Senator Lanza Announces Fast Ferry Service From Great Kills to Lower Manhattan to Aid Staten Island

Senator Andrew Lanza today joined Mayor Bloomberg and New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan in announcing a request for bids from New York-area ferry service operators for a new, temporary service from Great Kills, Staten Island to Manhattan that will serve communities that saw some of the worst damage from Hurricane Sandy. The new service is designed to bring immediate relief to and ease the commutes of residents in Great Kills, Midland Beach, Tottenville and other impacted Staten Island neighborhoods.

Storm damage to vehicles and ongoing transportation impacts around the city has lengthened daily commutes for thousands of New Yorkers in these areas. The new ferry service will join the temporarily-expanded Atlantic Express X23 and X24 express bus service already serving Staten Island commuters elsewhere in the borough. The Department of Transportation expects to receive bids before the end of the week, allowing for service to begin by November 26th.

“Fast ferry service is a common-sense and needed addition to Staten Island’s transportation infrastructure for both the immediate and long-term,” said State Senator Andrew Lanza. “The need has been made more obvious by the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy. I want to thank Mayor Bloomberg for working with us to make this happen.”

The service, which is expected to run for eight weeks as storm recovery efforts continue, will include six trips leaving a newly-constructed landing at Great Kills between 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM, bound for Pier 11 at Wall Street and continuing on to 35th Street, and six return departures in the afternoon, between 12:00 Noon to 6:15 PM. The one-way fare will be $2.00, comparable to fares for temporary ferry routes established in the Rockaways.