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De Blasio Administration Announces Location of New Red Hook Ferry Landing

July 20, 2016

Citywide ferry service coming to Atlantic Basin in 2017

Atlantic Basin Ferry

NEW YORK–– The de Blasio Administration and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) today announced that the Citywide Ferry Service ferry landing for Red Hook will be located at Atlantic Basin. The Red Hook ferry landing is part of the South Brooklyn route which is scheduled to launch during summer 2017. The landing is projected to serve over 6,000 residents that live within a half-mile radius, including families in NYCHA’s Red Hook Houses.

“It’s full steam ahead for the launch of Citywide Ferry Service next year. Families and businesses in Red Hook have needed better transit options for decades. We’re changing that. When ferry service begins out of Atlantic Basin, thousands more people will have a fast and affordable way to connect with their city,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

“By locating the Red Hook Citywide Ferry Service landing at Atlantic Basin, we will provide a reliable and affordable transportation alternative for a community that has historically had limited transit options,” said NYCEDC President Maria Torres-Springer. “EDC appreciates all of the support from community residents, elected officials, and partner agencies, including the Port Authority, the U.S. Coast Guard, Borough President Adams, Congresswoman Velázquez, Council Member Menchaca, Community Board 6, NY Rising and Portside.”

The site was selected based on extensive environmental review and engagement with residents and elected officials of the Red Hook community. NYCEDC will work in coordination with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) as it sites the Red Hook ferry landing in Atlantic Basin. In 2014 the Red Hook—NY Rising Community Reconstruction Program released a report with recommendations for ferry infrastructure at or near Atlantic Basin. 

The landing is projected to serve over 6,000 residents that live within a half-mile radius, including many families that reside in NYCHA’s Red Hook Houses.  The pedestrian entrance to the landing will be located at the intersection of Pioneer and Conover Streets.  The location is just a short walk to the growing cluster of restaurants, retailers and artists located along the Van Brunt Street commercial corridor. Additionally, the site is adjacent to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, one of New York City’s terminals for embarkation and debarkation of cruise ships.

“I am pleased that the City has heeded my call and the call of Red Hook residents to site a Citywide Ferry Service landing in Atlantic Basin. This review process has been responsive to concerns we have raised about the potential impact of adverse seasonal weather conditions as well as the distance to the nearest points of transportation and to concentrations of potential passengers. I thank EDC President Torres-Springer for working with the community and the Port Authority to arrange for a site that will best meet the needs of a historically underserved neighborhood, including thousands of public housing residents, as well as provide a boost for the area's burgeoning commercial corridor,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.

“Positioning the landing in Atlantic Basin will mean ferry service more centrally located in Red Hook: at the center of the Van Brunt Street commercial corridor and closer to over 7,000 residents living in public housing. This is important in a neighborhood that lacks a subway,” said Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez. “The Atlantic Basin ferry stop will make for an easier commute for many Red Hook residents and draw New Yorkers and visitors to the heart of the neighborhood. This will help support local commerce, jobs and business in Red Hook. It will also help sustain and enhance Red Hook’s maritime identity and the community's connection to the waterfront and waterway.”

“Residents and businesses in Red Hook and their nearby neighbors are woefully underserved by public transportation. I am pleased that adding ferry service to Red Hook will enable thousands of commuters to have easy, sustainable access to locations in Brooklyn and lower Manhattan," said Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon.

“Atlantic Basin is the best Red Hook location for a passenger ferry landing. I'm glad local residents' voices were heard by EDC when this location was chosen. The ferry's presence will enliven Atlantic Basin and offer opportunities to make better use of the transportation infrastructure there. I look forward to supporting this new mode of City-wide transportation, and to seeing how it serves residents and businesses in Brooklyn,” said Council Member Carlos Menchaca.

More Details on Citywide Ferry Service

New Jobs:

  • At least 155 new jobs in the New York Harbor.
  • Crew will earn wages above $15 per hour, along with a comprehensive benefits package.
  • Hornblower has a strong history as a strong unionized employer.
  • Hornblower will participate in the City’s HireNYC program, which matches qualified applicants from neighborhood-based WorkForce1 training centers.

Routes:

  • Rockaway, South Brooklyn and Astoria routes scheduled to launch in 2017.
  • Rockaway route will connect to the Brooklyn Army Terminal and Wall Street.
  • Astoria route will connect to Astoria, Roosevelt Island (Cornell Tech), Long Island City, East 34th Street and Wall Street.
  • South Brooklyn route will connect Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Army Terminal, Red Hook, Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 1 and Pier 6, and Wall Street, with an optional link to Governors Island.
  • Soundview and Lower East Side routes to launch in 2018.
  • Routes from Coney Island and Stapleton on Staten Island are in planning stages for future expansion.
  • Combined routes will cover over 60 miles of waterway.
  • Over half a million New Yorkers live within a half-mile of one of the 21 Citywide Ferry landings, including 15,000 families living in NYCHA developments.

Pricing:

  • Cost per ride will equal that of a single subway ride.
  • 4,000 daily East River Ferry customers will see fares reduced from $4 to the cost of a single subway ride.
  • Fare will allow for free transfers to any other ferry route within the system, including the East River Ferry.
  • Both paper and smartphone ticketing will be available, with payments accepted via cash, credit, or debit card. Discounts will be available for seniors, children and New Yorkers with disabilities.
  • Passengers will be allowed to bring bicycles on board for a $1 fee.

The Boats:

  • Each boat will be able to carry at least 149 passengers.
  • All boats will be equipped with WiFi.
  • Boats will be fully accessible to New Yorkers with disabilities, and will comply with the requirements of both the Americans with Disabilities Act and New York City Local Law 68 of 2005.
  • New boats will be equipped with the most modern engine design available to reduce emissions and noise, as well as an efficient hull design that will limit wakes and maximize fuel economy.
  • City contract with Hornblower allows the company to charter vessels if necessary to meet the implementation timeline.

City Support:

  • City is investing $55 million in infrastructure upgrades, including building 10 new ferry landings. Barge construction is currently underway at a facility on Staten Island.
  • City is providing $30 million in operating support per year, over a period of six years. Based on a projection of 4.6 million annual trips, the per-trip subsidy for Citywide Ferry Service will be $6.60, lower than the nearly $8 per trip subsidy on the Long Island Railroad or the nearly $15 per trip subsidy for express buses. The City is providing $10 million for additional startup costs, such as vessel upgrades and ticketing machines.
  • Potential sponsorships would offset operating costs.
  • City negotiated an option to acquire at least 18 state-of-the-art, highly efficient passenger ferry vessels, allowing for greater operational flexibility and providing significant savings to taxpayers over the life of the service (roughly up to $5 million per year).
  • City will receive a portion of fare-box revenue if ridership exceeds 5.6 million passengers.

Media Contact

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