A resolution awarding a contract for services out of the Port Liberte Ferry Terminal to NY Waterway will be introduced at the next Jersey City City Council meeting on May 24, 2023 and follows a thorough RFP process, Jersey City Mayor Steven M. Fulop, Councilwoman Denise Ridley and the Department of Infrastructure said jointly.
The City of Jersey City recently acquired Port Liberte to restore the only ferry service outside of downtown, promote ridership and ensure residents in low- and moderate-income communities have greater access to affordable and efficient transportation options.
“We acquired the ferry terminal to have an active role in subsidizing rates and providing greater and more equitable access to critical transportation services that our residents from Greenville to Bergen-Lafayette need,” Fulop, a potential candidate for governor of New Jersey, said. “We are exceeding our goals in closing transportation gaps and expanding our transit infrastructure through Via Jersey City, which we launched in 2020. The Port Liberte Ferry Terminal was previously an underutilized asset. With this resolution, we will make the most of our existing resources and connect residents to the terminal who may not otherwise have access to ferry services.”
NY Waterway had previously operated out of the Port Liberte Ferry Terminal until service was suspended in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, Fulop proposed the acquisition to provide residents of the Greenville and Bergen-Lafayette neighborhoods with another public transit option to New York City.
The ordinance to acquire the terminal for $1 was passed by the City Council last June.
“NY Waterway is delighted to be provisionally selected as the new operator for commuter ferry service out of Port Liberte,” Armand Pohan, NY Waterway’s president and CEO, said. “We submitted a highly competitive service proposal and are thrilled that we are getting the opportunity to fulfill it. We look forward to finalizing our agreement with Jersey City and launching this new service as soon as possible.”
It is not immediately known when the service will kick off if the contact is awarded. The fare for a one-way trip to Manhattan from Port Liberte is expected to be $8.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, a place where he has served on and off since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on Facebook Live, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to West Hudson to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.