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City Council Speaker and mayoral candidate Christine Quinn announced Tuesday plans to create an express ferry service from Staten Island to Midtown if elected.
The 20-minute express ferry, which would run from the St. George Terminal and Manhattan’s Pier 79 on the Westside, would reduce commutes by a half hour, Quinn’s campaign said.
“By making smart investments in infrastructure and service like this express ferry, we can cut travel times in half – or more,” Quinn said in a statement.
The proposal is part of Quinn’s plans to end commutes longer than an hour. The express ferry plan would also include a shuttle to the heart of Midtown and access to a Citibike station for riders.
“More ferry transit is good for commuters, good for the environment, good for the economy,” Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance head Roland Lewis said in a statement.
Other mayoral candidates have supported better access to ferry service.
Former City Comptroller Bill Thompson has previously backed legislation for more frequent ferry service. As part of his “Keys to the City” plan, former Congressman Anthony Weiner has proposed launching ferries in all five boroughs. Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and former MTA chairman Joseph Lhota have also expressed interested in expanding service.
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