South Amboy ferry service expected to launch in ’14

By JACQUELINE DURETT
Correspondent

South Amboy’s long-sought commuter ferry service is expected to be up and running by March, according to a timeline that is being driven by the state Department of Transportation (DOT).

The DOT is seeking more alternatives for commuters since the Pulaski Skyway, which connects Newark and Jersey City, will be closed to northbound traffic for approximately two years, starting in March, according to South Amboy Business Administrator Camille Tooker. The skyway is undergoing an extensive reconstruction project.

Officials have said the ferry would take commuters from South Amboy to Manhattan’s Wall Street area in 42 minutes.

DOT spokesman Steve Schapiro said the department “is pursuing a range of travel options for displaced motorists, including alternate routes for those who will continue to travel by car, and alternate travel modes. The department has been exploring all options, including expanded NJ Transit bus and rail service, carpooling, vanpooling, flextime and additional ferry service.”

The ferry service was discussed during the Oct. 29 South Amboy City Council meeting after resident Nancy McLaughlin asked about the status of the project. Tooker said the city was trying to get the ferry up and running on a temporary basis, akin to what the city did after Sept. 11, 2001.

Tooker said she is waiting for the DOT to provide more details. Schapiro said he did not have additional specifics regarding the ferry service at this time.

South Amboy officials have for years discussed the possible return of the ferry service. The last timeline that was released listed summer 2009 as the anticipated opening date. Officials have pointed to lags in DOT approvals and a down economy as reasons for the delay.

Over the past five years, the city has completed two of the three phases involved with the ferry project. The remaining element is the construction of a terminal and parking lot, Tooker said.

Residents have historically been divided on the issue of the ferry service, but its years-long delay has some commuters frustrated. South Amboy resident Larry Viola said he moved to the city because of the ferry service that ran from 2001 to 2006.

“Now that we do not have the ferry, I have to drive all the way to Belford to take the NY Waterway ferry,” Viola said.

He said the ferry would have a positive impact on the business community and tax revenue in the city.

“If South Amboy did not have the ferry when I purchased my home, I may not have purchased in South Amboy. This is definitely holding the town back,” he said.

Viola said he is thrilled about the prospect of the service returning in March. He had been planning to relocate once the real estate market recovered, he said, but “will definitely stay in town if we get the ferry service restored.”

Once the Pulaski Skyway reopens, the city would then transition the service to a more permanent model, Tooker said.