New York City to Introduce New Ferry Routes
The New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) announced on November 10 that the city’s ferry system will launch new routes starting on December 8, filling the longtime gap in direct service between Brooklyn and Staten Island. The schedule is yet to be finalized.
After years of calls from lawmakers in Brooklyn and Staten Island, the first direct ferry service between the two areas has finally come to fruition, providing a public transportation alternative for residents who have had to rely solely on driving over the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.
Additionally, a two-hour ferry service will be launched between Throgs Neck in the Bronx and Rockaway in Queens, expanding the waterway transportation network.
On the East River line, the system will be divided into two service lines to increase capacity and shorten commuting times. EDC President Andrew Kimball stated, “This will not only benefit passengers, but the entire system will also become more efficient.”
Since its inception in 2017, the New York City ferry system has faced scrutiny from financial oversight agencies, criticizing the system’s high subsidies that have burdened taxpayers. The city government was previously paying an average of about $13 per passenger; that subsidy has since been reduced to $8.33 per passenger. The reason for the subsidy reduction was the record-high ridership, leading to an increase in ticket prices from $2.75 to $4.50.
Kimball noted that the subsidies for New York City ferries are the lowest among all public ferry systems in the nation, with plans to further reduce subsidies by $1 by the year 2028. The EDC will reassess ferry fares every two years.
The agency also proposed adding two new docks at East Harlem 125th Street and Bush Terminal, but specific implementation timelines have not been disclosed yet.