NEW YORK —There is a sense of renewed hope among Coney Island residents who fought to get NYC Ferry service to the peninsula.
This week, Councilman Justin Brennan reiterated his call for a ferry on the ocean side of the neighborhood, saying he would like an independent study to determine the feasibility of the project.
It comes after a Report 2023 by CBS News New York’s Hannah Kliger, who spoke with longtime residents about their opposition to the New York City Economic Development Corporation’s decision to build a ferry on Coney Island Creek.
Residents said it was an unsuitable location because it was narrow, shallow and historically polluted. Instead, activists pushed for a ferry on the ocean side, close to the entertainment district.
Despite years of opposition, NYC EDC built a ferry on the creek in 2022, but after spending more than $13 million, the project was pulled, leaving the neighborhood without a ferry altogether.
“We want to get to the bottom of what the costs are, what the obstacles are. Look, I just don’t believe the candy floss they’re selling us, right? They’re trying to say every other ferry costs about $10 million to build, but the Coney Island ferry is going to cost $250 million to build. It’s just impossible to believe,” Brannan said.
NYC EDC said at a hearing Tuesday that it conducted an analysis of Coney Island as late as 2022 and concluded there were concerns about building a ferry on the ocean side, due to exposure to ocean waves and high winds.
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Hannah Kliger
