Bring The Ferry Back To Coney Island
@The Coney Island Blog
At the dawn of the 20th Century my Grandfather left his family behind in his native Dublin. Although only a teenager he made the decision to spend the rest of his adult life working on the sea. Traveling by boat his first glimpse of his adopted homeland of America was not the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island but rather the shoreline of Coney Island, boldly holding New York City’s original skyline. America introduced itself to my Grandfather by presenting a seaside resort garnished with three spectacular amusement parks, at the time very well known by all of Western Civilization. A coastline adorned with piers greeting visitors traveling on ferryboats. He witnessed a playground so extravagant that it would have made modern day Dubai blush.
During this time there were at least four piers along the immediate Coney Island coastline ushering visitors from 39th St. in Brooklyn, 23rd Street in Manhattan as well as Newark, New Jersey and other locations. By the summer of 1911, tolls were lifted from the city bridges which along with the advent of this posh new travel accessory called the automobile, hurt the ferry industry.
Today we have a Coney Island which during the summer months is congested with automobile traffic so bad that many residents feel like prisoners in their own home. We have bridge and tunnel tolls so expensive that you are better off purchasing a round trip ticket from Jet Blue to the Florida Keys.
How can we alleviate summer traffic and skyrocketing bridge and tunnel fare hikes?
Bring ferry service back to Coney Island.
On June 17th, 2013, Captain Thomas Paladino gave his American Princess Ferry a test run from Battery Park to the Coney Island Creek in 29 minutes. But the creek isn’t the place where the ferry service should terminate. The city needs to build a protective wall or dam to prevent the tidal surge which along with sewage backup was the number one culprit that destroyed the peninsula during Sandy. Besides, how would visitors get to the beach and amusement district from the creek? By setting up shuttle buses that would just add to the traffic and congestion?
Bring the ferry right to the door step of the small businesses that need tourist dollars. Bring a ferry to Steeplechase Pier. Give people the option of leaving their cars at home while taking in the majestic sights of New York Harbor and the Narrows. Relieve traffic congestion that community members have been forever complaining about. Start a whole new local industry with the promise of jobs. Let others take in the wonder and awe of Coney Island’s coastline just like my Grandfather did over a century ago.
Bring the ferry to Coney Island.
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Michael Quinn is a Coney Island born native and historian. Also founder and former editor of the Coney Island Blog. He is currently the owner of the legendary hot dog company Feltman’s of Coney Island.
Drop him a line at thisismichaelquinn@gmail.com
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This would be Good for the Residents of Coney Island as it would Relieve some of the Traffic and Congestion that has been Complained about for Decades.
Many of Coney’s Residents have Never been Out on the Waters beyond the Beach and this would be a Great way for them to go out and Enjoy and Explore the Harbor and Discover the other Beautiful Places Along Brooklyn’s and New York City’s Waterfront.
It would also help the Many Local Coney Island Businesses by Increasing the Number of Visitors that are Choosing to Make Coney Island a Destination.
It is only a matter of time before Coney’s Amusement area and other Attractions become a Year Round Place to Visit and Spend some Time.
Bringing Back the Ferry to Coney Island would be a Great Next Step.
What do you think?
This is the best idea I have heard in a long time. Pure genius. The Economic Development Corporation should follow through with this or at the very least look into the possibilities. Let’s push for this.
Oh man, this idea has been kicked around for decades. I remember when the CIDC first started in 2003 this was one of the first proposals. It’s been part of almost every development plan. Countless studies. I have given up hope on it. Great idea, but when the city talks about it for decades, and never follows through my guess is we won’t see it in our lifetimes.
Yeah but this kid makes more sense than anyone. He’s definitely more involved than we are. Forget about the past. We should support this now.
We go way back to a wonderful affordable day or night to Coney..just like “Nathan’s Famous ” we stayed loyal and true to a summer wonderland..Many winter evenings drove over for a frank and fries….
Coney is truly the Gold Coast of the city..Sail on over….Yes to the ferry…