Please click on the other tabs (or the three horizontal lines if you are viewing on a mobile device) for more information.
Additional pictures are at the bottom of this page.
LET'S BE SMART AND PLAN AHEAD FOR THE NYCFERRY'S EQUITABLE AND FAIR GROWTH AND SUCCESS WITH NEW ROUTES TO THE BRONX, QUEENS AND LAGUARDIA AIRPORT!!
The NYCFerry has three existing "hubs" in the southern portion of the system (34th Street, Wall Street, & Dumbo). To expand to the Bronx and Northern Queens it MUST HAVE A NORTHERN HUB. Repurposed as a fully integrated northern NYCFerry hub and terminal, the 91st St MTS is the perfect site and structure to be that northern hub enabling the service to expand and grow with new and exciting routes serving a greater number of New Yorkers and providing equitable transit choices to "transit desert" communities under-served by public transit such as:
Connecting those sites to existing landings at:
As a ferry terminal and ferry hub, the MTS would be directly accessible to public transit and emergency vehicles, and would be ADA compliant.
The MTS could also accommodate a large adjacent Citi Bike docking station for ferry riders.
Mayor de Blasio's NYCFerry initiative launched on May 1, 2017 implemented by the NYCEDC is a forward looking use of NYC’s growing but still underutilized waterfront. Since that date it has served millions of riders. The NYCFerry could be more than that - it could be a critical transit link which can effectively connecting underserved New York City communities.
Re-purposing the MTS would make a positive, tangible impact on the day-to-day lives of many New Yorkers from all over the city. We need to do everything we can to support the NYCFerry and to help continue to make it a resounding success used by ALL New Yorkers.
The 91st Street MTS Is The PERFECT Location And Structure For a Northern Ferry Terminal and Hub
As can be clearly seen from the pictures below, the MTS facility currently has very easy and direct access from York Avenue via a large ramp at 91st Street. This ramp or the planned new ramp at 92nd Street could accommodate PUBLIC TRANSIT vehicles – including the SBSM86 and M31 bus lines, as well as taxis, cars and para-transit vehicles. It is also a short walk to the new 2nd Avenue Subway (Q line).
With this ramp access, there are no steps or stairs to negotiate which also helps solve the potential ADA issues. The ramp would also provide easy and direct access to emergency responders and vehicles. Also, unlike Pier 90, the MTS structure is fully enclosed making it usable during ANY weather condition or season.
The MTS is also large enough to accommodate a large Citi Bike docking station to serve ferry riders.
Because of the existing piers and moorings, and room for internal traffic the existing structure could be re-purposed as a ferry terminal and ferry hub with relatively minimal re-design, cost and construction alterations and is large and accessible enough to easily handle a high-volume ferry terminal and ferry hub.
The MTS Could Support Additional and Expanded Ferry Routes and Provide Sources of Revenue for New York City
Using the MTS as a ferry terminal and ferry hub would provide a much needed large northern ferry terminal and “hub” enabling the connection of existing routes with new ones - including new landings in communities in the Bronx and Queens which are currently under-served by public transit - and could also support a regular LaGuardia Airport ferry route and even in-season service to Yankee Stadium and Citi Field.
Using the MTS as a ferry terminal and hub could also be a SOURCE OF REVENUE for NYC by serving other commercial ferry services and by adding a newsstand and small coffee shop.
SO WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE EXISTING YORKVILLE LANDING AT PIER 90??
EVERYTHING!!
Pier 90 is simply a poor location and structure. On several occasions in the past it has failed as a ferry pier due to its poor accessibility, lack of public awareness and its exterior, unprotected siting - just look at the pictures at the bottom of the page.
Also, the Pier 90 landing is only a "double headed" pier which cannot support an active high volume ferry hub or a regular water shuttle to LaGuardia Airport - it would likely not be able to serve large number of passengers (especially those with disabilities) as a high-volume ferry hub unlike the hubs at 34th Street and Wall Street.
Pier 90's Drop-Off Point Problem - Inconvenient and Not Really Accessible
The primary “drop-off” point on East End Avenue for Pier 90, across from a large residential building, has very limited space for traffic, and is reached primarily by East 90th Street – a single lane street, with a bike lane and which also provides an important entrance to the Asphalt Green field and facility!
East End Avenue is therefore a very, very poor location for taxi/car drop offs – and even more importantly, IT PROVIDES NO DIRECT ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSIT! The NYCFerry service should integrate with and take advantage of existing ground transportation. Pier 90 location simply can't do this.
As can be easily seen from the pictures below, Pier 90 is reached by walking from the northern point of East End Avenue at 90th Street, around Gracie Mansion, and then up along the East River Esplanade. This access route is over 300 paces and includes 26 steps. This access route as well as the pier itself – is completely unprotected and exposed to the elements. It is both inconvenient and undesirable for commuters and other users – especially so in bad weather - particularly in icy and snowy conditions.
Pier 90's ADA and Emergency Vehicle Access Problems
This path from East End Avenue including the 26 steps, makes it inaccessible for riders in wheelchairs – and this raises serious ADA equal access concerns. The "plan" to make Pier 90 ADA compliant has not solved the problem of actually getting to the pier from East End Avenue along the path around Gracie Mansion including the 26 steps. In addition to physically challenged riders, those with strollers will also face these same problems.
Alternate paths to Pier 90 at East 84th Street, East 96th Street, and East 87th Street are well over twice that distance, open and unprotected from the weather, and create further challenges for physical accessibility.
East 84th Street and East 96th Street are not even close. In addition, East 96th Street is a hazardous intersection with the on/off ramps for the FDR with absolutely NO place for para-transit or other vehicles to load or unload passengers. This is not a viable access point.
East 87th Street is more than twice the distance to Pier 90 than the main entrance. Further, the Esplanade behind Gracie Mansion is sloped providing real challenges to those in wheelchairs or who have difficulty walking - see the pictures below.
There is also no room for a large adjacent Citi Bike docking station to accommodate ferry riders.
The Esplanade access behind Gracie Mansion is sloped - mobility challenged access is a real problem!
Pier 90 also presents access challenges for emergency responders and emergency vehicles.
March 11, 2018 - The East River Helicopter Tragedy - the fact that the staging area for the rescue and recovery was below the 34th Street Pier, over 50 blocks away from the scene of this terrible accident highlights the points that: 1) the proposed Pier 90 location for the NYCFerry landing may not be emergency vehicle accessible; and 2) in addition to a ferry terminal and hub, the MTS should also be considered for an FDNY Fireboat pier and/or an NYPD Harbor Command pier (please refer to the following tabs for more detail).
This additional vehicle and foot traffic to Pier 90 will result in even greater traffic jams and pedestrian dangers – including traffic interference for commuters and others who try to get to the Pier 90 site, as well as those seeking access to Asphalt Green - all of which is not supportive of NYC’s important VisionZero plan.
Additional pictures are at the bottom of this page.
LET'S BE SMART AND PLAN AHEAD FOR THE NYCFERRY'S EQUITABLE AND FAIR GROWTH AND SUCCESS WITH NEW ROUTES TO THE BRONX, QUEENS AND LAGUARDIA AIRPORT!!
The NYCFerry has three existing "hubs" in the southern portion of the system (34th Street, Wall Street, & Dumbo). To expand to the Bronx and Northern Queens it MUST HAVE A NORTHERN HUB. Repurposed as a fully integrated northern NYCFerry hub and terminal, the 91st St MTS is the perfect site and structure to be that northern hub enabling the service to expand and grow with new and exciting routes serving a greater number of New Yorkers and providing equitable transit choices to "transit desert" communities under-served by public transit such as:
- The new Bronx Point Project
- Hunts Point
- City Island
- Throggs Neck (now an extension to the Soundview Route - It should have its own DIRECT route!)
- Schuylerville
- College Point
- Whitestone
- Bayside
- Douglaston
- …a direct water shuttle to LaGuardia Airport
- …in-season service to Yankee Stadium and Citi Field and a direct connection to Asphalt Green!
Connecting those sites to existing landings at:
- Soundview, Bronx
- Hallet’s Point, Queens
- Roosevelt Island Cornell Tech Center
- Landings in Brooklyn and Queens (INCLUDING THE NEW AMAZON HEADQUARTERS IN LONG ISLAND CITY!)
- Midtown Manhattan
- Downtown Manhattan
As a ferry terminal and ferry hub, the MTS would be directly accessible to public transit and emergency vehicles, and would be ADA compliant.
The MTS could also accommodate a large adjacent Citi Bike docking station for ferry riders.
Mayor de Blasio's NYCFerry initiative launched on May 1, 2017 implemented by the NYCEDC is a forward looking use of NYC’s growing but still underutilized waterfront. Since that date it has served millions of riders. The NYCFerry could be more than that - it could be a critical transit link which can effectively connecting underserved New York City communities.
Re-purposing the MTS would make a positive, tangible impact on the day-to-day lives of many New Yorkers from all over the city. We need to do everything we can to support the NYCFerry and to help continue to make it a resounding success used by ALL New Yorkers.
The 91st Street MTS Is The PERFECT Location And Structure For a Northern Ferry Terminal and Hub
As can be clearly seen from the pictures below, the MTS facility currently has very easy and direct access from York Avenue via a large ramp at 91st Street. This ramp or the planned new ramp at 92nd Street could accommodate PUBLIC TRANSIT vehicles – including the SBSM86 and M31 bus lines, as well as taxis, cars and para-transit vehicles. It is also a short walk to the new 2nd Avenue Subway (Q line).
With this ramp access, there are no steps or stairs to negotiate which also helps solve the potential ADA issues. The ramp would also provide easy and direct access to emergency responders and vehicles. Also, unlike Pier 90, the MTS structure is fully enclosed making it usable during ANY weather condition or season.
The MTS is also large enough to accommodate a large Citi Bike docking station to serve ferry riders.
Because of the existing piers and moorings, and room for internal traffic the existing structure could be re-purposed as a ferry terminal and ferry hub with relatively minimal re-design, cost and construction alterations and is large and accessible enough to easily handle a high-volume ferry terminal and ferry hub.
The MTS Could Support Additional and Expanded Ferry Routes and Provide Sources of Revenue for New York City
Using the MTS as a ferry terminal and ferry hub would provide a much needed large northern ferry terminal and “hub” enabling the connection of existing routes with new ones - including new landings in communities in the Bronx and Queens which are currently under-served by public transit - and could also support a regular LaGuardia Airport ferry route and even in-season service to Yankee Stadium and Citi Field.
Using the MTS as a ferry terminal and hub could also be a SOURCE OF REVENUE for NYC by serving other commercial ferry services and by adding a newsstand and small coffee shop.
SO WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE EXISTING YORKVILLE LANDING AT PIER 90??
EVERYTHING!!
- It is difficult and inconvenient to reach;
- There is no Public Transit access;
- There is no direct Emergency Response Vehicle access;
- There are Serious ADA Equal Access questions;
- It is only a "double headed" pier which cannot support a large active ferry hub for new routes;
- It is open and unprotected;
- There may not be enough room for a large adjacent Citi Bike dock and;
- Using It as a Ferry Pier in conjunction with the MTS used as a Waste Transfer Station will increase street traffic.
Pier 90 is simply a poor location and structure. On several occasions in the past it has failed as a ferry pier due to its poor accessibility, lack of public awareness and its exterior, unprotected siting - just look at the pictures at the bottom of the page.
Also, the Pier 90 landing is only a "double headed" pier which cannot support an active high volume ferry hub or a regular water shuttle to LaGuardia Airport - it would likely not be able to serve large number of passengers (especially those with disabilities) as a high-volume ferry hub unlike the hubs at 34th Street and Wall Street.
Pier 90's Drop-Off Point Problem - Inconvenient and Not Really Accessible
The primary “drop-off” point on East End Avenue for Pier 90, across from a large residential building, has very limited space for traffic, and is reached primarily by East 90th Street – a single lane street, with a bike lane and which also provides an important entrance to the Asphalt Green field and facility!
East End Avenue is therefore a very, very poor location for taxi/car drop offs – and even more importantly, IT PROVIDES NO DIRECT ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSIT! The NYCFerry service should integrate with and take advantage of existing ground transportation. Pier 90 location simply can't do this.
As can be easily seen from the pictures below, Pier 90 is reached by walking from the northern point of East End Avenue at 90th Street, around Gracie Mansion, and then up along the East River Esplanade. This access route is over 300 paces and includes 26 steps. This access route as well as the pier itself – is completely unprotected and exposed to the elements. It is both inconvenient and undesirable for commuters and other users – especially so in bad weather - particularly in icy and snowy conditions.
Pier 90's ADA and Emergency Vehicle Access Problems
This path from East End Avenue including the 26 steps, makes it inaccessible for riders in wheelchairs – and this raises serious ADA equal access concerns. The "plan" to make Pier 90 ADA compliant has not solved the problem of actually getting to the pier from East End Avenue along the path around Gracie Mansion including the 26 steps. In addition to physically challenged riders, those with strollers will also face these same problems.
Alternate paths to Pier 90 at East 84th Street, East 96th Street, and East 87th Street are well over twice that distance, open and unprotected from the weather, and create further challenges for physical accessibility.
East 84th Street and East 96th Street are not even close. In addition, East 96th Street is a hazardous intersection with the on/off ramps for the FDR with absolutely NO place for para-transit or other vehicles to load or unload passengers. This is not a viable access point.
East 87th Street is more than twice the distance to Pier 90 than the main entrance. Further, the Esplanade behind Gracie Mansion is sloped providing real challenges to those in wheelchairs or who have difficulty walking - see the pictures below.
There is also no room for a large adjacent Citi Bike docking station to accommodate ferry riders.
The Esplanade access behind Gracie Mansion is sloped - mobility challenged access is a real problem!
Pier 90 also presents access challenges for emergency responders and emergency vehicles.
March 11, 2018 - The East River Helicopter Tragedy - the fact that the staging area for the rescue and recovery was below the 34th Street Pier, over 50 blocks away from the scene of this terrible accident highlights the points that: 1) the proposed Pier 90 location for the NYCFerry landing may not be emergency vehicle accessible; and 2) in addition to a ferry terminal and hub, the MTS should also be considered for an FDNY Fireboat pier and/or an NYPD Harbor Command pier (please refer to the following tabs for more detail).
This additional vehicle and foot traffic to Pier 90 will result in even greater traffic jams and pedestrian dangers – including traffic interference for commuters and others who try to get to the Pier 90 site, as well as those seeking access to Asphalt Green - all of which is not supportive of NYC’s important VisionZero plan.