, you'll see, a number of surface level parking lots across the community that accommodate bus operations.
0:22:53
The current terminal simply cannot accommodate the number of operations that that are necessary for the system to work and to get commuters and other folks into and out of the city.
0:23:04
So it creates an environment where you have not only just a very heavily utilized bus terminal, but surface level lots that create congestion in the community, have buses idling in the community.
0:23:16
It's really not a great, environment, and we're looking to fix that.
