Commissioner Christopher Lynn for the commencement of the service on the East 90th Street Pier in Manhattan. The Ferry service will operate for a minimum of six weeks and is a demonstration project to show the feasibility and advantages of East River commuter service.
Ferry service is free for the first week.
Ferries will transport commuters to and from Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport with stops at East 34th and East 90th Streets, east of FDR Drive. As has been demonstrated by the overwhelming response to Yankee Stadium service, New Yorkers are ready for alternative modes of transportation. We applaud Mayor Giuliani for his efforts to utilize New York's most precious natural resource, its waterways, to its fullest extent. The demonstration phase of East River commuter service will run at least until Friday, November 1, and will continue if customer interest warrants. NY Waterway, the largest privately-owned commuter ferry operator in the U.S., presently carries six million passengers per year on seven routes from New Jersey and Queens to Manhattan, reducing auto traffic and pollution in the Metropolitan area.