[k1052]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Can we examine this assumption? Which commuters would see an extra transfer, and where are they headed?

If they are going downtown, then maybe there is a different routing that can take them there without going through Port Authority (regardless of location). If they are going to the Grand Central area, I'm not sure what to suggest.

Separate from this, it is not difficult to design a quick and convenient bus->rail transfer station. If the 7 train terminates in Secaucus, then you just build two side platforms lined with bus bays. It would literally be a cross platform transfer, with no stairs, escalators, or grade changes. Fare control is an issue, but for billions of dollars you could buy 100 faregates and just set them up in a long line. Maybe you even build several platforms in this manner.

People who walk from the PABT to their final destination would incur an extra transfer. Judging by observed pedestrian traffic alone this would seem to be a decent number of people but I haven't seen any hard figures breaking it down by destination. Again, from a time perspective I'm not convinced that this would actually take any longer than dealing with the PABT/tunnel xbl backups.