By Arthur E. Imperatore

Allegations by Hoboken attorneys that NY Waterway could remain in Weehawken (“The site no one knew about…”) are part of a continuing – and expensive - effort by Hoboken leaders to mislead Hoboken taxpayers about Union Dry Dock.

Claims that NY Waterway has an alternative site in Weehawken for a repair and maintenance facility are just not true.

NY Waterway has had a work dock with two barges on the site in question for more than 10 years. The ferry company also had equipment storage and workshops on the land adjacent to this dock. This was a makeshift arrangement, less than satisfactory for the repair and maintenance of a fleet of 35 ferries, which must operate reliably every day.

NY Waterway has known for years that it ultimately would be forced to leave the upland portion of this site and has examined alternatives, resulting in the November 2017 purchase of Union Dry Dock.

It also executed an agreement in April 2016 with the owners of the property adjacent to the Weehawken work dock allowing NY Waterway an easement to access the work dock once the company was evicted from the site. We provided The Jersey Journal with drawings of the site in question that show the work dock and barges where they have been for years. The drawings show no operation on the land adjacent to the dock.

The 2016 agreement also allows NY Waterway to move the dock and barges 200 feet south on the Weehawken waterfront, but provides no land use, just the easement.

NY Waterway examined that option and determined that the cost of a fully workable facility would be prohibitive.

NY Waterway was evicted from the land area in question on March 29. Since then, the company has been forced to conduct repair and maintenance operations from the two barges. The easement negotiated in 2016 allows workers to get to the dock and barges, nothing more.

Contrary to what Hoboken’s attorneys claimed, we did not keep this agreement a secret. It was filed with Hudson County and has been a public document for three years. In January, we fully briefed aides to the governor on the agreement.

Maintaining our ferry fleet without land access is an impossible situation that must be rectified if NY Waterway is to continue operating at the high level of service, including emergency service, on which the people of Hoboken, Hudson County and their leaders have come to rely.

NY Waterway must have the Union Dry Dock site.

We will develop the Union Dry Dock site as an attractive amenity, improving Hoboken Cove for recreational boaters and fishermen. We will continue our long-term partnership with Stevens Institute, developing the most modern, most environmentally-friendly ferries, including possibly hybrid electric-diesel ferries.

We are paying taxes now, even though Hoboken is blocking us from operating there. We will pay more taxes once the site is improved.

We will not be pushed off the Union Dry Dock site by a handful of people who want to improve the value of their condos by blocking us. We will not be pushed off this site by a campaign of misinformation designed to mislead the people of Hoboken.

Arthur E. Imperatore is president and founder of NY Waterway.