N.Y. Bridges & Tunnels New York-New Jersey Law § 2
In furtherance of the aforesaid policy, and in partial effectuation of the comprehensive plan heretofore adopted by the two said states for the development of the said port of New York district, the control, operation, tolls and other revenues of the vehicular tunnel, known as the Holland tunnel, under the Hudson river between the city of Jersey City and the city of New York, shall be vested in the port authority as hereinafter provided; and the port authority is hereby authorized and empowered to construct, own, maintain and operate an interstate vehicular crossing under the Hudson river to consist of three tubes (hereinafter called the Midtown Hudson tunnel), together with such approaches thereto and connections with highways as the port authority may deem necessary or desirable.
The port authority shall from time to time make studies, surveys and investigations to determine the necessity and practicability of vehicular bridges and tunnels over or under interstate waters within the said port of New York district, in addition to the said Midtown Hudson tunnel and Holland tunnel and to the George Washington bridge, Goethals bridge, Outerbridge Crossing and Bayonne bridge, and report to the governors and legislatures of the two states thereon. The port authority shall not proceed with the construction of any such additional vehicular bridges and tunnels over or under said interstate waters until hereafter expressly authorized by the two said states, but the second deck of the George Washington bridge shall be considered an addition and improvement to the said bridge and not such an additional vehicular bridge, and the port authority's power and authorization to construct, own, maintain and operate said second deck for highway vehicular or rail rapid transit traffic or both is hereby acknowledged and confirmed.
Except as may be agreed upon between the port authority and the municipality in which they shall be located, the approaches to the George Washington bridge hereafter constructed on the New York side shall be located as follows: between Amsterdam avenue and Pinehurst avenue, the approaches shall be located between west One hundred seventy-eighth street and west One hundred seventy-ninth street; between Pinehurst avenue and Cabrini boulevard, the approaches shall be between west One hundred seventy-eighth street and west One hundred eightieth street; between Cabrini boulevard and Haven avenue, the approaches shall be between west One hundred seventy-seventh street and the line parallel to the northerly side of west One hundred eightieth street and one hundred twenty-five feet north of the building line on the north side thereof; between Haven avenue and Service street north of the George Washington bridge, the approaches shall be between the bridge and an extension of the building line on the northerly side of west One hundred eightieth street. Except as so limited, the port authority may effectuate such approaches, connections, highway extensions or highway improvements as it shall deem necessary or desirable in relation to the George Washington bridge, located in or extending across the counties in which such bridge is located, and, in its discretion, may do so by agreement with any other public agency; such agreement may provide for the construction, ownership, maintenance or operation of such approaches, connections or highway extensions or highway improvements by such other public agency.
N.Y. Bridges and Tunnels New York-New Jersey Law § 2