Port Authority of New York and New Jersey put hold on spending plan approval

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey refused to vote on a draft of a 10-year spending plan that the agency considers a “blueprint of essential projects,” a report by The New York Times says. The plan calls for $31 billion in spending, including $3.5 billion for a new bus terminal in Midtown Manhattan.

According to the report, Governor Andrew Cuomo pushed for a smaller expense for the bus terminal and more money for projects such as a train to connect La Guardia Airport in Queens, New York, to the subway system before it approved plan. He also asked that the state of New Jersey pay for the majority of the Midtown Manhattan terminal because the predominant users of it are New Jersey commuters.

The compromise for Cuomo’s requests included $3.5 billion going toward the terminal with $2 billion being split evenly between the two states. The other 1.5 billion would come from New Jersey’s share of total spending, the report says. The draft also contains $2.3 billion to renovate La Guardia, $2.4 billion to rebuild Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey and $1.7 billion to extend the PATH train from downtown Newark to the airport.

Commissioners from both New York and New Jersey could not agree to a compromise, the report says, and will delay the approval of the plan. Originally, the plan would be drafted by Dec. 19, with public hearings to follow and a final vote at the board’s regularly scheduled meeting in February. According to the report, the board instead agreed to hold a special meeting in January to approve a draft. Public comments will then be heard, which means the plan will not be put to a vote at the February meeting.