realizm Posted July 27, 2014 Share #1 Posted July 27, 2014 By VERENA DOBNIK— Jul. 27, 2014 11:48 AM EDTNEW YORK (AP) — At the nation's busiest bus station, winding lines of riders wait amid cracked floors, crumbling ceiling tiles and a wheezing air-conditioning system helped along by old-fashioned floor fans.Dark corridors of Manhattan's aging Port Authority Bus Terminal are populated by homeless men and women, and the sweet smell of warm pretzels from rows of food stalls mixes with an occasional whiff of urine.After a recent test ride from the New Jersey suburbs, the Port Authority's new chairman, John Degnan, offered a one-word review: "Unacceptable."While public attention and money is finally turning to improving LaGuardia Airport and the Penn Station rail hub — two other rundown, overcrowded New York transportation centers — the 64-year-old bus terminal has lurked under the radar for decades, seemingly stuck in a sad time warp.A statue out front of a grinning Ralph Kramden, Jackie Gleason's bus driver character in "The Honeymooners" sitcom from the 1950s, only serves to underscore the impression."It's the neglected stepchild of New York's transportation system, allowed to decline for decades," says Mitchell Moss, a New York University professor of urban policy and planning.Port Authority commissioners have acknowledged for years that the terminal needs to be replaced, but that project — estimated to cost at least $1 billion — could be as far as a decade away for the behemoth agency that already faces financial and political woes.Until then, commissioners this past week approved an extra $90 million for an improvement plan that will include fixes to floors and ceilings, better cellphone service, cleaner restrooms and more street-level bus gates — a patchwork that Port Authority Vice Chairman Scott Rechler acknowledged is "sort of like putting lipstick on a pig."Read more: Source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busdude2 Posted July 27, 2014 Share #2 Posted July 27, 2014 By VERENA DOBNIK — Jul. 27, 2014 11:48 AM EDT NEW YORK (AP) — At the nation's busiest bus station, winding lines of riders wait amid cracked floors, crumbling ceiling tiles and a wheezing air-conditioning system helped along by old-fashioned floor fans. Dark corridors of Manhattan's aging Port Authority Bus Terminal are populated by homeless men and women, and the sweet smell of warm pretzels from rows of food stalls mixes with an occasional whiff of urine. After a recent test ride from the New Jersey suburbs, the Port Authority's new chairman, John Degnan, offered a one-word review: "Unacceptable." While public attention and money is finally turning to improving LaGuardia Airport and the Penn Station rail hub — two other rundown, overcrowded New York transportation centers — the 64-year-old bus terminal has lurked under the radar for decades, seemingly stuck in a sad time warp. A statue out front of a grinning Ralph Kramden, Jackie Gleason's bus driver character in "The Honeymooners" sitcom from the 1950s, only serves to underscore the impression. "It's the neglected stepchild of New York's transportation system, allowed to decline for decades," says Mitchell Moss, a New York University professor of urban policy and planning. Port Authority commissioners have acknowledged for years that the terminal needs to be replaced, but that project — estimated to cost at least $1 billion — could be as far as a decade away for the behemoth agency that already faces financial and political woes. Until then, commissioners this past week approved an extra $90 million for an improvement plan that will include fixes to floors and ceilings, better cellphone service, cleaner restrooms and more street-level bus gates — a patchwork that Port Authority Vice Chairman Scott Rechler acknowledged is "sort of like putting lipstick on a pig." Read more: Source Question where would they put a new terminal? They can't close down the the old one to rebuild where would the buses go in the mean time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realizm Posted July 27, 2014 Author Share #3 Posted July 27, 2014 Question where would they put a new terminal? They can't close down the the old one to rebuild where would the buses go in the mean time? Researching this further now. From what I understand so far, a transit environmental study dubbed 'The Master Plan' is in the works to determine if this is feasible. Factored in are issues having to do with the growth of interstate travel, impacts on traffic patterns such as with idling buses on local streets, and ways to secure finding to ensure the completion of the PABT replacement if this is feasible. The study will cost $5.5 million to fund and approximately 18 months to complete and submit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QM1to6Ave Posted July 28, 2014 Share #4 Posted July 28, 2014 About damn time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46Dover Posted July 29, 2014 Share #5 Posted July 29, 2014 Researching this further now. From what I understand so far, a transit environmental study dubbed 'The Master Plan' is in the works to determine if this is feasible. Factored in are issues having to do with the growth of interstate travel, impacts on traffic patterns such as with idling buses on local streets, and ways to secure finding to ensure the completion of the PABT replacement if this is feasible. The study will cost $5.5 million to fund and approximately 18 months to complete and submit. By the time they actually have a new terminal, I'll have one foot in the grave.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted July 29, 2014 Share #6 Posted July 29, 2014 LOL... If they're going to spend $90 million dollars to spruce up the place, they may want to deal with the homeless problem in there first, otherwise it will be a waste of money. I have avoided their bathrooms for years because it's so filthy in there with men washing up and so on that the hygiene situation is just unbearable. I can't imagine what it's like now... They also should consider redoing the layout of that place.... It's like an obstacle course to get the express buses to go to the Garden State Plaza or anywhere else in New Jersey. Certainly must deter folks from shopping... I know I don't go as often now.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qjtransitmaster Posted July 29, 2014 Share #7 Posted July 29, 2014 LOL... If they're going to spend $90 million dollars to spruce up the place, they may want to deal with the homeless problem in there first, otherwise it will be a waste of money. I have avoided their bathrooms for years because it's so filthy in there with men washing up and so on that the hygiene situation is just unbearable. I can't imagine what it's like now... They also should consider redoing the layout of that place.... It's like an obstacle course to get the express buses to go to the Garden State Plaza or anywhere else in New Jersey. Certainly must deter folks from shopping... I know I don't go as often now.... you got to get used to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Via Garibaldi 8 Posted July 29, 2014 Share #8 Posted July 29, 2014 you got to get used to it. Used to what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realizm Posted July 29, 2014 Author Share #9 Posted July 29, 2014 LOL... If they're going to spend $90 million dollars to spruce up the place, they may want to deal with the homeless problem in there first, otherwise it will be a waste of money. I have avoided their bathrooms for years because it's so filthy in there with men washing up and so on that the hygiene situation is just unbearable. I can't imagine what it's like now... They also should consider redoing the layout of that place.... It's like an obstacle course to get the express buses to go to the Garden State Plaza or anywhere else in New Jersey. Certainly must deter folks from shopping... I know I don't go as often now.... Thats a tough situation to handle and part of an almost insurmountable problem at this point. The Port Authority should have a initiative in place similar to the MTA to provide the homeless needed services so they will not have to loiter in the terminal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion VII 4 Life Posted July 29, 2014 Share #10 Posted July 29, 2014 Thats a tough situation to handle and part of an almost insurmountable problem at this point. The Port Authority should have a initiative in place similar to the MTA to provide the homeless needed services so they will not have to loiter in the terminal.They do. PAPD officers walk around with these "homeless outreach" people to offer services. Thing is even the PAPD can't force them to accept them or out of the terminal. What they should do is step up PAPD presence in the bathrooms where shaving/bathing/changing isn't allowed to enforce that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46Dover Posted July 30, 2014 Share #11 Posted July 30, 2014 you got to get used to it. Yeah, you get used to seeing a topless homeless guy rambling indecipherable Mumbo Jumbo on the bench, then get back to me..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaTransitMan4608 Posted July 30, 2014 Share #12 Posted July 30, 2014 @QJT Yeah, because I wanna get used to some guy invading my personal space just to ask me for money. That's actually happened to me a few times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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