Sunset-Ridge Waterfront Alliance

[Source: Gotham Gazette]

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn endorsed the creation of a citywide ferry service and an expansion of a small business insurance program in her State of the City address last week. Now advocates and stakeholders are weighing in, and - for the most part - appear to be praising the proposals.

Last week, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced her support for a five-borough, year-round ferry system that Mayor Bloomberg and the city Department of Transportation are developing. Such a proposal may seem like a pipe dream to many New Yorkers, who have seen ferry service remain fairly stagnant, either from a shortage of funding or an apparent lack of demand.

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.

[Source: Carter Craft, Director of Programs and Policy, Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance]
The Draft Report of the Congestion Mitigation Commission is out and unfortunately it looks like they are missing the boat. Come this Wednesday to the final public hearing and tell them how you think ferries must be a bigger part of our transit mix […]

[Letter to DOT Congestion Mitigation Committee]

Dear Commission Members:

I was honored to speak at the Hunter College hearings on Congestion Pricing on October, 25th, 2007. I realize that you are meeting tomorrow to discuss your summary of comments from the public. I have attached two items for your review; my letter to Mayor Bloomberg on Oct. 1, 2007 that was mailed with a petition of 1,400 signatures in support of ferry service, and a ferry initiative outline from my non-profit Sunset-Ridge Waterfront Alliance.

[Source: The Brooklyn Paper]

The prospects for a ferry from the 69th Street pier to the Financial District are in a holding pattern, but it was full-speed-ahead on Tuesday as proponents of the service invited passengers on board for a successful dry-run.

Organized by local activists Heather McCown, Adam Wasserman, and Peter Killen, the 20-minute ride from Bay Ridge to Lower Manhattan went off without a hitch.