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.