By Juan Soto
The Rockaway ferry is sinking.
The $75 billion city budget for 2015 includes a $2 million allocation to extend the service through October, but it doesn’t cover funding for a permanent Rockaway ferry service.
“The temporary Rockaway ferry now in operation has been a great boon,” said Borough President Melinda Katz. “Unfortunately, this year (the budget) does not contain the funding that would make this wonderful service a permanent part of our city’s transportation network.”
Katz requested $8 million to have the service run seven days a week through the end of June 2015.
The $3.50 ferry ride that runs from Rockaway to Manhattan began shortly after Superstorm Sandy disrupted the A train service.
“The Rockaway ferry has played a major role in this recovery and losing it would be devastating to the community,” added Katz.
The ferry is being operated by Seastreak. It sails weekdays from Beach 108th Street and Beach Channel Drive in the Rockaways, with stops at the Brooklyn Army terminal, Wall Street and 34th Street on the East Side.
“Our community won’t give up the fight,” said Assemblyman Phillip Goldfeder (D-Ozone Park), who has been advocating to save the ferry service. “The ferry has been a lifeline for our families and small business after the devastation caused by Sandy and it must remain permanent.”
Goldfeder, along with several groups, had submitted proposals to the city’s Economic and Development Corp. to operate the service for a five-year period.
Bus and train options are limited to and from the Rockaways, including just two express buses to and from Manhattan.
