Metro

City ferry mostly benefits the wealthiest New Yorkers

By
Social Links for Nolan Hicks
Published March 31, 2019
Updated April 1, 2019, 12:16 p.m. ET
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The NYC ferry which stops in 4 boroughs on March 25th, 2019.
The NYC ferry, which stops in four boroughsfor New York Post
Levy Wiznitzer, 28, hasidic from S. Wburg.
for New York Post
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Passengers getting on the NYC ferry at 34th street for the Wall street stop.
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Machines to purchase tickets.
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Mayor Bill de Blasio claims his $582 million ferry system is helping to make New York “the fairest big city in America” — but mostly, it’s giving a huge taxpayer-subsidized benefit to the Big Apple’s richest areas, a Post analysis has found.

Nearly half of NYC Ferry’s ridership comes from one line that serves posh East River waterfront neighborhoods, according to a route-by-route review.

Twelve of the 19 stops on NYC Ferry’s year-round routes are in areas where annual incomes exceed the city average of $34,099, while seven stops serve areas where per-capita incomes are at least double the city average, an analysis of Census data shows.

The East River route, from which about half of ferry traffic comes, accounted for 2.2 million of NYC Ferry’s 4.9 million riders last year, documents show. Only one of its seven stops — South Williamsburg — serves a neighborhood with below-average per-capita income, The Post found.

The richest stop in the entire system is the Wall Street area, with a $96,422 per-capita income. Seven stops in the system systemwide are in areas with below-average per-capita income. The poorest of the seven below-average stops are in South Williamsburg, with a $21,640 per-capita income, and Sunset Park, with $21,648.

While NYC Ferry helps connect some transit-starved areas, nine of its 19 stops sit within half a mile of a subway station.

All this service to New York’s hottest waterfront areas — including Dumbo, Brooklyn Bridge Park and Long Island City — requires 10 times the publicly funded subsidy per ride, $10.73, as the MTA’s city bus and subway systems, a new report from the Citizens Budget Commission found.

That cost City Hall $44 million in 2018, budget documents show.

Transit advocates have blasted de Blasio for not doing enough to improve sluggish bus service.

“The city is moving heaven and earth for this ferry service, while 2 million New Yorkers — many of whom are low income — are stuck on the country’s slowest bus system each day,” said Straphanger Campaign spokeswoman Jaqi Cohen.

Hizzoner’s most recent budget includes $2.7 million to upgrade 300 intersections with new bus-friendly traffic signals — .5 percent of budgeted ferry spending.

The city defends the ferries.

“We fought to ensure long-neglected neighborhoods like Soundview, the Rockaways, Red Hook or Astoria got new ferry transit,” Economic Development Corp. spokeswoman Stephanie Baez said. “They deserve better options just as much as up-and-coming places like Williamsburg.”

The system — one of de Blasio’s signature projects — is popular with riders.

“It’s a better commute than the bus or trains,” said Bronxite Kenny Dorsey, a home health aide, who was taking his second ride into Manhattan. “The ride is nice and smooth.”

A de Blasio critic was on board, too. “Everyone is nice and polite. I’ve gotta be honest, I have no complaints,” said Rockaway resident Sheila Mack, who nevertheless called de Blasio a “jerk.”

But budget watchdogs and transit advocates are sounding alarms over cost and ridership.

Additional reporting by Adam Schrader