January 22, 2013
By Stephanie West
New York, NY — Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced the extension of weekday ferry service between the Rockaways and Lower Manhattan. The ferries, which also stop in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, were slated to end on January 31. The extension until May, with an option to extend until August, will allow the city’s Economic Development Corporation to issue a request for proposals to determine the viability of long-term service and identify an operator for the line. The ferry service launched in November 2012 and has carried more than 200,000 passengers since.
“We are committed to the Rockaways’ recovery. From accelerating rebuilding programs to today’s ferry extension, we are going to keep our focus on communities hit hard by Sandy to ensure no one is left behind,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
The service, operated by Seastreak, will continue to run on its current schedule and charge $3.50 per ride. Ferries will continue to connect Beach 108th Street and Beach Channel Drive in the Rockaways, where the Economic Development Corporation has installed a temporary landing, the Brooklyn Army Terminal (serving Sunset Park and Bay Ridge) and Pier 11/Wall Street in Lower Manhattan. Free transfers are offered between Pier 11 and East 34th Street in Midtown.
