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Aug. 28-Sept. 3, 2020
ALSO COVERING ELMHURST, JACKSON HEIGHTS, LONG ISLAND CITY, MASPETH, MIDDLE VILLAGE, REGO PARK, SUNNYSIDE
QUEENS LEADERS CELEBRATE EXTENSION OF
ASTORIA FERRY ROUTE TO UPPER MANHATTAN
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
The NYC Ferry Astoria route will now connect with Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
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
Courtesy of Kreg Holt
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.”
Vol. 8 No. 35 36 total pages
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