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History

Groundbreaking Ceremonies
Groundbreaking Ceremonies: L to R: PA Comm. Donald Lowe, NJS Senator David Van Alstyne, NYC Mayor William O'Dwyer, NYS Governor Thomas E. Dewey and PA Chairman Howard Cullman. (1-27-49)

The exterior of the Port Authority Bus Terminal as it exists today.

In the heart of Times Square lies the world's busiest and our country's largest bus terminal-the Port Authority Bus Terminal.

For more than half a century, people have come to the Bus Terminal from across the region, across the country and across our borders -- from Canada to the north and Mexico to the south.

On a typical day, more than 200,000 passengers and 7,000 buses travel through the Bus Terminal -- a gateway to New York City and beyond. And while the Bus Terminal is known worldwide, it's a place that almost never came to be.

Building Blocks
By 1939, growing interstate bus traffic was causing chaos in New York City. Buses would drive to and from eight separate bus terminals scattered throughout midtown. Congestion was a major problem, and the City needed a good answer.

Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia appointed a committee of City officials to resolve the issue. The committee arrived at several solutions, which were quickly shot down by the City's smaller bus terminals. That's when the Mayor asked The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, established in 1921 to promote and protect the commerce of the bistate region, to evaluate the concept of consolidating all smaller bus stations into one central terminal.

Late in 1946, Mayor William O'Dwyer supported legislation that prohibited the proliferation of individual bus stations in midtown Manhattan. This resolution enabled the Port Authority to construct a midtown bus terminal that would soon occupy an entire city block and elevate the efficiency of bus operations to a level unparalleled in the country -- and the world.

Laying the Foundation
On January 27, 1949, ground was broken at the site bordered by Eighth Avenue, 40th Street, Ninth Avenue and 41st Street. During the next two years, 9,000 tons of structural steel and more than 2 million bricks would be used-more than the amount used for the conventional Manhattan skyscraper-to build one of the greatest transportation facilities in the world.
On December 15, 1950, after a construction period of close to two years-and an investment of $24 million-the Port Authority Bus Terminal was born.

New York's New Bus Terminal
The Bus Terminal's usefulness was rivaled only by its beauty. Marble wainscoting, aluminum finishes, terrazzo floors, beautiful lighting fixtures, granite and limestone were incorporated into its art deco design.

The building boasted convenient information desks, ticket windows, waiting rooms, subway access, shops, restaurants and more-even quaintly named "motor stairs." Throughout the 1950s, the Bus Terminal's reputation grew, and it quickly became a hub for both long- and short-distance buses traveling in and out of New York City.

Expanding the Vision
The Bus Terminal's first major expansion project was initiated in 1960. Three parking levels were added to the roof of the original structure, creating space for 1,000 cars.

The vertical expansion of this 800-by-200-foot structure was completed in 1963 -- with no interruption in daily service. This was the beginning of an expansion that would more than double the Port Authority's financial commitment, to over $52 million.

By 1966, the Bus Terminal was operating at full capacity and then some. More than 2.5 million buses and nearly 69 million passengers used the facility that year, and more than 650,000 cars used the public parking area.

A Time for Change
By 1970, bus traffic volume was at its highest ever. To alleviate the congestion, the Port Authority devised an innovative plan that had great impact and is still successful today. A two-mile exclusive bus lane (XBL) was constructed on the New Jersey approach to the Bus Terminal, allowing buses -- and the commuters inside -- to reach the City faster.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Bus Terminal was expanded by 50 percent to further meet the growing traffic volume. The new expansion offered 52 new bus-loading platforms and a unique weather-controlled mall with 70 shops. The new North Wing expanded the building north to 42nd Street. And a new facade with red diagonal girders changed the way the Bus Terminal looked to the world.

One Millennium Comes to an End and a Next One Begins
In the 1990s, as the nearby theater district saw a massive revitalization, the Bus Terminal followed suit with a revitalization of its own. The Port Authority dedicated significant efforts and resources to strengthen the Bus Terminal's reputation as a first-class transportation center.

Operation Alternative was put into place to ensure a safe and pleasant customer environment at the terminal. Its main thrust was to offer assistance to the homeless by guiding them to shelters and safer dwellings. This effort, coupled with increased security at the facility, boosted customer satisfaction to all-time highs.

Today, even with the highest ridership and bus activity in the terminal's history, midtown traffic flow on the surrounding streets continues to be virtually unaffected, thanks to a unique ramp system that gives the Bus Terminal a direct link to the Lincoln Tunnel. The facility's ramp system reduces traffic congestion on the streets by providing buses direct access to the upper bus levels, and provides cars with a direct link to the public parking levels.