New “Hurricane Sandy” ferry service extended

AUGUST 22, 2013—With work on the the R subway line expected to disrupt train service between Manhattan and Brooklyn for up to 14 months, a new ferry service between the two boroughs that was inaugurated last year has been extended until the end of January 2014, according to announcement by N.Y. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

The route was added to an existing temporary ferry service operated by Seastreak  between the Rockaways, Pier 11 at Wall Street in Lower Manhattan and East 34th Street in Midtown. For the new service, the ferry began making stops on Aug. 5 at the Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier (58th Street in Sunset Park) in Brooklyn.

One-way fares on the ferry are $2.

The R subway line service is being disrupted by the closure of the Montague Street Tunnel that connects Brooklyn and Manhattan. The tunnel sustained damage during Superstorm Sandy and repairs will keep it closed until October 2014. The repairs from the seawater damage could reportedly cost $100 million to repair.

While everyone is familiar with the iconic Staten Island Ferry, operated by the New York City Department of Transportation, privately operated ferries provide important commuter links for area residents. About 60,000 daily commuters ride the Staten Island Ferry and another 26,000 commute via private ferry operators.

The new ferry service is helping to ease commuter congestion for the estimated 65,000 subway riders a day that would normally use the R train between the two boroughs.

“Ferry service has proven to be popular and effective mode of transportation for Rockaways and Brooklyn residents,” says Mayor Bloomberg.

“Immediately following the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, Seastreak partnered with the City of New York to assist residents of Queens by establishing high-speed ferry service between the Rockaways and Manhattan,” says James A. Barker, President of Seastreak. Barker says that Seastreak is “proud” to provide the extended, high-speed ferry service through January 31, 2014.