[Eidolon]

New bus terminal overdue in a new century

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
July 14, 2014

Midtown Manhattan urgently needs a brand-new, world-class bus station, and until recently that has been the impossible dream.

But now some wheels are turning that could someday -- cross your fingers -- make the depressingly dingy Port Authority Bus Terminal a thing of the past.

Here's the big thing: The West Side construction boom has driven the value of air rights over the old terminal and other agency properties in the area heavenward.

This means that a new $600-million Port Authority Bus Terminal might be possible. This also means that a new $400-million bus garage in the area -- to be used as a staging area -- could help alleviate street congestion. So far, the idea is merely a suggestion by a few Port Authority commissioners. But it's time to bring back the awe.