A long-awaited ferry connection between Brooklyn and Staten Island may finally be on the horizon as New York City Ferry looks to make its first-ever overhaul to the city’s waterborne transit system.
“It’s a no-brainer, right?”
A historic ferry once shuttled commuters across the Narrows, but that service was suspended in 1964 following the completion of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.
Now, NYC Ferry is considering restoring the link by adding a Brooklyn stop along its existing St. George route.
“For Staten Islanders, transportation into the city is kind of rough,” Staten Island resident Lorraine Ricca said.
Mike Hughes, who was visiting his daughter in Bay Ridge, welcomed the potential change. His son-in-law commutes to Staten Island for work.
“It makes it convenient because they jump across and they go on the bus to where they’re going,” he said.
The idea of reconnecting the two boroughs by water has gained traction in recent years. Last year, CBS News New York’s Hannah Kliger reported on a push by Councilmembers Justin Brannan of Brooklyn and Kamillah Hanks of Staten Island.
“It’s a no-brainer, right?” said Brannan. “Southern Brooklyn and Staten Island have always been connected through family, through school, through the hospitals, through people that work on the island.”
Ricca agreed, reflecting on her high school days.
“I used to go to high school at Saint John’s Academy, which is right at the tip of the Verrazano Bridge on Staten Island,” she said. “And I had a lot of friends who lived in Bay Ridge, and their only option was to come by bus or be driven. And that was a bit of a challenge for them. So giving people another way to travel is always great.”
NYC Ferry plans to implement route changes by end of year
The proposed Bay Ridge–Staten Island ferry is part of a larger plan to revise NYC Ferry’s system map to address rider complaints, improve efficiency and explore new expansion opportunities.
“It’s one of those things where if you build it, they will come,” Brannan said. “I think once you see the Staten Island–Bay Ridge Ferry come back, I think you’re going to see it [become] really popular.”
The proposed service update also includes offering a one-seat ride to Midtown from South Brooklyn and dividing the East River route in two.
James Wong, executive director of NYC Ferry, noted in a statement: “This map of proposed changes is based on years of rider feedback and operational analysis, and will be a strong starting point as we continue to solicit input from our riders and prepare for this next chapter of NYC Ferry.”
According to the agency, more than 10,000 people have already submitted responses since the feedback form launched two weeks ago.
Some of those riders are hopeful.
“I think it’s one more option for a place that doesn’t have sufficient transportation,” said Alan Orenbach, an NYC Ferry user.
“It’s so hard to get over the bridge many times, and having alternate ways to get to Brooklyn is definitely you know, something that I would definitely look forward to,” added Victor Abriano, a visitor from Staten Island.
Riders have until Sept. 1 to weigh in by filling out an online survey. NYC Ferry plans to review the feedback and implement route changes by the end of the year.
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