The seemingly interminable saga of finding a new permanent home for an intercity bus station is nowhere near its conclusion. Instead, work is ongoing to have an interim solution in place for the historic celebrations and events of 2026.
But beyond timelines, the city is not ready to provide more details.
That was the frustrating state of play after sitting through a three-hour City Council hearing in which the city provided an update Wednesday.
SEPTA, major private bus companies, neighborhood associations, academics and advocates testified after the update. The hearing was convened by District 5 Councilmember Jeffery Young Jr.
Interim plans
In the initial presentation, John Mondlak, first deputy chief of staff in Philadelphia’s Department of Planning and Development (DPD), spoke about both the interim- and long-term facilities processes.
Regarding an interim site, Mondlak said the city had analyzed 120 locations identified through a data-driven approach, and narrowed it down to six potential sites. Each of the sites is:
- Near a SEPTA station or Regional Rail stop;
- At least 7,000 square feet in size;
- Able to accommodate a bus turning radius;
- Ideally city-owned or can be quickly acquired;
- Able to launch in time to meet the needs of the 2026 semiquincentennial events.
However, the city still needs to complete a traffic impact analysis for each site. “This work is underway and DPD expects for it to be completed in early summer,” Mondlak said.
Only then will the city begin conversations with communities that could be impacted. This includes potential neighbors, bus carriers, and other major institutions. When will the community engagement take place? “It will be in the fall. It’ll be before the end of the year, for sure,” Mondlak told Billy Penn.
Long-term plans
Regarding a site for the long-term intercity bus facility, Mondlak said at the hearing that six other locations have been selected. They used similar criteria as for the interim site, with some differences, such as size, since the long-term facility needs to be large enough to accommodate a comprehensive operation.
Additionally, the list includes sites that are currently vacant or used as surface parking, both publicly and privately owned.
“Locations within or near Center City with a safe and well-amenitized pedestrian environment and reasonably close highway access were prioritized,” Mondlak said.
A consultant is currently evaluating the locations and will recommend one to three options for further analysis, planning and negotiation. As with the interim sites, Mondlak said the options would not be shared yet.
“Because staff want to ensure that communities hear directly from us first, and only after the viability of sites is confirmed, we will not be naming specific sites at this time,” Mondlak said.
When will this happen? At the hearing, Mondlak said the first round of community engagement on the permanent site will take place this fall, with a second round planned for spring 2026.
More questions than answers
Council members asked several times about timelines and possible solutions that could be implemented right away. City representatives stuck to the timeline estimates they had already shared.
For instance, District 9 Councilmember Anthony Phillips asked, “How do we go from the brainstorming phase to planning, not to execution? Do you have a timeline for that?”
Mondlak clarified that the timeline is tied to the Transportation and Community Development Initiative (TCDI) planning grant they received. The deadline to complete the evaluation of potential sites is the end of fiscal 2026.
“Seems like a long time,” Phillips responded.
A succession of panels followed. SEPTA announced its full support for identifying a dedicated intercity bus facility, while concerned residents, academics, activists, associations, companies and neighborhood groups were given time to weigh in.
Some, like representatives from the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation and the Logan Square Neighbors Association, believe the most logical location to relocate the intercity bus terminal is 30th Street Station.
Sydney Rexroad, executive director of the Northern Liberties Business Improvement District, which hosts the current temporary station at Spring Garden, expressed frustration over how the intercity bus operation arrived abruptly in their neighborhood.
Rexroad also criticized the city for postponing the timeline for moving the buses out of the area — from three months to potentially a year or more — turning what was supposed to be a short-term interim site into a “long-term interim site.”
“We respectfully request that the city publicly commit to a transparent process for choosing an alternative site, whether that is in Northern Liberties or elsewhere in the city,” she shared in a written letter to Councilmember Mark Squilla.
The Powelton Village Civic Association Zoning Committee, Transit Forward Philadelphia, the Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of Elders, and the chair of the Mayor’s Commission on People with Disabilities focused on expressing what they need in a future site.
Priorities mentioned included ensuring the station has funding for ongoing maintenance, clarity around the construction timeline, bike storage, lockers, and accessibility for older adults and disabled individuals.
Representatives from major bus companies, like Greyhound, FlixBus and Peter Pan, also addressed Council. All expressed a commitment to working with the city on a timely and suitable solution.
Peter Picknelly, CEO of Peter Pan Bus Lines, based in Springfield, Mass., offered to help fund an expedited process.
“Long-term, I think 30th Street station is a great option. I also like the old police station. I think that that’s a nice location as well and I’ll develop it for you,” Picknelly said to applause. “I’ll buy it, I’ll pay for it and lease it back to the city. And I’ll get it done quick. I’m telling you; we’ll do it. We’ve done it elsewhere. We’re working in Providence [Rhode Island] to do it now.”
It was the second time the crowd applauded Picknelly. Earlier, he said: “Philly is an amazing city. It’s one of the most amazing cities on the planet. It needs a better bus terminal. Our company’s committed to Philadelphia. We’re committed to providing first-class transportation, but we need to do a better job. People deserve a better bus terminal than what we have, and they need a new bus terminal quickly.”
In addition to those who spoke, more than 40 people submitted written comments to City Council members for consideration.
Trust the process
So, what’s next?
In a word: wait.
The next expected deadline is this fall, when the city hopes to announce the interim site options.
After nearly three hours of testimony, Young, Jr. was the only remaining City Council member. City representatives stayed until the end, including Mondlak, who said he appreciated the community feedback and understood the frustration, but the process is important.
“We go to community meetings, we engage. This is their opportunity to have a microphone and say the things they probably don’t think we’re hearing. We are,” he said. “But I think it’s a lot more challenging than anybody that doesn’t spend all their time looking at it realizes. It’s very easy to look at a map and say, ‘Put it there.’ ”
He also expressed frustration that various communities don’t want the station built in their neighborhoods, but said that’s the reality his office has to deal with.
“We’ve got to do it right. You really have to dig into the data. You have to study it, look at it from every angle, and incorporate all of these voices into your analysis, because it all matters. And at the end of the day, somebody won’t be happy, and that’s inevitable,” he said. “But if you did it right and incorporated everybody’s viewpoint into your analysis, you’re going to come up with a better solution.”
