Philadelphia’s roving Greyhound bus station could move by Labor Day, says neighborhood group

Is the third time the charm for Philadelphia’s itinerant intercity bus station?

According to the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association, the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability (OTIS) informed them that the bus station could move from its current location on the high-traffic Spring Garden Street and North Front Street by Labor Day. The move would be the third time the station has relocated since June.

Neighborhood association leaders say they learned of the move in an email approved by the mayor’s office. The group, which has been critical of the current setup, shared that message on its website Monday.

In its brief dispatch, OTIS told the group it heard from everyone, including carriers and travelers, “We even listened to ourselves!” joked the office.

“We are working with the stakeholders where we are recommending relocation and must collaborate with them to ensure the highest quality information is available and they have the opportunity to have input on the engagement process to be undertaken,” said the message, which did not say if the next move would be a permanent one.

When The Inquirer asked about the announcement, OTIS did not comment on the Labor Day target date and emphasized “ideas are still being developed, options are being weighed, and no plans for relocation have been finalized.”

But even without a final location set, Jeff Hornstein, president of the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association, commended OTIS for being responsive to resident and business feedback.

Critics of the Spring Garden location say that SEPTA buses and bike lanes are blocked by the larger coach buses and passengers are often plopped on sidewalks, with few places to sit or shelter in inclement weather. The neighborhood association has complained of increased traffic brought on by rideshare services dropping off and picking up travelers.

“It’s not easy for [OTIS] to have to go back to the carriers and say, ‘Hey, this isn’t working, so let’s figure out, yet again, a good solution,” said Hornstein.

The intercity bus station saga began in June when Greyhound closed its station on Filbert Street in a cost-cutting measure. The Filbert Street setup offered shelter from inclement weather, as well as seating and restrooms.

The station’s first move was to Seventh and Market Streets, which passengers declared a downgrade and Inquirer columnist Inga Saffron called “a humanitarian disaster.” Travelers crouched for shade in front of local businesses and blocked the middle of the sidewalk with their duffel bags and backpacks. As a result, one of the city’s major arteries saw a whole block gummed up by coach buses loading and unloading passengers in the “Red Bus Zone” meant for SEPTA. The clog was such a problem for the local transit agency, that it had three bus routes skip their stops on the block.

By mid-November, the station was moved to Spring Garden as a stopgap. There is a ticket office with 16 bench seats and portable bathrooms.

Still, Hornstein called the switch a “complete disaster” with many of the problems seen with the Market Street setup playing out on Spring Garden.

One possible new home for the stop is a surface parking lot across the street. OTIS presented a rendering of the plan to the neighbor association last month, which included slips for Greyhound, Flixbus, Megabus, and Peter Pan to pick up and discharge passengers. There would be two ticket offices, and the PPA would manage the site. At the time, OTIS said the plans were being reworked and finalized.

OTIS was no more committal on Monday, saying it was still engaging with stakeholders for recommendations and feedback.

“The City is examining other options as well right now, but we don’t want to take anything off the table,” the office said.