Second ferry stop added in The Bronx, now we need a direct ferry to Queens & Brooklyn

Last week Tuesday, December 28, the Soundview Ferry line was officially extended to Throggs Neck adding a much-needed transportation alternative to a transit-starved area at Ferry Point Park.

For commuters in the area, the trek to Wall Street, where the ferry line ends, can take over 90 minutes by bus and subway as there is no subway line within walking distance but now the commute is just under one hour on the ferry.

And at $2.75 a ride, it is significantly cheaper than riding the express bus (and a much nicer ride) offering financial savings as well as time.

Also, for an added bonus, this particular stop in The Bronx is served by a shuttle bus and has parking making it easier for those who want to drive to the ferry and hop on.

According to the president of New York City’s Economic Development Corporation, “NYC Ferry ridership has outpaced expectations since the system first launched and ridership has recovered from the COVID crisis faster than any other mode of transit. We are proud this system is serving all five boroughs with safe, reliable, daily service, as we keep more New Yorkers with limited public transportation options moving.”

These numbers are encouraging but the routes still remain Manhattancentric.

Now that we have two stops within The Bronx, we need a direct connection to Queens and Brooklyn without the inconvenience of having to go through Manhattan.

The fact of the matter is that the majority of the economic growth in New York City continues to be in the outer boroughs so while we wait for a TriboroRx subway line to happen, we can start connecting The Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn at a fraction of a cost with a ferry route.

While we’re at it, we can add a few more ferry stops say at City Island and/or the South Bronx and make robust use of our waterfront, and offer alternative ways of connecting our communities across the city.

This is a no-brainer and we must push our elected officials to make it happen.

Oh and by the way, although NYC Ferry is calling the stop “Throgs Neck”, we refuse to acknowledge that and will call it “Throggs Neck” with two “gs”as it should be!