Patsaouras Plaza, Union Station’s bus terminal, reopens today after a three month closure. The Source reports that during that time, pedestrian safety fencing was added, as the plaza will now serve as a bus-only pickup/drop-off zone.
Formerly, the plaza, on the east side of Union Station, was accessible to both cars and buses; now, passengers traveling by car will be dropped off and picked up from a new underground facility completed earlier this summer.
The changes are all part of a big plan to update the station, making it more friendly to bicyclists and pedestrians. Eventually, the plaza on the opposite side of the station will be expanded and the bus plaza will be relocated to the western side of the railroad tracks, while up to 3.25 million square feet of new development could rise on its current site.
In the meantime, most buses will once again drop off and pick up passengers at Patsaouras Plaza, though some bus bay assignments have been updated. Other improvements made to the plaza during its three-month closure include waterproofing and repairs to storm drains and pavement.