East River shuttle bus service between Greenpoint, Williamsburg starts Tuesday

Free shuttle bus service begins Tuesday, operating during morning and evening peak hours, Squadron says

February 17, 2014 From Daniel Squadron

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New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and State Senator Daniel Squadron today announced a temporary shuttle bus service will commence operation tomorrow, February 18, 2014, transporting riders between the India St. / Greenpoint and the N. 6th St. / N. Williamsburg East River Ferry landings during morning and evening rush hours. The free shuttle will facilitate East River Ferry access for riders who use the India St. / Greenpoint landing, which has been out of service since Thursday, February 13. BillyBey, operator of the East River Ferry, will operate a shuttle bus making the following pick-up and drop-off stops:

Southbound Morning Rush Hour Service: India St. / Greenpoint to N. 6th St. / N. Williamsburg

First departure at 6:50 a.m.; additional departures every 20 minutes; final departure at 9:30 a.m.

Stop 1: India Street ferry landing at the corner of India Street & West Street
Stop 2: Franklin Street at the B32 bus stop between Noble St & Oak St
Stop 3: North Williamsburg ferry landing at the foot of North 6th Street

Northbound Evening Rush Hour Service: N. 6th St. / N. Williamsburg to India St. / Greenpoint

First departure at 4:30 p.m.; additional departures every 20 minutes; final departure at 7:20 p.m.

Stop 1: North Williamsburg ferry landing at the foot of North 6th Street
Stop 2: Franklin Street & Noble Street at the B32 bus stop
Stop 3: Franklin Street & Greenpoint Avenue at the B32 bus stop
Stop 4: Franklin Street & India Street
Stop 5: India Street ferry landing at the corner of India Street & West Street

The shuttle service will operate for a minimum of two weeks, pending ridership. During off-peak hours, passengers may use the B32 bus, which regularly travels a similar route throughout the day.

“More and more New Yorkers depend on ferries as part of their daily lives,” said Senator Daniel Squadron, who requested the free shuttle. “In Greenpoint, the East River Ferry provides vital transportation to a community in deep need of it. Critical repairs and safety reviews could strand many commuters as the India Street terminal is kept out of service — shuttle buses to the nearest ferry stop will go a long way for many commuters. I’m grateful to Kyle Kimball, EDC, and BillyBey for moving quickly and being so responsive. The message is clear: we are committed to the vital link that expanded ferry service provides, even when problems strike.”

“East River Ferry service has proven to be a reliable piece of New York City’s transportation infrastructure, and it is imperative that those who typically ride from Greenpoint continue to have travel options while the terminal is temporarily out of service,” said NYCEDC President Kyle Kimball. “We thank Senator Squadron for helping to facilitate this shuttle bus service. Passenger safety is our first priority, and we will continue to work with the ferry operator on necessary improvements to ensure New Yorkers can enjoy the East River Ferry for years to come.”

“The East River Ferry is an important transportation option for Greenpoint, but the community needs to have complete assurance that their trip will be a safe one,” said Council Member Stephen Levin. “I appreciate that EDC has pledged to fully investigate what caused last week’s ramp collapse and await the release of the results. I am glad that in the meantime, they will offer a free shuttle bus until the ferry is back up and running.”

“As we continue to work with engineers, along with the property owner of the India Street pier and the EDC, to determine the cause of the problem last week, we hope that this shuttle will provide our Greenpoint passengers with a viable alternate means to access our East River Ferry service,” said Paul Goodman, CEO of BillyBey Ferry Company.

For more information or detailed East River Ferry schedules, please visit http://www.eastriverferry.com.