3 BRONX WEEKLY May 31, 2020 www.BXTimes.com
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 systemwide
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 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.
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
A screenshot of the ferry Courtesy of NYCEDC
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