The Port Authority, you might remember, runs the George Washington bridge, where Governor Bigass punished drivers for hours while getting revenge on a Fort Lee Democrat who pissed him off. That's still winding its way through the courts.
The Port Authority also owns runs, or controls all the other Hudson bridges and tunnels, three major airports, several smaller airports, ALL the air and water cargo shipping through the Port of New York, an under-the-Hudson subway, and two bus terminals in Manhattan. Back in the 60's, it had so much money it didn't know what to do with that it built the World Trade Center basically on spec.
It's big. Really big. Really, really big, and it is owned by both New York and New Jersey, each with remarkably sophisticated systems of patronage and corruption going back well into early last century. And before.
So, this is about fixing the decrepit bus terminal on 42nd St-- a bus terminal used primarily by New Jersey commuters and sitting in the middle of the hottest real estate market on the East Coast. Should they fix up what they got? Build a new one next door? Build a new one in Joisey?
And that's just the background. None of us poor mortals can imagine the politicking, dealing, wheeling, and other horrors going on trying to get this project done.