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Atlantic Basin Selected as Red Hook's Citywide Ferry Dock Location

By Nikhita Venugopal | July 20, 2016 12:30pm | Updated on July 20, 2016 2:51pm
 Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday that Red Hook's citywide ferry landing would be located at Atlantic Basin.
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday that Red Hook's citywide ferry landing would be located at Atlantic Basin.
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RED HOOK — Red Hook's ferry landing for the new Citywide Ferry Service will be located at Atlantic Basin, officials announced Wednesday.

The ferry dock at Atlantic Basin will be a part of the South Brooklyn route, which is scheduled to launch next summer, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city's Economic Development Corporation said in a statement.

Red Hook residents have been strongly advocating for the dock at Atlantic Basin, which is adjacent to the Brooklyn Cruise Ship Terminal, arguing that it's the most accessible option for the neighborhood.

The site had originally been ruled out, but officials agreed to reconsider it after locals pushed back. 

Atlantic Basin was one of four sites studied and considered by the city for the neighborhood's landing, which is projected to serve more than 6,000 residents. The others were Erie Basin near Ikea, the pier at Valentino Park and the pier near Fairway Market at the end of Van Brunt Street.

“It’s full steam ahead for the launch of Citywide Ferry Service next year. Families and businesses in Red Hook have needed better transit options for decades. We’re changing that," de Blasio said in a statement. 

"When ferry service begins out of Atlantic Basin, thousands more people will have a fast and affordable way to connect with their city."

READ ALSO: PHOTOS: New Citywide Ferry Landings Coming to 10 Stops by June 2017

The city will work in coordination with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on operating the ferry at Atlantic Basin.

READ ALSO: Citywide Ferry Would 'Significantly' Hike Air Pollution at 12 Sites: Study

The Citywide Ferry System is expected to launch in 2017, with routes in Rockaway, South Brooklyn and Astoria. The cost per ride will be $2.75, the same as a single subway ride, but it is not currently approved to include free transfers to subways or buses. 

The South Brooklyn route includes Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Army Terminal, Red Hook, Pier 1 and Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park and Wall Street. There will also be an optional link to Governor's Island, according to the city's announcement.

About $55 million will be invested in infrastructure upgrades, the city said. The new ferry landings are being built at a Staten Island ship yard. 

Earlier this year, the city announced a six-year contract the Citywide Ferry Service's new operator Hornblower Inc., that would cost at least $30 million a year. The average per-trip subsidy is projected at $6.60, which is less than subsidies for the Long Island Railroad, (which is $8 per trip) and express buses, (which is $15 per trip.)