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Rep. Michael McMahon and Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano asking that cars be allowed back onto the Staten Island Ferry. Car service was suspended at 9/11, but now, McMahon writes, "The residents of Staten Island endure one of the most arduous and costly commutes in the country; all options which could ease that burden without compromising our safety should be made available... Opening the ferry to car transportation would give Staten Island commuters more choices, ultimately save many commuters time, and would cut down on all the unnecessary vehicle emissions resulting from the need to drive through Brooklyn to get to Manhattan." One ferry rider concurred and told NY1, "I think I would feel safe, and I think as a Staten Islander, we don't have much access, or anything, you have to take bridges and pay huge tolls." However, there are some detractors: Transportation Alternatives' Wiley Norvell said to the Post, "The logistical and expense burdens of moving cars on the Staten Island Ferry is totally out of proportion to the benefits of using the ferry for cars."
Pols Want Cars Back On Staten Island Ferry
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How about we have enough damn cars on this tiny island already? Staten Island should be part of Jersey anyway.
New Jersey says : No thanks.
Finally! New Jersey has taste!
"Pols Wants"??
That's a terrible idea. Everyone who lived on Staten Island pre-9/11 knows that taking you car on the ferry was always a disaster. It never fit a lot of cars and if you couldn't get on you were trapped at the terminal for 30 minutes waiting for the next boat. When there is no traffic you can get practically to manhattan through brooklyn in 30 minutes. It's a horribly inefficient way to commute. Not to mention the fact that they charged you an arm and leg to bring your car on. I can't imagine it ever made the city any sort of money. Besides, there is no more staging areas for cars on the Manhattan side with the renovations by the ferry terminal. And on top of all that, it took forever to load the cars and the ferry is generally late as it is. They should really just leave it passengers only.
Plus they're ugly and smell bad!
(Your response was so thorough and logical that I felt the need to dumb it down a bit. Please do good things with that brain!)
If they do reinstate cars-on-ferries and they don't hire good security team I'm never riding the ferry again. Also, the security detail costs will kill any sort of profit so I'd say this is never going to happen.
Probably would not even save emissions. ST Is ferrys are electric and have 2 giant diesel generators inside. They are basically 2 giant boats welded together (so they dont have to turn around). They produce major fumes, and driving a few extra cars over the bridge is probably comparable carbon cost.
Oh, and who thinks more cars in Manhattan is a good idea anyway? Get on the subway once you get off the ferry. Or else you can go live in a real borough.
This is a dumb idea.
There are enough crappy drivers in Manhattan without bringing in the trophy winners.
fuck cars. period.
people should not be driving unless it is to deliver something or it is a special occasion.
I think they should just extend the SIR to Manhattan. Maybe have it connect with the R/W at Whitehall.
Its time that boro was linked to the rest of the city properly so it could, you know, join the 21st century!
Fuck that.
It won't hold enough cars to help anyway.
And it will increase a threat at the same time.