BY JASON COHEN
The city recently announced
NYC Ferry service
cuts that will save the city $10
million, but will not delay the
expansion to Throggs Neck.
On May 15, the New York
City Economic Development
Corporation (NYCEDC)
announced the following
changes, including service
modifi cations enacted in response
to the COVID-19 crisis
as well as permanent changes
to service that improve system
wide effi ciency and costsavings.
“The goal of NYC Ferry is
to connect communities and
provide New Yorkers with additional
transit options and
that commitment will never
change,” said James Patchett,
president and CEO of the
NYCEDC. “Through these
modifi cations to service, we
are able to save the city money,
provide even better service to
our riders, including essential
workers. We are also happy to
reaffi rm our commitment to
expansion in Staten Island, Coney
Island, and Throggs Neck,
areas where New Yorkers
have endured notoriously long
commutes. We look forward to
NYC Ferry service arriving in
these locations next year.”
NYC Ferry has already
reduced service by nearly 30
percent since March 23 in response
to low ridership related
to the COVID-19 pause.
To increase cost-savings,
improve system-wide effi -
ciency, and implement a more
connected service for riders,
service modifi cations were
enacted beginning on May 18,
which will result in an additional
20 percent service reduction.
The modifi cations include:
an additional, temporary
reduction in service during
the Pause period. On both
weekdays and weekends, NYC
Ferry service will end at approximately
9 p.m.
creating a more connected
and effi cient system. NYC
Ferry will permanently reconfi
gure three routes: the
Lower East Side, South Brooklyn
and Soundview. This will
allow NYC Ferry to continue
serving all existing landings
at a lower cost. All riders will
still have connections to the
job hub at Wall Street and Corlears
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,2 MAY 29-JUNE 4, 2020 BTR
Hook riders will have additional
direct connections to
job hubs in Sunset Park (BAT)
and Red Hook. For existing
South Brooklyn riders, this
change means faster and more
ways to get between Brooklyn
and Manhattan.
These cuts will have no
affect on the impending stop
coming to Throggs Neck next
year.
“The ferry is going to be
wonderful for the people in
Throggs Neck,” said City Island
resident and activist
John Doyle. “The hope is it
builds on this success and gets
further stops.
The Soundview route, when
expanded to Throggs Neck,
will be approximately 60 minutes.
Currently, it takes about
50 minutes. Also, it has now
added a stop from the Lower
East Side route, so it serves
Stuyvesant Cove (22nd St). The
fare would match the standard
$2.75 subway fare.
A screenshot of the ferry Courtesy of NYCEDC
The planned ferry will
make commuting from the
east Bronx to Manhattan easier.
Assemblyman Michael
Benedetto looks forward to the
ferry coming to his district.
“For a city which is surrounded
by water, not to
employ its waterways for
transportation is foolish,”
Benedetto said. “Myself and
my constituents eagerly await
the start of the ferry service to
Ferry Point park in Throggs
Neck. I applaud the NYC Ferry
expansion and NYC Economic
Development Corporation for
keeping their commitment
and at the same time saving
money in doing so.”
Ferry service cuts will not affect
Throggs Neck expansion