U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) joined state and local leaders in South Amboy to celebrate the beginning of construction on the South Amboy ferry project Tuesday.
Pallone, an advocate for federal funding of the project, previously wrote a letter in support of the city’s Passenger Ferry Grant Program application that was ultimately awarded $5.3 million. The project aims to meet commuter demand between Central New Jersey and New York City.
“I’m proud to join state and local leaders in South Amboy today to mark this important moment in the ferry terminal project. The South Amboy ferry will give residents a new way to commute between Central Jersey and New York City and reduce traffic congestion,” Pallone said. “The new facility will also bolster economic opportunities in the city and surrounding area. I’m glad the federal funding I helped secure for the project will be put to work soon, and I want to thank everyone who joined us today for their dedication and support of this important project.”
When it is completed, the ferry is expected to serve more than 1,000 daily riders on weekdays and 250 riders on weekend days, for an annual weekday ridership of 260,000 and an annual weekend ridership of 26,000. The project is expected to lower daily commuter traffic congestion between Central New Jersey and Manhattan.
The new facility will be anchored by a two-story ferry terminal and provide 750 parking spaces to support new ferry riders.
“Diversifying and expanding our network of transportation infrastructure is crucial to most efficiently getting people to and from places in one of our country’s most economically productive regions,” said Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin. “As we near the start of construction, with funding secured including from state and federal government, we mark an important milestone in the development of the South Amboy ferry, and I applaud efforts at the state, county, and city level that are getting this long-awaited project to the finish line.”