NYC Ferry

NYC Ferry

Ferry Lunch Box underway, May 2017.
Locale New York City
Waterway Atlantic Ocean, East River, Jamaica Bay, Lower and Upper Bays
Transit type Passenger ferry
Operator Hornblower Cruises
Began operation May 1, 2017 (May 1, 2017)
No. of lines
  • 3 in service
  • 3 planned
  • 2 under consideration
No. of vessels up to 36 (6 in service during rush hours)
No. of terminals 21
Daily ridership 12,500 (projected)
Website Official website

NYC Ferry (originally called Citywide Ferry Service) is a network of ferry routes in New York City operated by Hornblower Cruises. It is set to launch in two phases. The first phase launched on May 1, 2017, with service along the East River and to the Rockaways, with routes to Bay Ridge and Astoria starting in June and August, respectively. A second phase, in 2018, will launch to the Lower East Side and Soundview. A ferry to Coney Island and Stapleton is under consideration.

The new ferry service, which will eventually have 18 boats on nine routes during rush hours, is expected to transport 4.5 to 4.6 million passengers annually. It costs $2.75 per ride, though a $121 monthly pass is also available. The service was proposed in 2013 as a result of two studies in 2011 and 2013 that showed the impacts of ferries in New York City. It was officially announced by the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2015.

Background

Early ferries

In the 19th century and before that, when the East River and Hudson River did not have many bridge or tunnel crossings, there used to be many ferries across these two rivers.[1] Hudson River ferries had been in existence since a Communipaw-to-Manhattan ferry was founded in 1661. At one point, there were boat routes running from New Jersey to twenty passenger docks in Manhattan.[2] However, the construction of the Holland Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel, and George Washington Bridge between Manhattan and New Jersey, as well as the growth of car ownership in the United States, meant that these ferries were no longer needed by the mid-20th century. As a result, in 1967, the last cross-Hudson ferry (between Hoboken and Battery Park City) ceased operations.[2] At that point, the Staten Island Ferry was the only commuter ferry within the entire city.[2] Despite this discontinuation of ferry service, people moved to places along the waterfront on the New Jersey side. In 1986, waterfront settlements like Bayonne, Highlands, Keyport, Port Liberte, and Weehawken saw a reinstatement of their ferry service to Manhattan, under the operation of NY Waterway.[2] By 1989, around 3,000 of the settlements' combined 10,500 residents paid a $5.00 fare in each direction to board the NY Waterway ferries, despite competition from cheaper alternatives like the PATH.[2] Around this time, there were plans to create ferry routes between Inwood and Atlantic City; South Amboy and Wall Street; and from the city proper to New Jersey, Connecticut, and Westchester.[2]

Meanwhile, on the other side of Manhattan, one of the first documented team boats in commercial service in the United States was a East River ferry run that was implemented in 1814.[3] However, by 1918, the construction of bridges and New York City Subway tunnels across the East River forced some companies, like the New York and East River Ferry Company between Yorkville and Astoria, to operate at a loss.[4] Even with city ownership, many of the East River ferries were superseded by bridges, road tunnels, and subway tunnels by the mid-20th century. The Yorkville–Astoria ferry stopped in 1936, replaced by the Triborough Bridge.[5]

Revival of ferries

In early 2011, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), and the NYC & Company water travel initiative NYHarborWay, worked with the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) to release a Comprehensive Citywide Ferry Study, in which it examined over 40 potential locations for a ferry system in New York City.[6]:1 The study was commissioned in order to examine transport alternatives for neighborhoods along New York City's shores.[6]:1, 23–47 It also discussed the East River Ferry, which was set to enter service later that year.[6]:1, 103–111, 130–133, 165 The study identified potential ferry routes to western Manhattan and Riverdale; eastern Manhattan, the South Bronx, and Co-op City; the northern Brooklyn and Queens shorelines; the South Shore of Staten Island; and southwestern Brooklyn, southern Brooklyn, and the Rockaways.[6]:9–14

NYC Ferry's East River line in its former NY Waterway livery

In June 2011, the NY Waterway-operated East River Ferry line started operations.[7] The route is a 7-stop East River service that runs in a loop between East 34th Street and Hunters Point, making two intermediate stops in Brooklyn and three in Queens. The ferry, an alternative to the New York City Subway, cost $4 per one-way ticket.[7] It was instantly popular, with two to six times the number of passengers that the city predicted would ride the ferries. From June to November 2011, the ferry accommodated 2,862 riders on an average weekday, as opposed to a projection of 1,488 riders, and it had 4,500 riders on an average weekend, six times the city's projected ridership; in total, the ferry saw 350,000 riders in that period, over 250% of the initial ridership forecast of 134,000 riders.[8]

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy on October 29, 2012, massive infrastructural damage to the IND Rockaway Line (A train) south of the Howard Beach–JFK Airport station severed all direct subway connections between the Rockaways, Broad Channel, and the Queens mainland for seven months. Ferry operator SeaStreak began running a city-subsidized ferry service between a makeshift ferry slip at Beach 108th Street and Beach Channel Drive in Rockaway Park, Queens, and Pier 11/Wall Street, then continuing on to the East 34th Street Ferry Landing. A stop at Brooklyn Army Terminal was added in August 2013 because of the reconstruction of the Montague Street Tunnel, which temporarily suspended R train service through the tunnel.[9][10] The ferry proved to be popular and its license was extended several times, as city officials evaluated the ridership numbers to determine whether to establish the service on a permanent basis. Between its inception and December 2013, the service had carried close to 200,000 riders.[11]

The NYCEDC study was updated in 2013, following the introduction of the SeaStreak Rockaway ferry.[12] The study, called "CFS2013", showed the impact of ferry services in New York City, citing the success of the East River ferry. Specifically, ferry service raised the values of real estate within 1 mile (1.6 km) of ferry landings by an average of 1.2%; spurred new construction near ferry stops; added more transport options to neighborhoods with few transit alternatives; and helped relieve crowding on other parts of New York City's transport network.[12]:15–21 CFS2013 also suggested extra routes that could be added to the ferry system, with proposed routes that would serve new development in all five boroughs.[12]:22–30 The specific idea of a citywide ferry was also first proposed in the CFS2013 study.[12]:31–69

When the city government announced its budget in late June 2014 for the upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1, the ferry only received a $2 million further appropriation, enough to temporarily extend it again through October, but did not receive the approximately $8 million appropriation needed to keep the service running for the full fiscal year.[13] The administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio stated that there was not enough ridership to justify the cost of operation.[14] Despite last-minute efforts by local transportation advocates, civic leaders, and elected officials, ferry service ended on October 31, 2014. They promised to continue efforts to have the service restored.[15][16] This led to many negotiations between the mayor's office and the parties interested in reopening the ferry. The Rockaway ferry was eventually agreed to be restored when NYC Ferry started.[14]

Proposal

NYC Ferry, first proposed by the NYCEDC as the "Citywide Ferry Service," was announced by de Blasio's administration in 2015 as part of a proposed citywide ferry system that reaches through the five boroughs, though a Staten Island terminal has not yet been finalized.[1][17] The NYCEDC promised the project, along with the Brooklyn–Queens Connector proposal, as a way to reinvent the city's transit system.[18] NYC Ferry was to cost $325 million[1] with an additional operating cost of $10 million to $20 million per year.[19] The privately operated ferries[19] are being offered under a 6-year contract to Hornblower Cruises, which would receive $30 million over the six years.[20] Routes were to go to Astoria, Bay Ridge, the Rockaways, the Lower East Side, Soundview, South Brooklyn, and Brooklyn Navy Yard.[19] Funding is being sought for routes to Coney Island and Stapleton.[21] As part of the proposal, NY Waterway's East River route was transferred to NYC Ferry, to be operated by Hornblower.[22]

The site of a landing at Gantry Plaza in Long Island City
The future site of a NYC Ferry landing at Gantry Plaza in Long Island City

A fare for one trip was to cost $2.75, same as on other modes of transportation in New York City. Free transfers were to be offered only to other NYC Ferry lines, meaning that riders would pay another fare if they transferred to one of the city's other mass-transit systems.[1] Prior to the implementation of NYC Ferry, other ferry lines in the city had weekday and weekend fares of $4 and $6, respectively.[1][23][24] The relatively low fare of NYC Ferry is in contrast to some other major cities like San Francisco and Sydney, where ferry fares are higher than the fares of other modes of mass transit in these cities. The city says that the low ferry fares are intended to make the ferries affordable, while de Blasio states that it is intended to promote "transit equity".[1] Assuming that the ferry system meets the projection of 4.5 million annual riders, the city will subsidize $6.60 per rider, making the ferry the third-most subsidized form of transportation in the city.[25]

Some of the ferry's 9 proposed routes were to be operational in June 2017[18] (later moved to May 1),[26] and the whole system is expected to come into full service by 2018.[17] The system includes routes that were then under NY Waterway.[17] There would be at least 18 boats needed for rush-hour operation.[24] Twelve boats would be deployed in 2017, while the other six would be put in service the next year.[22]

The creation of the ferry system was supposed to relieve some of the load of the city's transportation system, which is largely "the footprint of an early-19th-century transit map" according to Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen, and cannot accommodate the city's fast population growth.[1] As a result of projected desire for the ferries, annual ridership is expected to eventually reach 4.5 million[1] to 4.6 million.[19] Even though this amounted to only about 12,500 daily riders (compared to the New York City Subway's 5 million riders each weekday), one fellow at the Manhattan Institute said that "every person you’re not cramming on to the trains helps".[24] New York City's deputy mayor for housing and economic development stated, "Our aim is to make this thing as big as possible."[1]

Critical reception

NYC Ferry stop at Pier 11

There has been both praise and criticism for the ferry service.[27][28] The editorial board in the local newspaper AM New York praised the NYC Ferry system's affordability and stated that if done correctly, the ferry "could be far more enjoyable than a subway ride".[27] It urged city officials to consider what routes to prioritize for Phase 1 service in 2017.[27] Politicians such as City Councilman Vincent Gentile and State Senator Marty Golden also lauded the fact that the ferry would bring service to places, such as southwest Brooklyn, that are underserved by transportation.[29] In a July 2017 commentary for CityLab, Laura Bliss called the NYC Ferry system's "customer-oriented amenities" a "key to transit’s future." Bliss noted that some of the high-quality amenities included snacks and drinks, an advanced ticketing system, connections to shuttle buses at certain terminals, and ferry workers who provided customer service—in contrast to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which she said "blames riders for its staggering decline in reliability" over the previous year.[30]

The ferry system has been criticized for mainly benefitting the well-off and for serving gentrifying waterfront areas such as Williamsburg.[31] Most of the ferry stops will be in areas where the annual income is higher than the city average.[32] Additional criticism arose from the fact that the ferry system would barely serve Staten Island. One writer for the Staten Island Advance noted that the only proposed NYC Ferry route to Staten Island, the Stapleton route, was not only unfunded but also redundant to the existing Staten Island Ferry.[33] James Patchett, the president of the NYCEDC, touted it as a substitute to the subway system, but Henry Grabar of Slate's Moneybox noted that Patchett's supposition was "ludicrous" since each ferry fits fewer people than a single subway car. According to Grabar, the first half-dozen ferries in service on opening day did not even carry the same number of people in a single subway train. He said that the ferry system was not a way to improve transit access to people in transit-deserts, but as a way to spur economic development along the waterfront.[34] Grabar wrote that subways had been the reason for early ferries' demise in the first place, and that the ferry was not an impactful alternative to subway congestion. However, Grabar also stated that "the commute will be a real delight" for the few who found the ferry convenient enough.[34]

Tom Fox, New York Water Taxi's president from 2001 to 2011, wrote in 2016 that the plan was marred with "an unrealistic time frame, the wrong lead agency, the selection of an inexperienced operator with no ferries, and poor planning".[28] Fox cited the selection of Hornblower Cruises, a California-based cruise operator, despite a bid from three large ferry operators in the New York metropolitan area; the decision to build new boats for the system, instead of buying existing boats from other companies; and the fact that the new boats could accommodate fewer people than the overcrowded existing East River ferries.[28] He noted that the city bought French motorboat engines that had never been used on passenger boats in the United States; and that since all American shipyards with expertise were not able to take new orders until 2018, the city decided to use a builder with less experience.[28] One writer for DNAinfo.com wrote that Hornblower Cruises had a history of poor relations with its workers' unions.[35]

Construction and opening

Planning

NYC Ferry
 SV 
Soundview
Non-stop section along Hell Gate
between 90th Street and Soundview
 AST 
Astoria
 SV 
90th Street/Yorkville
 AST 
Roosevelt Island
 SV 
62nd Street/Lenox Hill
 AST 
Long Island City (Gantry Plaza)
 ER   AST   LES 
34th Street
 ER 
Hunters Point South
 ER 
Greenpoint
 LES 
23rd Street
 ER 
North Williamsburg
 LES 
Grand Street
 ER 
Schaefer Landing
 ER   SB 
DUMBO (Pier 1)
 ER   RB   AST   SB   LES   SV 
Wall Street
 SB 
Atlantic Avenue (Pier 6)
 ER   SB 
Governors Island (summers only)
 SB 
Red Hook
 RB   SB 
Sunset Park (Brooklyn Army Terminal)
 SB 
Bay Ridge
Non-stop section along the Atlantic Ocean
between Sunset Park and Rockaway
 RB 
Rockaway (Rockaway Park)
  RB : Rockaway route
  AST : Astoria route
  SB : South Brooklyn route
  LES : Lower East Side route (opens 2018)
  SV : Soundview route (opens 2018)
  ER : East River route

In March and April 2015, the city started the process of environmental review for Citywide Ferry.[36]:2 The city requested the draft of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on August 12, 2015, which was completed by April 18, 2016.[37] After public comment, the final EIS was approved on July 28, 2016.[37][38] The project also had a City Environmental Quality Review, which analyzed the ferry's effects on open space, urban design, natural resources, nearby transportation, noise pollution, air quality, the environment, and public health.[36][38]

On March 16, 2016, Hornblower Cruises was selected as the ferry's operator.[24][39]

From January to June 2016, the city bought 4 boats for the proposed ferry service for a combined total of $6 million, with plans for a total of 30 boats over the coming years.[1] The city purchased 13 boats from Hornblower Cruises for $4 million each.[1][17][40] The total combined cost of the boats is more than $70 million.[1][23] In addition, the city was building 13 ferry landings at a cost of $85 million, as well as a boat depot.[1] One of these docks, in Astoria, is being built privately as part of the Astoria Cove development.[41] In September 2016, construction on 19 ferries began at two shipyards in Bayou La Batre, Alabama, and Jeanerette, Louisiana,[42][40] with 200 full-time employees working on the boats.[43][44] The contract with the two shipyards is unusual because shipbuilding contracts are usually with only one company. However, NYC Ferry executives had purposely chosen these two companies because of their expertise and because of the unlikeliness that both shipyards would be destroyed by hurricanes.[40]

Ferry implementation would require permission from several entities. Before the ferry could start service, the NYCDOT is required to approve a new transportation mode within its service area, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and United States Army Corps of Engineers (CoE) should give NYC Ferry permission to use of the landings, with the United States Coast Guard advising the CoE's approval of a permit as well as monitoring the design of vessels.[37] In addition, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation had to allow ferries to use the landing at Gantry Plaza State Park, and the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation was consulted so they can give permission for the Roosevelt Island landing to be built.[37] By September 2016, the Gantry Plaza landing had been approved.[45]

Preparations for opening

The first vessel arrived in New York on April 2, 2017.[46] On April 6, Mayor de Blasio announced that the service had been rebranded from Citywide Ferry to NYC Ferry, and that the start of service had been moved up a month from the original schedule, with the East River, South Brooklyn, and Rockaway routes to begin on May 1,[26] a month ahead of schedule.[47] Under the new schedule, the Bay Ridge route began on June 1 and the Astoria route was to begin on August 29, while the Lower East Side and Soundview routes are still to begin in 2018.[26][47]

Opening and high ridership

Articulated gangway at the South Williamsburg landing

The first two routes were opened on May 1, 2017.[48][49] On its first day of service, NYC Ferry saw more than 6,400 riders; of these, 1,828 rode the Rockaway ferry while the rest rode the East River Ferry.[50] Of the 49,000 riders that used the ferry in its first week of service, 38,000 used the East River Ferry while the remaining 11,000 used the Rockaway route.[51] The ferry grew so popular that during the Memorial Day weekend in May 2017, the routes saw 26,000 passengers over two days, including 9,600 riders on the East River Ferry during each day.[52] Described by The New York Times as the service's "biggest test so far", the 2017 Memorial Day weekend saw reports of hour-long waits for overcrowded ferries.[53]

In June, NYC Ferry had to charter two 400-passenger charter boats for the East Ferry route to alleviate crowding on the routes serving Governors Island[54] while packed boats skipped stops along these routes.[53] By June 22, the ferry had carried 500,000 passengers, a milestone officials had not expected to be reached for several months.[55] Due to unexpected demand, crowding became worse as the summer of 2017 progressed, with packed-to-capacity boats and long waits becoming more common.[56] As of July, there were an estimated 83,500 riders on the South Brooklyn route in one month, exceeding the original ridership estimate by more than 30,000.[57] The East River ferry saw about 7,200 riders per average weekday since being taken over by NYC Ferry, up from 3,257 average weekday riders in 2013.[58] That month, three new boats with more capacity were also ordered (see § Ferry fleet for more details).[54][57] By July 26, 2017, NYC Ferry had carried 1 million riders.[59][60]

Operations

Routes

This is a list of the six routes that are part of, or will be part of, the new ferry system.[61][62] There is a phased introduction of these routes. Phase 1 covers the routes implemented in 2017 and serves the Rockaways, Bay Ridge, and Astoria in addition to areas already served by the East River Ferry and the Governor's Island Ferry. Phase 2 would go to Soundview and the Lower East Side.[18][20][23][37] The route to Coney Island and Stapleton is under discussion.[18][20] There are two main Manhattan terminals at Wall Street and South Ferry.[18]

Start date Route[62] Terminals[38][62] Intermediate stops[38][62]
North ↔ South
Preexisting
service		      East River Ferry[63] East 34th Street ↔ Pier 11 / Wall Street
Starting
in
2017		      Rockaway Ferry[64] Pier 11 / Wall Street ↔ Rockaway (Beach 108th Street)
     South Brooklyn Ferry[65] Pier 11 / Wall Street ↔ Bay Ridge
     Astoria Ferry[66] Astoria ↔ Pier 11 / Wall Street
Starting
in
2018		      Soundview Ferry Soundview ↔ Pier 11 / Wall Street
  • East 62nd Street
  • East 90th Street
     Lower East Side Ferry Long Island City (Hunters Point South) ↔ Pier 11 / Wall Street

Astoria Ferry

Starting August 2017, ferries will run in both directions with year-round service running every 20 minutes during rush hours, every 30 minutes during weekday middays and evenings, and every 35 minutes during weekends.[66][26]

Route Transfers[66][67][68][69]
Pier 11 at Wall Street
South Street at Gouverneur Lane 		SeaStreak
New York Beach Ferry
M15, QM7, QM8, X8, X14, X15 buses
East 34th Street Ferry Landing
FDR Drive/34th Street, Manhattan		 SeaStreak
M34, M34A, M15 buses
Long Island City North
47th Road, Gantry Plaza State Park, Queens		 7 <7>  trains at Vernon Boulevard–Jackson Avenue
Q102, Q103 buses
Roosevelt Island South
Under the Queensboro Bridge, East Channel		 Roosevelt Island Tramway
F train at Roosevelt Island
Q102 bus
Astoria
3rd Street & Astoria Boulevard, Queens		 Q18, Q19, Q102, Q103 buses

East River Ferry

The East River Ferry in its former NY Waterway livery

Service operates in both directions with year-round service running every 30 minutes. Service operates to or from Governors Island during summer weekends only from 10:15 am to 6:30 pm.[63]

Route Transfers[63][67][68][69]
East 34th Street Ferry Landing
FDR Drive/34th Street, Manhattan		 NY Waterway shuttle bus
SeaStreak
M34, M34A, M15 buses
Hunters Point South
Center Boulevard & Borden Avenue, Queens		 Long Island City LIRR station
Q103 bus
Greenpoint
India Street, Brooklyn		 G train at Greenpoint Avenue
B24, B32, B43, B62 buses
North Williamsburg
North Sixth Street, Brooklyn		 L train at Bedford Avenue
B32, B62, Q59 buses
South Williamsburg
Schaefer Landing, Brooklyn		 B32, B62, Q59 buses
Fulton Ferry Landing
Fulton Street, Brooklyn		 New York Water Taxi
A C trains at High Street
F train at York Street
B25 bus
Governors Island (Summers Only)
Pier 11 at Wall Street
South Street, Manhattan 		SeaStreak
New York Beach Ferry
M15, QM7, QM8, X8, X14, X15 buses

Rockaway Ferry

Ferries run in both directions with year-round service running every hour.[64][26][69]

Route Transfers[64][70][67][68]
Pier 11 at Wall Street
South Street at Gouverneur Lane 		SeaStreak
New York Beach Ferry
M15, QM7, QM8, X8, X14, X15 buses
Sunset Park
Brooklyn Army Terminal, Brooklyn		 N R W trains at 59th Street
B11, B37 buses
Rockaway
Beach 108th Street, Queens		 Rockaway shuttle buses
A S trains at Beach 105th Street
Q22 bus

South Brooklyn Ferry

Ferries run in both directions with year-round service running every 30 minutes during rush hours and every 45 minutes at all other times except nights. On summer weekends, ferries stop at Governors Island.[65][26]

Route Transfers[65][70][67][68][69]
Pier 11 at Wall Street
South Street at Gouverneur Lane 		SeaStreak
New York Beach Ferry
M15, QM7, QM8, X8, X14, X15 buses
Fulton Ferry Landing
Fulton Street, Brooklyn		 New York Water Taxi
A C trains at High Street
F train at York Street
B25 bus
Governors Island (Summers Only)
Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6
Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn		 B57, B61, B63 buses
Red Hook
Brooklyn		 B61 bus
Sunset Park
Brooklyn Army Terminal, Brooklyn		 N R W trains at 59th Street
B11, B37 buses
Bay Ridge
Bay Ridge Avenue, Brooklyn		 B9, B64 buses

Fares and amenities

The fare for a single, one-way trip is $2.75,[71] same as on other modes of transportation in New York City.[49] Bikers must pay an additional $1 to board their bikes on ferries.[71][72] Riders could transfer to other ferry routes within the system for free,[24] though this excludes the fare-free Staten Island Ferry, since it will not be integrated into NYC Ferry.[17] In addition, the NYC Ferry system does not provide free transfer to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's greater mass transit system,[1][20][73] nor does it accept MetroCards.[73] Ferry tickets could be purchased online, through NYC Ferry's mobile app, or physically at a ticket booth or ticket machine.[71] A 30-day pass costs $121,[49][71] while a 30-day pass for bikers costs $141.[71]

The 85-foot (26 m) boats can fit 150 people each, including wheelchairs, strollers, and bikes.[43] As a further incentive, the boats have snacks and drink options, including coffee and wine, that are available to riders.[20][22][52] There are also battery-charging stations on board the boats, as well as free Wi-Fi.[49][52][74]

Stops

Williamsburg ferry stop

The service will ultimately have 21 landings, of which ten are brand-new, five would be upgraded, and six would be existing landings that would not be changed with the addition of NYC Ferry routes.[38]:6 The existing East River Ferry landings at Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 1; Schaefer Landing; North Williamsburg; Greenpoint; and Long Island City remained unchanged. There would be upgrades to the landings at Wall Street; East 34th Street; East 92nd Street; Brooklyn Army Terminal; and Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6. The remaining landings were built as part of the project.[38]:6 A stop on Governor's Island was implemented along one of the routes to South Brooklyn. At the time, Governor's Island Ferry, the only public access to the island, runs seasonally between May and September, but the proposed Governor's Island stop would feature ferry service year-round.[38]:6[75] It was decided to build the Rockaway dock at Beach 108th Street, but a second dock could not be built further east than Beach 84th Street due to height restrictions caused by the Rockaway Line subway bridge.[22] Construction on the first dock, the Rockaway landing, began in January 2017.[76][77]

The upgraded landings, which increase capacity and passenger flow, are located on 35-by-90-foot (11 by 27 m) barges that connect to land via the use of either one or two articulated ramps. The ADA-accessible landings have enclosed waiting rooms with ticket booths and information boards.[38]:7 Mono-pile mooring facilities are installed on the side of the landings to ensure that the ferries dock safely, but some landings also include extra bulkheads or piers.[38]:7

Ferry fleet

In July 2016, Metal Shark Boats and Horizon Shipbuilding were jointly awarded construction contracts for the service's new build ferries.[78] The vessels, which were designed by Incat Crowther, are about 85 feet (26 m) long, with a 26 feet (7.9 m) beam, and have a passenger capacity of 149.[78] They are powered by Baudouin diesel engines, with a service speed of 25 knots (29 mph).[78] By September, nineteen ferries were being built for Phase 1 of service, and seventeen boats had already been purchased.[43][42][44] In January 2017, five more ferries were ordered from Horizon Shipbuilding.[79] The first new build vessel for NYC Ferry was launched by Horizon Shipbuilding on February 13.[80] These boats arrived in New York City on April 17 and were named at a ceremony at Brooklyn Bridge Park.[81]

The boats would use the same types of loading equipment on the port, starboard, and bow as do boats that currently operate in the New York Harbor.[38]:7 There are two types of boats: an open-water "Rockaway vessel" type for the Rockaway route, and another "river vessel" type for the rest of the system. Both designs have a common 86 feet (26 m) length and 26.25 feet (8.00 m) beam, but the Rockaway service vessels have a slightly deeper draft and higher freeboard, as well as added fuel capacity and larger engines giving a slightly higher service speed.[80] All of the vessels are powered by engines that pass Environmental Protection Agency Tier 3 Vehicle Emission and Fuel Standards guidelines.[38]:7 Ferry horns' volumes were lowered in June 2017 after complaints by residents living near ferry stops.[82]

The Brooklyn Army Terminal and Brooklyn Navy Yard were considered for the location of the vessel maintenance facility.[36]:4[38]:7 The Navy Yard option, which the city preferred because of the Navy Yard's proximity to the "core operating area" of the routes and would allow an extra station to be added there in the future,[36]:4[38]:7 was eventually selected.[83] Renovation of the side was required to remove an existing pier and replace it with a new structure capable of docking up to 25 ferries and perform regular cleaning and maintenance.[83] The construction work began in 2017 and is expected to be complete in early 2018.[83]

As a result of an unforeseen surge in ridership, the NYCEDC and Hornblower announced in July 2017 that three 250-passenger boats would be commissioned for the system. These boats would have bigger engines to accommodate the additional passengers.[54][57]

Before being allowed to pilot a NYC Ferry vessel, prospective captains are tested using a ferry simulation at the State University of New York Maritime College in Throggs Neck. As of April 2017, there were plans to hire up to 50 captains by 2018.[84][85] In July 2017,Hornblower started looking to hire 80 deckhands to dock boats.[86]

Schedules and shuttle buses

A vehicle of New York Water Taxi at NYC Ferry's future Governors Island terminal

NYC Ferry operates from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. during all seven days of the week.[37][38]:9 During peak hours, ferries operate or are proposed to operate at 20-minute headways to Astoria and the Lower East Side; 30-minute headways to Bay Ridge and Soundview; and 1-hour headways to the Rockaways (see § Routes for more details).[38]:9

NYC Ferry operates three shuttle bus routes. One is a preexisting NY Waterway service to the East 34th Street landing.[38]:9 The other two are brand-new services to the Rockaway landing, which is at Beach 108th Street.[22] One route goes west to Jacob Riis Park,[37][38]:9 while the other goes to Beach 67th Street.[22] The EIS provided for an extension of the Beach 67th Street bus to Beach 31st Street via Rockaway Beach Boulevard and Beach Channel Drive,[37][38]:9 but de Blasio's office said that extending the bus further would cause a bus fleet shortage, resulting in passengers missing their boats.[22] As of June 2017, the East Shuttle bus only runs to Beach 35th Street.[87]

Other ferries

Several ferries in the New York City area will have varying levels of integration with NYC Ferry. NY Waterway planned to add 150 jobs, despite giving over its East River route to NYC Ferry.[17] New York Water Taxi remained separate, but was to eliminate 200 jobs;[17] it had stated that if it did not win the contract with the city to operate NYC Ferry, then it would shut down.[24] Since the company did not win the NYC Ferry contract, it had been expected to shut down in October 2016,[88] but continued operations through the end of the year before being purchased by Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises in January 2017.[89] The Staten Island Ferry will remain a separate entity.[17]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Mcgeehan, Patrick (June 15, 2016). "De Blasio’s $325 Million Ferry Push: Rides to 5 Boroughs, at Subway Price". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Eftimiades, Maria (December 24, 1989). "Ferryboats Again Becoming a Familiar Sight Along Hudson". The New York Times. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  3. ↑ "SIC 4482 Ferries – Description, Market Prospects, Industry History". Reference for Business, Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd ed. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  4. ↑ "CITY MAY TAKE OVER FERRY.; New Subways Hit Boats from 92d Street to Long Island.". The New York Times. June 2, 1918. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  5. ↑ "CITY TO STOP FERRY TO ASTORIA AT ONCE; Sinking Fund Commission Is Expected to Act Wednesday on Abandoning Line.". The New York Times. July 25, 1936. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Comprehensive Citywide Ferry Study 2011" (PDF). nycedc.org. New York City Economic Development Corporation. March 15, 2011. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  7. 1 2 Grynbaum, Michael M.; Quinlan, Adriane (June 13, 2011). "East River Ferry Service Begins". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  8. ↑ Mcgeehan, Patrick (October 16, 2011). "East River Ferry Service Exceeds Expectations". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Seastreak Ferry New Jersey, New York and New Bedford, Martha's Vineyard". Seastreakusa.com. Retrieved April 20, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Rockaway Ferry Service Adds Sunset Park Stop—For One Month". Gothamist. July 30, 2013. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Rockaway Ferry Floats On Through May, But Trip Will Cost Nearly Double – Rockaway Beach – DNAinfo.com New York". Dnainfo.com. January 20, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2014.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "COMPREHENSIVE CITYWIDE FERRY STUDY 2013 Final Report" (PDF). nycedc.org. New York City Economic Development Corporation. 2013.
  13. ↑ "Rockaway ferry service only funded through October". am New York. June 26, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  14. 1 2 Kully, Sadef Ali (October 30, 2015). "Rockaways ferry not scheduled to return until 2017". TimesLedger. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  15. ↑ "End of ferry leaves Rockaway a ‘transportation desert’". New York's PIX11 / WPIX-TV. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Cheap Rockaway Commuter Ferry To Cease Operations In October". Gothamist. July 23, 2014. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "New York City's Ferry Service Set to Launch in 2017". NBC New York. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 "Citywide Ferry Service to Launch in June 2017, Official Says". DNAinfo New York. March 3, 2016. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  19. 1 2 3 4 Flegenheimer, Matt (February 3, 2015). "Mayor de Blasio Moves to Expand Ferry Service in New York City". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 Anthony, Jillian (May 9, 2016). "Everything we know about the new citywide ferry service launching in 2017". Time Out New York. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  21. ↑ "MAP: New Ferries Coming to Rockaway, Astoria, The Bronx, LES and Brooklyn". DNAinfo New York. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Honan, Katie; Venugopal, Nikhita; Mays, Jeff (March 16, 2016). "Hornblower to Operate Citywide Ferry Service Launching in 2017, Mayor Says". DNAinfo New York. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  23. 1 2 3 Warerkar, Tanay (June 16, 2016). "NYC's citywide ferry service seeks home at Brooklyn Navy Yard". Curbed NY. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Fitzsimmons, Emma G. (March 16, 2016). "Operator for New York’s Growing Ferry Service Is Picked". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  25. ↑ "Mayor de Blasio Announces NYC Ferry Rockaway Route Launching May 1st, One Month Ahead of Schedule". The official website of the City of New York. April 6, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Guse, Clayton (April 17, 2017). "The schedule for the new NYC Ferry service has been released". Time Out New York. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  27. 1 2 3 "Wider ferry service a natural for NYC". am New York. October 8, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  28. 1 2 3 4 Fox, Tom (June 26, 2016). "Mayor's ferry program at risk of running aground". Crain's New York Business. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  29. ↑ Katinas, Paula (September 23, 2016). "Bay Ridge officials praise de Blasio’s ferry plan". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  30. ↑ Bliss, Laura (July 5, 2017). "The New York City Ferry Has Lessons for the Weary Subway". CityLab. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  31. ↑ Grabar, Henry (March 6, 2015). "Don’t Believe in Ferries". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  32. ↑ Bagwell, Erik (September 25, 2016). "Don't ferry public money to those who need it least". Crain's New York Business. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  33. ↑ Sanders, Anna (March 16, 2016). "New ferry service for other boroughs; Staten Island gets the docks". silive.com. Advance Digital. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  34. 1 2 Grabar, Henry (May 1, 2017). "Ferry Tales". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  35. ↑ Fanelli, James (August 17, 2016). "Citywide Ferry Operator Hornblower Has 'Pathetic' Labor Record, Union Says". DNAinfo New York. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  36. 1 2 3 4 "CITYWIDE FERRY SERVICE DEIS PUBLIC HEARING" (PDF). nycedc.com. New York City Economic Development Corporation. May 24, 2016. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  37. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Citywide Ferry Service – 15DME009Y". www.nyc.gov. Government of New York City. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  38. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "Citywide Ferry Service CEQR Number 15DME009Y STATEMENT OF FINDINGS" (PDF). nyc.gov. Office of the Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development. August 19, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  39. ↑ "Mayor De Blasio: Citywide Ferry Service on Track to Launch in 2017, with Hornblower as New Operator". nyc.gov. Government of New York City. March 16, 2016. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  40. 1 2 3 Mcgeehan, Patrick (November 21, 2016). "Bayou Shipyards Race Political Clock to Build New York’s Ferries". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
  41. ↑ "Astoria Cove to Include More Affordable Units, Ferry Dock: Officials". DNAinfo New York. November 13, 2014. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  42. 1 2 "Construction begins on 19 new citywide ferries". www.brooklyneagle.com. Brooklyn Daily Eagle. September 22, 2016. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  43. 1 2 3 Walker, Ameena (September 22, 2016). "NYC’s first citywide ferry system is officially under construction". Curbed NY. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  44. 1 2 "Citywide Ferry Service is one step closer to reality". amny.com. AM New York. September 22, 2016. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  45. ↑ Barone, Vincent (September 18, 2016). "LIC's new fast ferry to set sail from Gantry Plaza State Park". AM New York. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  46. ↑ "First Citywide Ferry arrives in New York". Marine Log. April 4, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  47. 1 2 "Citywide Ferry gets renamed, will launch a month early". Marine Log. April 6, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  48. ↑ "NYC launches ferry service with Queens, East River routes". NY Daily News. Associated Press. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  49. 1 2 3 4 Levine, Alexandra S.; Wolfe, Jonathan (May 1, 2017). "New York Today: Our City’s New Ferry". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  50. ↑ Honan, Katie (May 2, 2017). "NYC Ferry Commuters Stranded Amid 'Unexpectedly High' First Day Ridership". DNAinfo New York. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  51. ↑ Barone, Vincent (May 9, 2017). "NYC Ferry Rockaway route sees 11,000 riders in first week". Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  52. 1 2 3 Hu, Winnie; Piccoli, Sean (May 29, 2017). "New Yorkers Eagerly Head to Ferries, and Grumpily Board Them". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  53. 1 2 "Ferry Service Strained as Massive Crowds Flock to Beaches During Heat Wave". DNAinfo New York. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  54. 1 2 3 Goodman, J. David; Mcgeehan, Patrick (June 15, 2017). "NYC Ferry, More Popular Than Expected, Scrambles to Meet Demand". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  55. ↑ "NYC Ferry Celebrates Ridership Milestone Today". NY1 News. Charter Communications/Spectrum. June 22, 2017. Archived from the original on July 12, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  56. ↑ Delikat, Stacey (July 21, 2017). "New York City scrambles to improve ferry service". WNYW. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  57. 1 2 3 Meaghan, McGoldrick (July 3, 2017). "South Brooklyn ferry route to see three new, bigger boats amidst unexpectedly high ridership". Brooklyn Reporter. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  58. ↑ Evelli, Jeanmarie (July 20, 2017). "LIC Commuters Fed Up With Crowds on 'Less Reliable' East River Ferry Route". DNAinfo New York. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  59. ↑ Jorgensen, Jillian (July 26, 2017). "NYC Ferry service hits record 1 million riders". NY Daily News. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  60. ↑ "NYC Ferry hits 1 million riders; celebration includes chance for free rides, update on Astoria route". New York's PIX11 / WPIX-TV. July 26, 2017. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  61. ↑ "Route Map" (PDF). NYC Ferry. 2017. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
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  63. 1 2 3 "Routes and Schedules: East River". NYC Ferry.
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  65. 1 2 3 "Routes and Schedules: South Brooklyn". NYC Ferry.
  66. 1 2 3 "Routes and Schedules: Astoria". NYC Ferry.
  67. 1 2 3 4 "Queens Bus Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. January 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  68. 1 2 3 4 "Manhattan Bus Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. May 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  69. 1 2 3 4 "Subway Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. June 25, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  70. 1 2 "Brooklyn Bus Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. November 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  71. 1 2 3 4 5 "Ticket Portal". NYC Ferry. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  72. ↑ Miranda Katz. "Greatly Expanded $2.75 Ferry System Will Launch In NYC Next Summer". Gothamist. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  73. 1 2 Langfield, Amy (August 21, 2015). "Citywide Ferry Plan Will Not Integrate With MTA’s MetroCard for Transfers". DNAinfo New York. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  74. ↑ "The New NYC Ferries Have Set Sail". WNYC. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  75. ↑ Venugopal, Nikhita (September 12, 2016). "Officials Weigh Governors Island Stop on Citywide Ferry Route". DNAinfo New York. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  76. ↑ "Construction Begins on NYC’s First Citywide Ferry Landing in the Rockaways". Untapped Cities. January 30, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  77. ↑ "Construction of First New Citywide Ferry Dock Starts at Rockaway Park". DNAinfo New York. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
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  82. ↑ Barone, Vincent (June 26, 2017). "Ferry horns muffled after Brooklynites sound off". am New York. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  83. 1 2 3 "Construction underway on CityWide Ferry Brooklyn homeport". Marine Log. March 22, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  84. ↑ Barone, Vincent (April 24, 2017). "Inside the simulator that trains NYC Ferry captains". am New York. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
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  89. ↑ "Circle Line owner hops on New York Water Taxi". Marine Log. January 12, 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
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