Residents on the peninsula no longer will experience the dreaded end of the Rockaway Ferry. The water service has been extended until May.
“While the Rockaway Ferry service began as an emergency measure, serving residents after Hurricane Sandy devastated other public transit options, it has since proved to be a valuable part of the city’s transportation infrastructure,” said Kyle Kimball, NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC) president.
The ferries, which connect Beach 108th Street, the Brooklyn Army Terminal and Lower Manhattan, were slated to end Jan. 31, but will continue throughout the next several months with an option to extend further until August.
However, instead of $2 one-way tickets, the price to ride will be $3.50.
The EDC will additionally determine the viability of long-term service and identify a ferry operator.
Next month, the EDC will issue a Request for Proposals to make this determination, which will monitor ridership during the extension and show whether an additional extension to August is necessary.
This is the fourth extension of the ferry since its initial launch in November 2012, and since then it has carried more than 200,000 passengers.
“We are committed to the Rockaways’ recovery. From accelerating rebuilding programs to today’s ferry extension, we are going to keep our focus on communities hit hard by Sandy to ensure no one is left behind,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
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