Orange County Announces Renovation of Middletown Bus Station

MIDDLETOWN, N.Y.—County officials announced on Oct. 29 that the Middletown Transportation Center Project is moving forward after years of delay.

Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus, City of Middletown Mayor Joseph DeStefano, and County Legislator Janet Sutherland gathered at the Coach USA bus station in downtown Middletown to announce the revitalization of the bus hub.

The county’s Planning Department secured a $7.5 million federal grant for the construction of the new Transportation Center, which will be centered around the Coach USA bus station. There will be bus slips with canopies, expanded and redone parking, and electric bike charging stations.

The charging stations are especially relevant as e-bikes are increasingly adopted in urban areas as a form of transportation. The Transportation Center will also be connected to the 20-mile Heritage Trail, which allows some e-bikes.

With funding secured, local authorities can begin planning the center’s design. Bidding for the project is expected to take place in 2026.

The project was in the works before the COVID-19 pandemic. During the lockdown, it was put on hold and largely forgotten.

Sutherland told The Epoch Times on Nov. 6 that several months earlier, DeStefano had contacted her to see if they could get the plan back up and running.

“Coach had had some financial issues and said the whole project was put on hold,” she said.

“I sat down with Planning Commissioner Alan Sorensen, and I sat down with the county attorneys. … I said the money is still there, let’s get this project underway.

“I don’t need something to be in my district in order to want to make it better.”

Sutherland represents District 2, which encompasses the Town of Mount Hope and parts of the towns of Wallkill and Middletown.

DeStefano thanked Sutherland and Neuhaus for their “hard work and commitment” in bringing the project back to life.

“I’m very pleased to see the Middletown transportation project back on schedule. This project is critical to improving access and mobility for our residents, businesses, and visitors,” the Middletown mayor said in a statement.

The bus station on Railroad Ave. serves buses that go to New York City daily, as well as local routes.

Coach operates New York City buses that make multiple daily trips to the Port Authority. Local buses are run by Transit Orange and serve four routes, stopping at places such as ShopRite, the Middletown Community Campus, the Galleria mall, and other shopping locations.