NEW YORK — There’s a hidden oasis in the Bronx that is best known for its neighborhood charm, ocean-front views, and, arguably, some of the best seafood in the city.
“We used to have a sign over the bridge that said Seaport of the Bronx,” said John Doyle, of City Island Rising.
When asked how he would describe City Island, Doyle said, “It’s a small town, small piece of New York City, but a very distinct piece of New York City.”
But getting into this close-knit community in the northeast Bronx can take hours by car or bus. There’s one road in and one road out. Locals say the lack of transportation has cut it off from the rest of the city.
“You talk to people down in the city in Brooklyn and they don’t even know City Island exists,” said James McGowan, whose family owns City Island Diner.
Residents like Doyle are leading the movement for a new ferry stop on the island.
“It would improve the quality of life dramatically,” said Doyle. “It would cut commute times for the average City Islander going to the city, which 10% of the island works in the city, in half.”
Doyle says residents near other ferry stops in the borough, like Ferry Point Park in Throggs Neck, now have easier commutes into Manhattan. The City Island community hopes a ferry could also boost the local economy.
“Over the years, City Island has gone through a slump. There a lot of empty store fronts on the Main Street,” said McGowan.
City Island Diner is a staple spot on the island for 27 years. McGowan says it serves locals every day, but business is seasonal for its out-of-town customers.
“In the summer we get a lot of car traffic getting out here, but I think the problem with City Island is that it’s really isolated,” said McGowan.
A NYC Ferry Expansion Feasibility site assessment from 2019 determined there would be overall low ridership on a City Island ferry, but residents say otherwise. The city says it is not actively pursuing options.
“You don’t have to live on City Island to be invested in its future,” said Doyle.
For more information on the petition to get a ferry to City Island, click here- https://cityislandrising.org/ferry/
https://cityislandrising.org/wp-content/uploads/dynamic_avia/avia_video_thumbnails/youtube/a18hOwJZT64/a18hOwJZT64.jpg360480City Island Risinghttps://demo.tectonicseven.com/cirising/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/cirising-logos-op-20220906-tall-300x165.pngCity Island Rising2024-05-08 10:10:552024-05-08 10:51:47CBS2- City Island in the Bronx wants NYC to give it a ferry stop
https://cityislandrising.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/IMG_3075-logo.jpeg6171428City Island Risinghttps://demo.tectonicseven.com/cirising/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/cirising-logos-op-20220906-tall-300x165.pngCity Island Rising2024-02-13 16:32:572024-04-27 13:18:18“YES TO A CITY ISLAND FERRY” Logo Contest
A community organization based in City Island is pushing for ferry service to make the island more accessible.
Community members from City Island Rising say that a ferry service would not only provide more efficient transportation for City Island residents, but also would increase foot traffic for local businesses.
“I would much rather… get on a ferry and be in Midtown in 45 minutes as opposed to getting on the 29 [bus] and the 6 [train],” said City Island Rising member David Diaz.
The proposed ferry route already has over 1,5000 signatures, but there are constituents who are in opposition of the current proposal.
Council member Marjorie Velazquez says that many say they would prefer a ferry stop near Orchard Beach with additional bus service to City Island because of traffic congestion and lack of infrastructure.
https://cityislandrising.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Screenshot-2023-11-16-at-10-35-06-City-Island-community-organization-pushing-for-ferry-service.png522995City Island Risinghttps://demo.tectonicseven.com/cirising/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/cirising-logos-op-20220906-tall-300x165.pngCity Island Rising2023-10-25 10:34:082024-04-27 13:19:04News 12 The Bronx : City Island community organization pushing for ferry service
Mr. Bryce W. Wisemiller, Project Manager
Ms. Cheryl R. Alkemeyer, NEPA Lead
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District Jacob K. Javits Federal Building
26 Federal Plaza, Room 17-302
New York, NY 10278-0090
Dear Mr. Wisemiller and Ms. Alkemeyer,
On behalf of the City Island community of approximately 4,500 residents in the Bronx, New York, we are writing to you and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) with deep concern regarding the New York/New Jersey Harbor and Tributaries (NYNJHAT) Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study. While we appreciate federal efforts to address New York City’s vulnerability to climate change, the current proposals before you do nothing to address rising tides in our area or to protect the coastal communities of the Bronx, New York.
By creating storm barriers only for areas of lower Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn, USACE is essentially turning our borough and neighborhood into sacrificial lambs in the case of a natural emergency. Our area is already suffering from increased flooding and severe storms, issues that will only worsen in the coming years according to climate projections. Our community in particular is vulnerable as City Island has only one way on/off and the evacuation route goes through areas of Pelham Bay Park that flood regularly from normal rainfall and lack adequate drainage or natural irrigation. Several City Island roadways, from Minnieford Avenue to Ditmars and Tier Streets, suffer from nuisance flooding regularly. These issues will be exacerbated if we are left unprotected while other communities are fortified to withstand the elements.
Furthermore, from what we have seen and read from other community-based organizations, there is a need to fully review this entire plan to incorporate nature-based solutions, environmental justice principles, and take into consideration existing plans at the City and State level that are currently in motion. At the very least, we demand a proposal that would protect the at-risk communities of the Bronx that is built in collaboration with our residents and stakeholders.
Thank you for your time. We are happy to answer any questions you may have about this request and willing to meet with your agency to discuss this issue at greater length. Please reach out to John Doyle at (646) 469-8339 or via email at doylejc1@gmail.com. We look forward to working with you.
Respectfully Submitted,
City Island Rising
CC: Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, State Senator Nathalia Fernandez, State Assembly Member Michael Benedetto, Council Member Marjorie Velazquez, Bronx Community Board #10
https://cityislandrising.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/maxresdefault.jpg7201280City Island Risinghttps://demo.tectonicseven.com/cirising/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/cirising-logos-op-20220906-tall-300x165.pngCity Island Rising2023-03-26 16:05:102024-04-27 13:19:07Open Letter: City Island Rising’s Comments for the NY & NJ Harbor & Tributaries Focus Area Feasibility Study
The NYC Ferry approaches the Throggs Neck landing, which was implemented in December. Now, City Island residents want their own stop too.
Photo Aliya Schneider
Now that the Soundview ferry route reaches up to Throggs Neck, nearly 1,000 City Island residents say they want water transit too.
The NYC Ferry, which is highly subsidized by the city and costs $2.75 to ride, travels along the east side of Manhattan from Wall Street to Soundview, and since December, Throggs Neck’s Ferry Point Park in the Bronx.
An online petition started by civic group City Island Rising has garnered more than 700 signatures, and the group’s president John Doyle said he has 251 more signatures on a physical version, as of Wednesday.
The petition speaks to the limited transportation options to the east Bronx tourism hub, making it hard for New Yorkers to get to and from the island, which can be accessed by drivers on one road, with only one bus. The request was featured on the blog for the New York non-profit Waterfront Alliance, which points to a potential funding source through the federal infrastructure bill, such as $150 million dedicated to the federal Department of Transportation Urbanized Area Passenger Ferry Program.
But the entity that oversees the ferry, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) does not have “any active plans” to expand the ferry route, according to a spokesperson.
“We are focused on stabilizing the system that we have and seeing how riders adapt to the new landings and changing ridership patterns since Covid, and on ensuring that the system is delivering the best possible service to New Yorkers,” the spokesperson said in a statement to the Bronx Times.
Weekend passengers on the top level of the NYC Ferry. Photo Aliya Schneider
City Councilmember Marjorie Velázquez, a Throggs Neck Democrat whose district includes City Island, said the idea of bringing a ferry stop to the northeast island has to be discussed further.
“Right now we’re exploring what that would look like, but certainly, is it feasible is the first question, and the second question, are all City Islanders in favor of it?” she said in an interview with the Bronx Times.
The petitioners argue that a ferry landing could strengthen the local economy while decreasing vehicular traffic on the island. But Velázquez pointed to traffic implications as a potential cause for concern, with people driving to the island to specifically use the ferry.
The councilmember, who is part of the council’s progressive caucus, said the conversation has to include voices in surrounding neighborhoods, and if it’s worth exploring other areas for a new landing, like Orchard Beach.
“We want assets like this to benefit us all,” she said.
Passengers walk to the landing in Soundview as the ferry approaches. Photo Aliya Schneider
State Assemblymember Michael Benedetto, a Democrat whose district spans the east Bronx water, told the Bronx Times he is in favor of another Bronx ferry stop, whether it’s at City Island, Co-op City — where constituents have also come to him about getting a landing — or Orchard Beach.
While he suspects it will take a couple of years to convince the city to add another stop, he hopes the administration “will see the intelligence of that move.”
Jonathan Soto, a Progressive challenging Benedetto in the June Democratic primary, has been critical of Ferry Point Park and how difficult the ferry landing is to get to for many.
In an interview with the Bronx Times, he said there should be a horseshoe-shaped ferry route that connects the west and east Bronx, stopping at Riverdale, Kingsbridge, Soundview, Throggs Neck, City Island and Orchard Beach.
He isn’t the only one with dreams of larger waterside expansions, as the City Island Rising petition also shares hopes of the ferry system reaching into Westchester in the future.
But the landings can’t just be dropped into the water.
Soto said ferry developments need more oversight, from making the boats more efficient with less carbon emissions to community-based approaches that utilize, for example, local businesses for concession stands or participatory budgeting.
The ferry system tends to draw wealthy and white riders, according to EDC survey data.
“It can’t be a Trojan horse for gentrification, that’s my concern,” Soto said.
Councilmember Amanda Farías could not be reached for comment. Farías, a Soundview Progressive, chairs the City Council Economic Development Committee, which provides oversight to EDC.
Reach Aliya Schneider at aschneider@schnepsmedia.com or (718) 260-4597. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes.
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