The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) has approved a 45 billion USD capital plan for 2026–2035 with significant emphasis on bus infrastructure, including delivery of a new Midtown Bus Terminal.
The programme is intended to modernise ageing facilities, improve operational efficiency and address long-standing capacity and reliability constraints in the region’s bus network.
The plan builds on progress made under the 2017–2025 capital programme, during which the Port Authority resolved funding and planning challenges that had delayed replacement of the existing Midtown Bus Terminal for decades. Early construction works on the new terminal are already underway.
Midtown Bus Terminal Replacement
A central element of the new capital plan is the design, construction and opening of a new Midtown Bus Terminal in Manhattan. The existing terminal, which opened in 1950, is approaching the end of its useful life and no longer meets current operational or passenger requirements.
The new facility will be delivered in two phases. Phase one, scheduled for completion by 2030, includes new access ramps to the Lincoln Tunnel and a dedicated storage and staging facility. Phase two, targeted for completion by 2035, comprises the main terminal building and associated public realm improvements, including a 3.5-acre green space above the terminal complex.
The new terminal will increase capacity, reduce bus circulation on local streets, and support transition to lower-emission bus fleets through modern power and charging infrastructure.
Lincoln Tunnel Helix
To support bus operations serving the Midtown Bus Terminal, the capital plan allocates funding for a 640 million USD rehabilitation of the Lincoln Tunnel Helix. The elevated roadway is the primary approach for express buses entering Manhattan and is critical to maintaining reliable bus access during peak periods.
The rehabilitation programme will address structural elements, the roadway deck and supporting systems, while keeping the Helix open to traffic. Planning for a future replacement structure will begin during the 2026–2035 period.
Bus Tolls and Carrier Fees
To help fund major bus-related investments, the capital plan introduces revised bus toll structures and updates to carrier fees at the Midtown Bus Terminal. Bus tolls will be reorganised into three categories—minibuses, two-axle buses and three-axle buses—reflecting differences in roadway impact and congestion generation.
Carrier fees charged to bus operators using the terminal will also be updated, with many rates having remained unchanged for several decades. The Port Authority stated that changes will be phased in to allow operators time to adjust.
Community and Operational Impacts
The new terminal design reflects feedback from local communities and stakeholders, including measures to reduce surface-level bus movements, activate street frontages with retail uses, and improve pedestrian conditions around the site.
From an operational perspective, the new terminal is expected to provide additional gate capacity, modern passenger facilities and improved resilience during incidents or peak demand periods. Digital systems and updated terminal management tools are planned to support dispatching and real-time operations.
Funding for the Midtown Bus Terminal programme will come primarily from Port Authority net revenues and bond proceeds, supplemented by updated bus carrier fees and toll adjustments. As with other elements of the capital plan, the Port Authority does not receive direct taxpayer funding from New York or New Jersey.
