Ferries are an important part of New York City’s history. Looking forward, ferries have a major role in our future, too.

This WaterWire is based on Waterfront Alliance’s recent testimony at the New York City Council’s Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Committee on Economic Development September 10th Oversight Hearing on the NYC Ferry. Read our full testimony here.  

Ferries have long zipped through the New York Harbor region (connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn Heights as early as 1642!) and have connected residents across the Hudson and East River for centuries.  

The early 1900’s was the peak of New York City’s ferry service, when the City of New York was running more than a dozen ferry lines between the five boroughs and parts of New Jersey.  

Ferry service in New York City began to dwindle after the 1929 stock market crash. Following the crash, the ferry service was among the many municipal services to be cut. Public spending was shifting toward automobile infrastructure, including many bridges and tunnels that replicated ferry routes. For example, the Triboro Bridge replaced the Astoria ferry route between East 92nd Street to Astoria, which had operated for more than 15 years. The Classon Point and College Point ferry was discontinued following the construction of the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge — a route which had operated for nearly two decades. Sadly, by 1945 there was only one municipal ferry route that remained in operation — the Staten Island Ferry. 

In 2017, Mayor de Blasio reintroduced the five-borough ferry service — in large part because of the advocacy of the Waterfront Alliance.  

Today, the NYC Ferry is a staple among New York City’s transportation systems. The NYC Ferry hosts six routes across every borough, with a total of 25 landings and 38 vessels. The system spans over 70 nautical miles and is the largest passenger-only fleet in the nation. 

As a leading advocate for the establishment of the NYC Ferry, Waterfront Alliance developed five key pillars for the long-term success of the NYC Ferry. We are calling this “The Five E’s.” 

The first “E” is expansion.  

The NYC Ferry ridership numbers continue to grow year-over-year. Last year, the NYC Ferry serviced more than seven million riders. For a system that has been in existence for only seven years, this is a clear indicator of growing demand. 

Waterfront Alliance envisions several new routes that would serve New Yorkers with newer, greener, and faster transit options and would reshape transportation in the region. The top expansion locations we recommend include Brooklyn to Staten Island via the Bay Ridge line, a stop at City Island via the Soundview line, and a stop at LaGuardia Airport via the Soundview line.  

Other expansion projects to consider include extending adding a landing in Jamaica Bay with potential connection to JFK, adding additional landings along and across the Rockaway Peninsula, adding a landing along the South Shore of Staten Island, extending the St. George line to Upper Manhattan, adding a landing at Canarsie, adding a landing at Randalls Island, and adding a landing at Willets Point. 

The second “E” is economics.  

The NYC Ferry is often under unfair criticism for the subsidy that comes with its operation. Waterfront Alliance has long stood in defense of the subsidy, especially considering that NYC Ferry was established just seven years ago.  

For starters, comparing ferry subsidies to bus or train subsidies is misleading and misguided. Instead, we should look to ferry service across the country. In comparison to other ferry services in the nation, like Seattle, Boston, New Orleans, and San Francisco, the NYC Ferry’s operating expenses per revenue hour are the lowest.  

There are also several health benefits associated with taking the ferry as compared to other forms of transportation. The user experience on the ferry is special. Waterfront Alliance encourages the City to consider the social, health, and environmental benefits that ferries provide — not just economics. 

The third “E” is electrification.  

In 2021, Waterfront Alliance launched a First 100 Days Priorities for the next Mayoral Administration. In the platform, we called for the City to commit to piloting an electric ferry and to assess routes where this would be feasible. 

Waterfront Alliance envisions a fully electric ferry service throughout New York City. To ensure that the NYC Ferry system is prepared to do this, we call for the City to invest in one fully electric ferry to test the system. This pilot will provide insights into the needs for a scalable fleet of electric ferries. 

The fourth “E” is emergency services.  

Ferries are the transportation solution that performs like no other during some of our gravest civic emergencies. During the 2003 blackout, it was the ferry service that served as the only transit link between Manhattan and New Jersey, carrying 160,000 people in one day.  

In September 2023, Tropical Storm Ophelia brought a major rainstorm that shut down subway lines and flooded streets, impacting bus routes. During that event, the NYC Ferry was one of the only forms of public transportation that remained in full operation.  

Ferries are vital not only as a primary means of transportation, but also to provide crucial redundancy when emergency backup capacity is needed. 

The fifth, and final “E” is for equity.  

The NYC Ferry must remain equitable and accessible in all forms. All the vessels and ferry landings are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and New York City Local Law 68.  

The cost must also be accessible for everyday New Yorkers, especially as we encourage residents to utilize the NYC Ferry for commuting. Waterfront Alliance strongly supports the Ferry Discount Program, which offers discounts to senior citizens, persons with disabilities, current participants in the Fair Fares NYC program, and NYC High School students. The full testimony can be found on Waterfront Alliance’s website here.  

Ferries are an important part of New York City’s history. Looking forward, ferries have a major role in our future, too. The sustainability, affordability, and accessibility of NYC Ferry should be viewed as an opportunity to unlock the magic of New York City’s 520 miles of unique coastline.