Abreu asks if EDC evaluated West 125th Street ferry

Thank you very much.

Now Council Member Abreu, Majority Leader Abreu.

Thank you, Council Member.

Thank you, Chair.

Like technology, we've been joined by Council Member Silvina Brooks-Powers.

And Council Member Aviles.

Well, thank you so much to the administration for coming to testify today.

Intro number 1022, sponsored by myself, would require ferry service to a terminal at or near West 125th Street on the Hudson River by January 1st, 2028.

EDC already manages the West Harlem Pier through Dock NYC.

But its planned 125th Street landing is in East Harlem.

My question is, had EDC evaluated West 125th Street as a New York City?

Thank you, Councilmember.

I'm happy to speak to you again.

We've had some prior conversations about this, and I think it's an ongoing conversation that we really value because the advocacy is important for ferry sites.

We have looked at West 125th Street in prior studies.

You have?

In like the 2018 study, yes.

And then even prior to that, when the system was first being built.

And some of the challenges that were identified at the time mainly had to do with competition with the subway to get to, you know, is it a faster mode given some of the subway access?

You know, those are studies of the past.

I want to be clear that as we are looking through the vision study this time, what we are trying to do is say, let's not look only at, you know, can NYC ferry the subsidized city system provide access to this neighborhood?

Are there other ways that we can activate it?

And so one of the things we are looking at, particularly at West 125th, is whether or not there are private entities that, you know, might be better suited because they are already operating in the area.