Gentile Rallies to Increase Ferry Service as Part of Congestion Pricing Proposal
January 31st, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Rally Occurs Hours Before Commission Votes on Controversial Plan
Brooklyn — Leading up to today’s vote on Mayor Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan, one City official has some harsh words for the Traffic Congestion Mitigation Commission. Council Member Vincent J. Gentile (D-Brooklyn), along with elected officials, community board members and water taxi riders rallied today at the Brooklyn Army Terminal to denounce the City’s continued failure to prioritizing ferry service as a major transportation option throughout the city.
“Ferries need to be a cornerstone of any plan that aims to reduce congestion. The City is going in the wrong direction,” said Gentile.
Given the latest developments, Councilman Gentile has renewed his appeal to the city to expand subsidies to private operators, stating that rising fuel costs, inadequate infrastructure, and inaccessibility have contributed to the demise of the Sunset Park ferry service. The rally comes after last week’s announcement by New York Water Taxi that ferry service to and from the Brooklyn Army Terminal at the 58th Street Pier will be suspended until further notice as of Friday, February 1.
“On this, the last day of service for this water-taxi route for the time being, the City has left the riders of this area out in the cold, Gentile said during the rally. “I am outraged that the City continues to treat ferry service as a proverbial ‘black sheep’ during the discussions of improved mass transportation services.”
The suspension of ferry service at the 58th Street Pier comes on the heels of the January 1 suspension of East River ferry service by New York Water Taxi. Given the potential for ferries to offer the fastest, most reliable commutes in the City, Council Member Gentile again expressed his shock at their neglect: “Our waterfront would be the envy of almost any other city. With miles of navigable waterways, it boggles the mind that the City has not stepped in and done its part to subsidize ferry service in New York City.”
Those standing in support at the rally included ferry commuters, Council Member Sara Gonzalez, Carlo Scissura, general counsel for Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Roland Lewis, President and CEO of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, Heather McCown, Founder and Executive Director of the Sunset-Ridge Waterfront Alliance, ferry operator Tom Paladino, and members of Community Boards 10 and 7.
Council Member Gentile is particularly dismayed to learn of the service cut because of his persistent efforts to return ferry service to Bay Ridge. Four years ago, Council Members Gentile and Yassky set aside $500,000 to construct a ‘spud barge’ at 69th Street. “That’s all it would have taken to make Bay Ridge ferry-ready,” Gentile said.
The City, however, has held this money hostage, refusing to spend it for the purpose for which it was lawfully allocated. Additionally, the 2006 budget included a $150,000 subsidy for general ferry operating costs in the City. That money, too, has yet to be spent.
>Click here to download the press release.
Tools: Email ThisPermanent link to this story: Link
Tags: 58th Street Pier, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Army Terminal, CB10, CB7, Commute, Congestion Pricing, David Yassky, East River, Ferry, Fuel Costs, Heather McCown, Inaccessibility, Infrastructure, Marty Markowitz, Mayor Bloomberg, Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, NY Water Taxi, Roland Lewis, Sara Gonzalez, SRWA, Sunset Park, Tom Paladino, Traffic, Transportation, Vincent Gentile
January 31st, 2008 at 3:19 pm
We need this viable means of transporation, since 911 this has been a blessing to those of us who had no other way to get home when the subways were shutdown on that day, why would you let this means of transportation go, subsidize the ferries you would have less congestion not only on the streets but also on the overcrowded subways.