W. SIDE BUS FUSS

‘New terminal’ ire

The Port Authority is giving the cold shoulder to Big Apple residents as it designs its new West Side bus terminal, critics railed at a Thursday protest.

The agency is conducting a $10 million design competition and put a call out for architects and engineers to hatch a plan — but has left locals out of the loop, protesters said before the PA’s board meeting at the World Trade Center.

“New York City and its residents must have a full voice in key issues such as site selection, terminal size, operational improvements and how to avoid the need for condemnation of private property in the area,” said First Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris.

“The city has therefore urged the Port Authority to reconsider the current competition process and begin a comprehensive public engagement and planning process that considers all possible options for a new terminal and views the project in an appropriate regional context.”

The PA needs to build a new station to replace the aging, decrepit terminal.

The agency voted in March to keep it in Manhattan, meaning it will go one block to the west of the cur- rent terminal on 42nd Street between Eighth and Ninth avenues. The PA owns some of the land, but will need much more to complete the project, which will take up at least two city blocks.

The agency would take out hundreds of apartments and dozens of businesses in the process, critics said.

The plan will also cause serious pollution and congestion issues, said Rep. Jerrold Nadler.

“They would be violating any number of laws, including the Clean Air Act, Environmental Quality Review Act and the Historical Preservation Act,” he said.

If the planning process continues without significant community input, the officials vowed to delay the start of construction for years. Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer said the city could even prevent the PA getting necessary building permits.

PA board members claim planning is still in the very early stages, and the agency has no intention of bulldozing over residents’ concerns.

“I’m not Robert Moses,” said PA Chairman John Degnan. “There’s no way this bus terminal will be built by overriding the concerns of the public.”