Good news South Brooklynites, your new ferry service starts today
Good news for South Brooklynites who want to avoid some of the subway commuting woes of late. Starting today, NYC Ferry will kick off a new route traveling between Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, Red Hook (with a summer weekend detour to Governors Island), Brooklyn Bridge Park, and then onto Manhattan's Pier 11 near Wall Street (the whole trip will take 49 minutes and cost $2.75 each way).
The new NYC Ferry, which is subsidized by the city but run by a private company called Hornblower, kicked off its East River and Rockaway routes last month. A Rockaway route takes 59 minutes and runs from Rockaway to Sunset Park to Pier 11 near Wall Street (Previously, New Yorkers faced a schlep via trains or buses--or a $20 beach ferry--to get to the Queens beachside locale).
The East River route--which takes 39 minutes--goes from East 34th Street to Hunters Point South to Greenpoint, North Williamsburg, South Williamsburg, DUMBO , Governors Island (summer only), and Wall Street. It'll be particularly helpful, of course, during the L train shutdown, which is expected in 2019.
All routes cost $2.75, but for now there are no free transfers to MTA buses and subways.
Since it's rollout, the ferry is averaging 12,000 riders per week on its Rockaway route and 45,000 riders per week on its East River route, according to DNA Info. The boats can carry 150 passengers at a time, and they have Wi-Fi, bike racks and a snack stand selling coffee and wine.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, their have been some hiccups, namely in the form of crowds and delays, but they're being handled, officials say.
"NYC Ferry is closely monitoring ridership levels and use of amenities, like bike racks, and is closely engaged with NYC Economic Development Corporation [which is in charge of the program] to discuss current ridership trends," Skye Ostreicher, spokeswoman for the NYC Ferry, told DNA Info.
"Schedules can be adjusted very quickly once the determination is made that the changes would improve service. To minimize disruptions, NYC Ferry/EDC together would make significant schedule changes during times when riders are accustomed to seeing service changes signage– like the first of the month, or the start of a new season," she told the site.
Next up: An Astoria route, which is expected to start in August, and will connect cover Astoria, Roosevelt Island, Long Island City, East 34th Street and Wall Street.
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