Greyhound bus stop in Philadelphia could relocate again, officials tell neighborhood group
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Intercity bus carriers in Philadelphia — likely including Greyhound, Peter Pan and others — could move from their current location in the city's Northern Liberties neighborhood as soon as Labor Day, officials told a neighborhood group recently.
The Northern Liberties Neighbors Association said they were contacted by Philadelphia's Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability and were told the bus stops will move again.
"We heard from everyone—NLNA, the carriers, the travelers and the market," the NLNA quoted OTIS as saying. "We even listened to ourselves! We will be relocating the intercity carriers to another location."
"We do not know how soon we will vacate Spring Garden," the statement continued, "but our target is by Labor Day."
This would be the third move for intercity bus carriers in less than a year after Greyhound closed its Filbert Street terminal and relocated its Philadelphia operations to 6th and Market Streets -- a location criticized by riders as lacking shade and access to restrooms.
After months, bus carriers were moved again - this time to a segment of Noble Street, a small side street south of Spring Garden, tucked between Front Street and Christopher Columbus Boulevard. That location does have restrooms but is in a high-traffic area with little seating.
Megabus picks up its passengers a few blocks away on Spring Garden Street between Front and 2nd streets, according to its website.
NLNA has held several meetings where residents shared concerns about the current intercity bus situation.
OTIS told the group there's no final location where the buses would move -- but in March it floated the idea of taking over a parking lot next to the Lukoil station at Front and Spring Garden streets. The lot could accommodate 10 bus slips and feature spots for Megabus, Peter Pan, Flixbus, Greyhound and Fullington Trailways, a rendering showed.
OTIS said those were "preliminary concepts" and that no plan had been finalized.
In the more recent statement, OTIS did not commit to a new location where the intercity bus companies would be moved.
"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," OTIS told the group.
A spokesperson for Peter Pan Bus Lines said the company is opening an additional bus stop in Philadelphia at 9th and Market streets and was not aware of any plans to get rid of the Spring Garden stop.
CBS News Philadelphia has reached out to multiple other bus providers for comment and will update this article if we hear back.
