Ferries

NYC’s waterways provide a unique resource to expand transportation options for New Yorkers, enabling ferries to connect waterfront communities in NYC and New Jersey to jobs, recreation destinations, and each other. Ferries will continue to be used in NYC to provide affordable, convenient transit in communities with limited public transportation options and an important resource that supports growing neighborhoods and increases the resilience of NYC’s larger transportation network, especially when there are disruptions to other forms of transit service.

 

To support and strengthen ferry services over the next 10 years, the City will continue to optimize routes and identify ways to make service more sustainable. The City’s ferry fleet will incorporate new vessels with no or reduced air emissions. Ridership must increase to ensure the financial strength of ferry services. To broaden the reach of ferry services, the City will proceed by expanding NYC Ferry, including service to Coney Island, home to approximately 4,000 NYCHA residents. The City also intends to explore opportunities for regional collaboration on ferries.   

Over the past decade, New Yorkers have expressed excitement about the role that ferries play in creating neighborhoods hubs and expanding transportation options. The Whitehall and St. George ferry terminals, for example, are multimodal transit hubs serving as critical links in the regional transit network. The City will explore ways to connect other ferry landings to adjacent neighborhoods more effectively, for example, by adding more bicycle racks or wayfinding signs. As the City plans future ferry services, plans must include infrastructure that is resilient to sea level rise and coastal storms and ongoing support for operations and maintenance.  

 

Increase the sustainability and efficiency of City ferry services

+ How can we do it?

  • Launch three new Staten Island Ferry vessels with improved propulsion, ease of access, enhanced efficiency and improved air emissions standards.   
  • Launch a new electric ferry to service Hart Island.   
  • Continuously review ridership demand and other factors to ensure that NYC Ferry is operating as efficiently and effectively as possible.  

Complete the planned expansion of NYC Ferry to provide greater mobility to waterfront neighborhoods that are underserved by other forms of mass transit or face long commute times

+ How can we do it?

  • Launch the St. George Route in 2021 with stops at St. George, Battery Park City at Vesey Street and Midtown West at Pier 79.   
  • Launch the Coney Island Route in 2021 with stops at Coney Island, Bay Ridge and Wall Street/Pier 11.   
  • Extend the Soundview Route in 2021 to a new landing at Throgs Neck/Ferry Point Park.  
 
 

Examine ways to improve the delivery of ferry services to New Yorkers while minimizing public subsidy

+ How can we do it?

  • Ensure the service is financially strong by expanding ridership for existing NYC Ferry locations, especially those near job hubs and by pursuing other revenue-generating opportunities.  
  • Examine opportunities for systemwide optimization and resource planning for the NYC Ferry fleet, landing site infrastructure and operations to ensure safe and reliable service.  

Strategically plan ferry services within NYC and the region

+ How can we do it?

  • Identify and pursue opportunities for regional collaboration on ferry services to expand transit options for commuters and other travelers.   
  • Analyze ferry slip capacity in Lower and Midtown Manhattan to assess ferry congestion and better plan better for future growth.   
  • Continue to address the operational and maintenance needs of the ferry system.   
  • Connect New Yorkers to jobs related to ferry maintenance and operation.   
 
 

Strengthen the role of ferry landings as hubs to neighborhoods, to other forms of transportation and for emergency response

+ How can we do it?

  • Support the provision of bicycle racks and expanded mobility options, such as bike share and scooters, adjacent to ferry landings to connect the ferry system more effectively with nearby neighborhoods.   
  • Improve the connectivity of ferry landings as hubs for buses and other forms of mass transit.   
  • Explore intermodal freight opportunities at ferry landings to improve freight deliveries and further enhance the marine highway. 
  • Design ferry terminals for adaptation to sea level rise, ensuring service will not be disrupted.  
    • Complete planned investments at the Whitehall and St. George Ferry Terminals to make them more resilient to coastal storm flooding.   
  • Continue to work with public- and private-sector partners to develop and implement plans for ferry services to play a role in emergency response.   
  • Continue to minimize on-water conflicts between ferries and human-powered boats by raising awareness about rules for water safety. Plan for future on-water and in-water uses in an increasingly busy harbor.  

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