Port Authority Split on 10-Year Plan, NY Bus Terminal

Another board meeting of the region’s major transportation agency on Thursday produced few answers and continuing uncertainty over how the agency will spend its money over the next decade, particularly on a replacement for the nation’s busiest bus terminal, a battleground pitting New York and New Jersey factions.

Board members of the Port Authority were to vote Thursday on releasing a draft 10-year capital plan this month for public review over the next 60 days, with the goal of voting on a final plan soon after. But several commissioners expressed concerns about the plan they reviewed earlier in the day during a closed-door session, and no vote was taken.

The board agreed to hold a special meeting before the next scheduled board meeting in early February to try to reach consensus.

Thursday’s rift appeared to cast most of the board in opposition to Chairman John Degnan and Executive Director Patrick Foye, who said they and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo supported the draft plan. The governors hold veto power over the Port Authority’s actions.

New York legislators strongly criticized Degnan last month, demanding he recuse himself from the bus terminal negotiations because of allegations of favoritism shown to New Jersey’s interests. Degnan was appointed by Christie, Foye by Cuomo. New Jersey legislators accused Cuomo of holding the bus terminal project hostage to preserve more money for a redevelopment of New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

This article appeared in print on page 4 of the December 12th, 2016 edition of Hamodia.