Moving the Nation's Goods

Completing this process usually takes many years and may not include all the capabilities originally proposed. Because most of the specifics of a compact are subject to the negotiated agreement, the functions and powers vary widely from one instance to another. To meet that challenge, the port authority eventually expanded its scope of activities to include oversight of highway bridges and tunnels, a consolidated bus terminal in Manhattan, a containerized marine terminal, arterial highways, rail transit, the region's airports, and the World Trade Center.