Transit gurus renew call for BK-SI ferry
COURIER LIFE, DECEMBER 17-23, 2021 3
BY JESSICA PARKS
Southern Brooklynites and
Staten Islanders have at least
one thing in common — they
both want a fast ferry!
“Staten Island’s fast ferry
service is a crucial step in reducing
our reliance on cars
and supporting a 21st Century
Transportation future,” said
Rose Uscianowski, Transportation
Alternatives’ Staten
Island and southern Brooklyn
organizer. “Now it’s time
to honor Staten Island’s historic
relationship with South
Brooklyn by expanding South
Ferry service between Staten
Island and South Brooklyn.”
The non-profi t Transportation
Alternatives spearheaded
a renewed call for fast
ferry service at a press conference
last week, where they
were joined by local activist
groups, state Sen. Andrew
Gounardes, and even some
Staten Islanders who made
the trip to Bay Ridge to show
their support.
Proponents of the idea say
linking the two outer boroughs
would ease congestion
on the Verrazzano-Narrows
Bridge, and lessen the burden
on residents who either have
to take a trip into Manhattan
for public transit, or dish
out $20 in tolls when traveling
both ways on the bridge.
“We need to organize our
city so that public transit is
fi rst and foremost, right now
we don’t see that as being
the case especially between
the outer boroughs, between
Staten Island and Brooklyn,”
said Daniel Loud, president
of the Bay Ridge Environmental
Group, “so this ferry would
be a huge step in improving
that.”
The ralliers spoke of the
numerous benefi ts a new ferry
between the St. George ferry
terminal in Staten Island and
the Bay Ridge ferry terminal at
American Veterans Memorial
Pier would bring both communities
— such as more foot
traffi c for small businesses,
access to jobs, reduced vehicular
travel and reduced travel
time, and also help combat climate
change by providing an
option besides car travel between
the two boroughs.
“I live right there. if it was
warmer and once we get a little
less pollution, I might try
swimming it because that
on many days is better than
taking the Verrazzano,” said
Staten Islander Justin Wood.
“I would love to visit you all
more often, I’d love for our
economies to be connected,
I’d love to see us developing
the types of renewable energy
and the resiliency jobs that we
need on our waterfront.”
Gounardes said there are
plenty of reasons why a Staten
Island to Brooklyn ferry
should exist and even pointed
out that there used to be a
ferry connecting the two outer
boroughs for decades before
they built the Verrazzano.
“This is about transit mobility,
pick the reason this
makes sense, and we should
absolutely have ferry service,
there used to be a ferry that
is like how this whole connection
started 100 years ago,” he
said. “We should not have to
rely just on that one bridge,
which you can’t even get over
unless you’re in a vehicle that
will destroy the planet.”
He added that he will advocate
for the ferry expansion
however he can on the state
level of government.
Wood launched a petition
that has garnered nearly 4,000
signatures in support of a
Staten Island-Brooklyn Ferry
with many Staten Island signers
arguing their need for
more transportation options
than just one highway to get
into Brooklyn and the increased
job opportunities they
would have access to.
“It would increase job opportunities
and social and cultural
visiting between the two
boroughs. Not to mention less
need for a car all the time, a
greener alternative,” one petitioner
wrote.
Activists rallied for a fast ferry service connecting Brooklyn and Staten Island. Photo by Jessica Parks