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QUEENS WEEKLY, AUGUST 30, 2020
QUEENS LEADERS CELEBRATE EXTENSION OF ASTORIA FERRY ROUTE
BY BILL PARRY
After more than two
years of advocacy, civic leader
Richard Khuzami was
pleased to learn that NYC
Ferry is adding an extension
to its Astoria route that will
connect riders to the East
90th Street landing in Manhattan
beginning Saturday,
Aug. 22.
“Old Astoria Neighborhood
Association is proud to
fully support this critical new
NYC Ferry connection between
Astoria and Manhattan,
which ensures that New
Yorkers of all backgrounds
have equitable access to reliable
and efficient public transit,”
Khuzami said. “We have
sponsored petitioning, surveys
and public meetings to
encourage this direct service
to facilitate our economic
and cultural growth. OANA
works tirelessly to promote
economic growth, quality of
life and cultural health in
our neighborhood, and this
new NYC Ferry connection
will play an important role
in ensuring that this mission
is fulfilled.”
The new connection
comes at no additional operating
or capital expense and
will not change travel time
to or from existing landings
on the Astoria Route.
Khuzami, the OANA president,
has marveled at the
way NYC Ferry has already
become a great boost to the
area’s cultural institutions
along Vernon Boulevard such
as the Noguchi Museum, the
Welling Court Mural Project
and Socrates Sculpture Park
since its initial launch on
Hallets Peninsula.
“This new connection between
East 90th Street and
Astoria will provide more
families and individuals with
a safe way to access all that
Queens and Manhattan have
to offer,” Socrates Sculpture
Park Director of Development
and Communications
Julia Metro said. “Socrates
Sculpture Park has long benefited
from its proximity to
the Astoria Landing stop. As
the city slowly emerges from
this pandemic, we are looking
forward to welcoming
new visitors to take in new
art on view and sweeping
waterfront views.”
Geographically, Halletts
Point is just 1,515 feet
away from Manhattan’s Upper
East Side, but it is more
than a 20-minute walk to
the nearest subway station,
meaning a trip to Manhattan
can take up to an hour
by train.
“In Community Board
1, the section of our District
where NYC Ferry was implemented
used to be known
as a transportation desert,”
CB1 District Manager Florence
Koulouris said. “The
NYC Ferry has provided
easy access to numerous residents
who did not have such
a convenience in the past.
This additional route will
open up many opportunities
in the future, including employment
and healthcare access.
We greatly appreciate
this implementation of this
new connection and look
forward to our residents’
use of this access.”
The Halletts Point landing
is at the base of the Astoria
Houses where many
residents are employed by
the Upper East Side medical
sector.
“As someone who has
always worked hard to expand
public transit options
for New York City residents,
I am delighted the Astoria
route will be extended to the
East 90th Street pier on the
Upper East Side,” Congresswoman
Carolyn Maloney
said. “Connecting these
two neighborhoods in the
12th Congressional District,
which I am privileged to represent,
will streamline commutes
for countless people
who work in the medical
industry on the East Side
of Manhattan and in the
growing number of startups
and established companies
moving to western Queens.
Importantly, this new connection
will be particularly
beneficial to residents of
public housing in Long Island
City and Astoria, who
are currently underserved
by traditional public transportation
options.”
Councilman Paul Vallone,
Chair of the Committee
on Economic Development,
hopes the sudden expansion
of NYC Ferry service to Astoria
bodes well for future
routes to the borough.
“Our city’s waterways
are a unique resource that
provides opportunities to
expand the transportation
options available to New
Yorkers,” Vallone said. “I
applaud this additional connection
within NYC Ferry
and look forward to future
expansions to the northern
Queens waterfront.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry
by e-mail at bparry@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone
at (718) 260–4538.
The NYC Ferry Astoria route will now connect with Manhattan’s
Upper East Side. Courtesy of Kreg Holt
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