The Issue

Ferries have long zipped across the New York-New Jersey harbor region. The early 1900’s was truly the peak of the region’s ferry service. By the mid 1920’s, New York City was running more than a dozen ferry lines between the five boroughs and parts of New Jersey.

Ferry service began to dwindle as a result of the 1929 stock market crash. After 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 (The Bronx) and College Point (Queens) ferry was discontinued following the construction of the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, a route which had operated for nearly two decades.

Our Approach

Sometimes we can look back to look forward. The history of ferry service, from the 1600’s to today, is a reminder that we are a region defined by our 1,600+ miles of waterfront.

In the earliest days of the Waterfront Alliance, we helped build and convene a coalition of civic groups and community organizations in transit-starved waterfront neighborhoods, like Soundview, Rockaways, and Red Hook. At our 2009 Waterfront Conference, Waterfront Alliance focused on the strategy and roadmap for ferry transit. We worked closely with our waterfront neighbors to understand the frontline perspectives for what ferries could offer to communities.

Waterfront Alliance led the campaign to reestablish a citywide ferry system in New York City. In 2014, we launched a policy paper called “From Ship to Shore” with recommendations on how to integrate ferries within the city’s existing public transit network. Waterfront Alliance met with elected officials to promote the idea, including Mayoral candidate, Bill de Blasio. Just one year later, in 2015, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the Citywide Ferry Service at his State of the City address in The Bronx. That initiative is what we know today as the NYC Ferry system.

Today, ferries are a staple among the region’s transportation systems. Investment in ferry service is a golden opportunity to connect waterfront communities, reduce congestion, and bring millions of people to the shoreline.

Waterfront Alliance led the campaign to reestablish a citywide ferry system in New York City. In 2014, we launched a policy paper called “From Ship to Shore” with recommendations on how to integrate ferries within the city’s existing public transit network. Waterfront Alliance met with elected officials to promote the idea, including Mayoral candidate, Bill de Blasio. Just one year later, in 2015, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the Citywide Ferry Service at his State of the City address in The Bronx. That initiative is what we know today as the NYC Ferry system.
Today, ferries are a staple among the region’s transportation systems. Investment in ferry service is a golden opportunity to connect waterfront communities, reduce congestion, and bring millions of people to the shoreline.