DOT considers Ridge ferry

By Matthew Lysiak
The Brooklyn Paper

One resident’s against-the-tide crusade to return ferry service to the 69th Street pier may finally be hitting smoother waters.

On Oct. 1, transportation activist Heather McCown sent Mayor Bloomberg a 1,400-signature petition that demanded a ferry from the 69th Street pier to Lower Manhattan — and last Wednesday, the mayor’s office responded with a message of its own: Give us eight weeks.

The Department of Transportation told McCown that a final decision would be made “by the end of December, 2007.”

McCown’s effort got another boost from Community Board 10 last Monday, when the board voted unanimously in support of a city-subsidized ferry service.

“Bay Ridge is one of the most underserved neighborhoods in Brooklyn,” said McCown, who began circulating the petition in July, despite working full time and taking night classes.

Her crusade faces an uphill climb, since she is looking to succeed where local pols have already fought and failed.

Earlier this year, Councilmen Vince Gentile (D–Bay Ridge) and David Yassky (D–Brooklyn Heights) secured $500,000 to transform the 69th Street pier into a ferry-ready dock. But the Department of Transportation has not spent the money to do the job — yet.

New York Water Taxi, the company that operates “taxi” boats all over the city, is warm to the idea of providing that long-dreamed-of 12-minute ride from Bay Ridge to Manhattan.

“We would certainly consider the possibility,” said company rep Robert Pandolfo.

Ridgite tells Bloomy: Ferry on over

By Matthew Lysiak
The Brooklyn Paper

It’s a landslide: Bay Ridge commuters want a ferry to Manhattan!

More than 1,400 people have now signed Heather McCown’s petition demanding the long-dreamed-about 12-minute ride to from the 69th Street pier to Lower Manhattan, and now she wants to hand the petitions directly to Mayor Bloomberg.

She wouldn’t only be delivering the petitions, but a message: transportation in Bay Ridge stinks.

“Bay Ridge is one of the most underserved neighborhoods in Brooklyn,” said McCown. “Our subway line is grossly inadequate, and the Express Bus service is overcrowded during morning rush hours.”

McCown decided to turn her transportation frustration into a full-scale grass-roots movement.

The multi-tasking activist began circulating the petition in July, despite working full time and taking night classes.

Her crusade faces an uphill climb, since she is looking to succeed where local pols have already fought and failed.

Earlier this year, Councilmen Vince Gentile (D-Bay Ridge) and David Yassky (D–Brooklyn Heights) secured $500,000 to transform the 69th Street pier into a ferry-ready dock. But the Department of Transportation has not spent the money to do the job — and that makes the green-minded Gentile see red.

He faults the Bloomberg administration for ignoring a simple, low-pollution mass-transit alternative for Bay Ridge.

But residents just aren’t taking no for an answer.

“It would absolutely be a nice thing for this community,” said local activist Peter Killen. “People are always looking for alternative routes of transportation.”

Killen was involved in the last attempted resurrection of the pier in 2000, but says he was also shot down by the DOT.

New York Water Taxi, the company that operates “taxi” boats all over the city, is warm to the idea of running boats out of the Bay Ridge.

“We would certainly consider the possibility,” said company rep Robert Pandolfo. “It isn’t too complicated. All the terminal would need is a bumper system and a ramp built into the dock.”

The DOT did not return requests for a comment.


To sign the petition, go to www.thepetitionsite.com/1/bay-ridge-ferry or visit the offices of State Sen. Marty Golden (7403 Fifth Ave., at 74th Street) or Councilman Vince Gentile (8703 Third Ave., at 87th Street).