Port Authority's $11 Billion New Bus Terminal Construction in Full Swing in Midtown

Construction on the $11 billion replacement for the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan is progressing substantially, roughly one year after work began. Workers are now installing massive steel girders — some weighing up to 80,000 pounds — to create so-called "deckover" structures above Dyer Avenue and parts of the expressway leading to 30th Street near the Lincoln Tunnel approaches. Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia explained that the girders are covered first with precast concrete, then poured concrete, ultimately creating three and a half acres of open space. Those areas will initially serve as staging zones before becoming green space once the terminal is complete. A temporary transit hub to replace current services during the main construction phase is targeted for completion by 2030; once it is finished and converted into a bus storage area, officials say tunnel traffic will decrease, reducing the need for New Jersey Transit buses to make mid-day repositioning trips back and forth through the tunnel. Current commuters are experiencing some delays, though riders have expressed optimism about a modern replacement for the aging facility. The Port Authority says it has also adjusted construction techniques to reduce noise. The permanent new terminal is expected to open in 2035.