NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. /New York Netwire/ — Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, the New York City Economic Development Corporation and Seastreak today announced a partnership to provide temporary ferry service between the Rockaways and Manhattan while subway service on that route is suspended. Seastreak will operate the ferry service beginning Monday, November 12.
Ferries will depart from Beach 108th Street and Beach Channel Drive, where the Economic Development Corporation has been working to install a temporary landing, and stop at Pier 11 in Lower Manhattan with free transfers between Pier 11 and East 34th Street in Midtown. The service will start at 5:45 AM in the Rockaways with ferries departing for Manhattan regularly until 9:20 AM, with regular service resuming during the evening rush. One-way fares will be $2.
“Thanks to quick work by Seastreak and the Economic Development Corporation, residents of the Rockaways will now have an affordable and reliable way to get to and from Manhattan,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Ferry service is one of the many ways the City is helping these New Yorkers begin the enormous work of recovery from Hurricane Sandy.”
“Since the storm hit, we’ve been working to ensure that New York City is able to get back to business as soon as possible,” said New York City Economic Development President Seth W. Pinsky. “Until the reopening of subway service to the rest of the City is restored from the Rockaways, this temporary option will assist thousands of New Yorkers most impacted by this storm, allowing our City and our economy to take another step on the road to recovery.”
“Community groups, charities, and local residents have all rushed to help people living in New York and New Jersey,” said Seastreak Chairman James R. Barker. “Businesses must also play a part in relief efforts and Seastreak is doing what it can to bring a sense of normalcy back to the community.”
“As we work to rebuild devastated areas of the city, this new ferry service will make transportation much easier for residents of the Rockaways to get to and from Manhattan,” said City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. “I want to thank Seastreak and EDC for their work to get this vital ferry service up and running, and for their dedication to helping the people of the Rockaways.”
“The prayers of so many people in Rockaway, who since the storm hit have been left stranded on the peninsula, have finally been answered,” said Council Member Eric Ulrich. “Under this plan, fast reliable ferry transportation will be restored to the Rockaways. I am truly grateful to Mayor Bloomberg and his administration for providing this service and I know this will play an important role in the revitalization of the Rockaways.”
“I am very glad to see that the Far Rockaway ferry service is about to be restored and that some degree of normality is about to return to the lives of Rockaway residents,” said Councilman Sanders. “Come Monday, Rockaway residents who work in Manhattan will be able to reliably get to work again, and those who wish to get off the peninsula for the time being will have another route out. I thank the Mayor’s office for working to get the service restored, and look forward to my constituents having another major mode of transportation under these tumultuous and historic circumstances.”
