Goldfeder Calls for Inclusion and Better Access to Proposed Rockaway Ferry

Goldfeder urges NYC Economic Development Corporation to include Eastern Rockaway and Broad Channel in proposed free shuttle service

Assemblyman also calls for review of potential 2nd stop in the east end of Rockaway to bolster ridership

Goldfeder: Ferry service an absolute necessity for every family

Far Rockaway, Queens - Citing the need to ensure the greatest possible ridership in communities still recovering from Superstorm Sandy, Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D - Far Rockaway) wrote a letter to NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC) President Maria Torres-Springer calling on the city to expand proposed free shuttle bus service to eastern Rockaway and Broad Channel and consider the possibility of additional ferry docks in Far Rockaway. The Assemblyman's request comes as the city agency is busy engaging the community on the planned citywide service slated for 2017. 

"Ferry service is an absolute necessity for every family in Rockaway," said Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder. "We need to have the service in place that will reasonably serve the greatest possible ridership. By including Broad Channel and the east end of the peninsula, the city will help ensure that we have a strong service that benefits all of our families and is sustainable for years to come."

In a letter to EDC President Torres-Springer, Goldfeder called for increased shuttle bus service and the review of additional ferry docks in Rockaway to encourage the greatest possible ridership for the proposed service. According to the letter, Broad Channel and the eastern portion Rockaway are not included in current plans to implement shuttle service from Riis Park and Beach 67th Street to a dock at Beach 108th Street, which is being considered as a location. Broad Cannel, an island community, falls within EDC's own 20-minute radius limit for feasible shuttle service to connect to the 60-minute boat ride, Goldfeder noted. 

"Broad Channel needs to be part of the Ferry Shuttle Program. Many of our residents will use the ferry to commute to Manhattan and with the large parking lot available, adjacent to the Bridge, including a stop at this location will not only provide a convenient location for Broad Channel Residents but also for our neighbors to the North who would also like to take advantage of this great transportation opportunity," said Dan Mundy, Jr., President of the Broad Channel Civic Association. 

The Assemblyman also urged the agency to review the possibility of installing additional ferry docks on the eastern end of the Rockaway Peninsula. This, Goldfeder emphasized, would help further increase ridership and create new transit options for communities faced with some of the longest commutes in the city and with many still recovering from the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. 

A staunch advocate for improved transit access in southern Queens and Rockaway, Assemblyman Goldfeder has long fought for permanent ferry service in Rockaway. After temporary service was first added to transport commuters during Sandy-related repairs to the A-Train, Goldfeder joined colleagues in government to secure multiple extensions to the service. 

In recent months, the Assemblyman has worked closely with EDC as the agency completes lengthy environmental impact studies and a public RFP process for the proposed landing docks. For Goldfeder, improving transit options would make lasting changes to the community and the local economy. 

"Permanent ferry service would be a game-changer for Rockaway. Not only would it ease commutes for families, it would also give a tremendous boost to our local family-owned businesses," concluded Goldfeder.