staten island ferry boarding.jpeg

Passengers board the upper level of the Staten Island Ferry from Whitehall Terminal.

(Staten Island Advance/Anna Sanders)

CITY HALL -- The city wants to open up lower-level boarding for Staten Island Ferry riders at Whitehall Terminal to help ease traffic across the harbor on the North Shore.

Right now only passengers who are disabled or have bicycles can board from the lower levels at both terminals.

"Our current focus is opening up lower-level boarding to all passengers at Whitehall," said Alana Morales, a spokeswoman for the Department of Transportation (DOT). "We will be exploring ways in which to improve passenger flow at St. George terminal down the road."

The city expects to implement lower-level boarding at Whitehall within the next 18 months.

The plan is among a series of measures proposed by the city to reduce congestion and accommodate a slew of upcoming redevelopment projects alongside old infrastructure on the North Shore.

"In general, greater efficiency of ferry operations can have a positive impact on the attractiveness of the service, helping to encourage mode shifts to mass transit," the $330,000 study reads.

MORE SECURITY AFTER 9/11

Vehicles haven't been allowed on the Staten Island Ferry since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

DOT ended lower-level boarding for passengers in July 2004 as part of a new safety plan approved by the U.S. Coast Guard following the passage of the federal Maritime Transportation Security Act in 2002.

Additional federal regulations required that all embarking passengers must be separate from those disembarking. The DOT said lower levels in both Staten Island Ferry terminals were also designated as "restricted areas" and weren't accessible to the public without a security regime in place.

The U.S. Coast Guard would have to approve any changes to lower-level boarding.

"A risk and vulnerability assessment would need to be conducted, mitigation measures would need to be provided, and our 'Combined Vessel and Facility Security Plan' would need to be amended to reflect the more broad-based lower-level access," Morales said. "Following submission to and approval by U.S. Coast Guard, a plan can then be implemented."

Petty Officer and spokesman Steve Strohmaier said the Coast Guard is still working with the DOT on the loading proposal.

NO WORD ON COST

Exact cost of the change is unknown, but the DOT said both additional security and operational personnel would be required. The city would also have to install passenger counters and security cameras, as well as portable barriers.

How many passengers would use new lower-level boarding at Whitehall is also unclear.

"Passengers utilizing lower-level boarding would depend entirely on the total number of passengers attempting to embark at any given time," Morales said.

SO WHY NOT ST. GEORGE?

Increasing boarding capacity is meant to limit passenger bottleneck, something that's supposed to decrease boat delays from Whitehall and enhance North Shore transportation overall.

The city's traffic study notes that the proposal will address transit at the St. George Ferry Terminal area, though only Whitehall will see changes.

"It's important to note that the two terminals are configured differently," DOT spokesman Scott Gastel said. "St. George Ferry Terminal is equipped with staircases which already make it easier for passengers to access the lower level. Whitehall has no such amenity."

The city is focusing on accommodating an increase in tourists and other passengers heading toward St. George, not necessarily those Staten Islanders commuting to work in Manhattan.

"As for flow at St. George for those headed to Whitehall, we'll look at ways to improve passenger flow through St. George, as that is also a priority," Gastel said.