Rep. Max Rose (D-NY) announced that $4.1 million in federal funding will be awarded to rebuild the roof of the St. George Ferry Terminal in Staten Island.
“New Yorkers shouldn’t have to wait until things are literally falling apart before we start upgrading our infrastructure, and this funding helps ensure that won’t happen with the St. George Ferry Terminal,” said Rose.
According to a release, the project is necessary to repair persistent leaking, roof drainage issues and joint damage, while improving energy efficiency, safety and security of the ferry which carries millions of passengers each year.
The Staten Island Ferry provides free transportation for approximately 70,000 people a day and about 22 million riders a year. The New York City Department of Transportation was awarded $4.1 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Passenger Ferry Grant Program.
“By rebuilding the Terminal’s roof now, rather than later, we’ll save money in the long run,” Rose said. “Between this project and the new ferry boats set to arrive in the coming months, we’re going to make sure the Staten Island Ferry remains one of the safest and most reliable transit options for Staten Islanders.”
In a letter written to the FTA in March, Rose said the ferry’s roof was reaching the end of its life and that federal funds would be needed to ensure the Terminal’s continued operation.
The St. George Terminal, originally built 1951, serves as a hub for Staten Island’s bus and rail networks, making it critical that the terminal be maintained to the highest possible standards. The terminal’s most recent renovation was in 2005.
Arianna Coghill A recent VCU journalism grad, she’s been writing for four years with bylines in the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and the Associated Press.
