Transit Jams Make Ferries
an Attractive Commuter Alternative
– Well... to the Riders, Anyway
by Lillian Picchione

With the Tram out of service and Monday’s rush-hour disruption of F-line service, ferry service for Roosevelt Island seems more appealing than ever. During the April 18 Community Board 8 meeting on the Island, City Councilmember Jessica Lappin publicly affirmed her interest in ferries. Octagon developer Bruce Becker reports that he "would like to see New York Water Taxi come to the Island," and has submitted plans for a dock off the pier near the chapel near the Octagon complex.

But with all this talk, how viable is ferry service? Issues include dock space, cost effectiveness and boat availability.

The advantages of ferry service are clear. Successful service would decrease the pressure on existing transportation resources by offering a new commuting option. It would offer an additional evacuation option in case of an emergency. If service left from the T-shaped dock near the Octagon, ferries would provide a more convenient option for residents of the northern end of the Island than existing services at Tram Plaza and the subway. Service to an existing pier at 90th Street would offer fast transit to the Upper East Side, a destination that is tantalizingly close but involves an awkward subway transfer at 59th Street. And ferry service can offer time savings. The now-discontinued service from 90th Street to Wall Street took only 15 minutes.

Although there is a precedent for ferry service on the Island – a Manhattan service was provided briefly over ten years ago and, in the Island’s pre-residential days, there was ferry service to the Island’s hospitals – routes are a function of available docks. Of the two private carriers currently providing ferry service in the area, New York Water Taxi already provides service on the East River. However, the Water Taxi uses front-loading boats that require particular docking facilities. Currently, compatible docks exist only at 90th Street and E. 34th Street on the East Side of Manhattan.

According to Becker, additional docks could become available at 60th and 75th Streets at the edge of Manhattan. The 75th Street site, with its access to a number of hospitals, is especially desirable. These docks require extensive capital work and so are longer-term projects. In order to maintain a reliable schedule, the docking area must be deep enough that low tide won’t ground the boat. The dock building process involves a combination of approvals from New York Economic Development Corporation (NYEDC), City Council, the affected community boards, the Coast Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers.

Like those across the river, the southern pier on Roosevelt Island requires extensive renovations before it would be usable for ferry service. This location would alleviate transportation pressure from the growing population of Southtown. RIOC President Herb Berman reports meeting with other government officials and describes the efforts so far as "the start of a discussion."

Roosevelt Island’s Chapel dock involves more minor adjustments. Becker and Becker designed a simple dock addition and submitted it for permitting last winter. Although the permits have not yet been granted, Bruce Becker retains his goal "to have Water Taxi in service by the end of summer."

Becker believes that capital costs of the dock modifications will be covered by a federal grant set aside for ferry projects in New York. This is key, because according to Pat Smith of New York Waterway, the docks can cost a half million dollars to install. While he is likely referring to extensive dock renovations, any capital expenditures are unlikely to be recouped, given the high cost of simply running service.

Once the dock addition receives approval, Becker would like to see a route similar to the discontinued service from 90th Street to 34th Street to Wall Street. If docks are made available at 75th and/or 60th, those stops could be included.

If demand warrants, separate service could be considered. Worth looking into would be weekend service from Roosevelt Island to the Upper East Side. Since much of Water Taxi’s service is for commuters, there may be boats available on the weekends that could be pressed into service for this shopping route.

Cost effectiveness is an issue because both New York Water Taxi and New York Waterway are for-profit companies. Ferries will only run if the money returned in ticket sales or subsidies matches the cost of providing service.

Some services recently introduced have not held up after trial. New York Waterway ran an Upper East River service from 90th Street to 34th Street to Wall Street’s Pier 11, but discontinued it due to low ridership. After taking over the service, New York Water Taxi then discontinued the route as well. New York Water Taxi now runs a Queens/Brooklyn East River service but eliminated it over the winter. Service was reintroduced May 1 but with some route changes.

For public transit to be effective, it must be reliable. If residents move to Roosevelt Island expecting to be able to commute to the Upper East Side by ferry, a sudden decision to revoke service would cause disruption.

According to Stacey Sherman, who represents New York Water Taxi, fixed expenses include the boat, fuel and staff for a given trip pair. While she did not offer the cost of a typical run, small Water Taxis seat 75 people and tickets run about $5.00 per ride. Assuming no subsidies, costs would be covered for something less than $375 per ride – likely significantly less, because full morning ferries must cover the costs for the lightly used mid-day runs.

If fares do not cover these expenses, local government or developers who value the service can step in with a subsidy. In the same way that ground rents help pay for Tram operation, developers and management companies might subsidize ferry service. In the case of Roosevelt Island, Becker says he expects the service to be self-sustaining – he points out that the 1,000 new residents of the Octagon would be a significant source of ridership. But he also indicated that he is prepared to offer a small subsidy should it be necessary for start-up.

How viable would our service be long-term? Stable ferry service has a few key characteristics. According to Pat Smith, a spokesperson for NY Waterway, a key ingredient is that the dock be sited at a safe location "that is easily accessible on the land side." Riders should be able to easily access the ferry terminal.

On Roosevelt Island, the Chapel dock is convenient to the Octagon and within five minutes of Manhattan Park, but would be less attractive to residents of the "WIRE" buildings (Westview, Island House, Rivercross, Eastwood) or Southtown. The dock is accessible via a road along the west side of The Octagon, although any parking or drop-off might disrupt parking for Dayspring Church, which uses the chapel there.

Because many Manhattan-bound commuters will still need a MetroCard, riders must feel that the added cost of a ferry trip is worth the additional expense. Ferries that succeed are usually faster than other modes. They often include amenities such as weather-protected lower decks, comfortable seats, and food and beverage sales. As an example, NY Waterway cites its service from Bellford, in Monmouth County, NJ. A trip to Wall Street that would take two hours by train and PATH takes only forty minutes by ferry. The monthly cost, $500, buys a passenger 50-plus hours in saved commuting time.

The Roosevelt Island service would not have the same advantages. The trip to Manhattan is only minutes long, decreasing the value of amenities like food and beverage service. The ferry would drop customers on the Eastern edges of Manhattan, whereas the Tram and subways allow for more convenient mid-town arrival. Admittedly, this is less of an issue if service includes a stop at Wall Street’s Pier 11, which is a short walk to job centers.

Frequency is another key component. A reliable schedule and frequent departures factor into a rider’s choice to use a ferry.

A final factor in ferry service is the availability of boats, the decision to run service to Roosevelt Island may involve changing existing routes to meet the demand. As always, these are decisions to be made by the ferry operator.

Even with a compatible dock and local support, any decision to provide new service first requires a study of cost effectiveness by the ferry company. Any decision about providing ferry service will require the operator to first take a hard look at census data and surveys about where Roosevelt Islanders work and want to travel. Ultimately, it’s a business matter.