Jan. 14, 2019 By Nathaly Pesantez
The NYC Ferry system is set to undergo a significant expansion in coming months, with the Astoria route, connecting the western Queens neighborhood to Wall Street, getting a new stop at the Brooklyn Navy Yard this spring.
Mayor Bill de Blasio, in his State of the City address delivered last week, announced that the Brooklyn Navy Yard will be added as a stop along the route in May, bringing the total number of stops on the line to six.
The additional stop comes as the Navy Yard itself, home to tech, design and other manufacturing jobs, is undergoing a transformative expansion, expecting to more than double its onsite workforce by 2020.
The Brooklyn Navy Yard stop will add about five minutes to the route from start to finish, bringing total travel time to about 45 minutes.
The Astoria route launched in the summer of 2017, and is one of five existing routes connecting riders to places like 34th Street in Manhattan, the Rockaways, North Brooklyn, Long Island City and the Bronx.
Other lines set to see changes include the Soundview Route, with a new landing in Throggs Neck/Ferry Point Park launching in 2021, and the South Brooklyn Route, which will be reconfigured to start at Sunset Park rather than Bay Ridge. The latter, meanwhile, will be added to the upcoming Coney Island Route, launching in 2021.
In another surprise announcement, a route will be created between St. George on Staten Island and Midtown West, to start operations in 2020.
The expansion follows a New York City Economic Development Corporation feasibility study that kicked off in 2018 to determine whether NYC Ferry could expand. That same year, the city announced a $300 million investment toward the ferry system over the next five years.
“As New Yorkers take to the water to get around our city more than ever before, we will look forward to improving the NYC Ferry system to make it better than ever,” Mayor de Blasio said in a statement.
15 Comments
Folks this is a stop no one on the Astoria line is asking for. Astoria wants a connection to North Williamsburg!!! They’re trying to use the ferry to stimulate traffic to an industrial zone that’s mostly utilized by brooklynites. Add this stop to the rockaway line which goes to studio city, etc.
Even better, why not add the navy yard stop to the ER route since its between the Dumbo and South Williamsburg stops? That just makes sense!
A Ferry stop should be created at the North end of Astoria Park where Ditmars Blvd meets Shore Blvd.
I wish the Astoria ferry went to the E 90th St stop. It’s right there!
Not only College Point, but how about Flushing, or is there a ferry service at Flushing? I must confess to being a little out of touch.
Ferry service is suppose to start this year, or next, from World’s Fair Marina by Citifield along the Grand Central Parkway.
Is no one going to address the fact that you have to walk through the astoria houses projects in order to use the astoria route? … which i have no problem with except that isn’t it a little bit dangerous? Anybody use on a regular basis and can report experience and if they feel safe (especially at night)?
I ride the ferry to & from 34th Street every day and on weekends at all hours. The surrounding area is perfectly safe and I have never had an issue. Much better than the subway, always on time, and what better way to start and end your day then on a boat!
What is there to address? Either you walk that way or don’t. take an uber instead
You don’t have to walk *through* the projects to get to the ferry though…
close enough though
It’s only unsafe if you’re a racist shitbag.
There have literally been zero reported crimes by ferry riders.
All these transplants that have been here for 5 minutes calling things, ‘perfectly safe’, have no clue. These housing projects have a reputation for a reason. Things haven’t changed that much, despite the hipster infestation.
What about College point Queens
When will there be a ferry from College Point into Manhattan?
Its way overdue !!
The buses are overcrowded and then the 7 train is packed. Many times must wait for the next one !!