New Pier 1 Dock, Bigger Ferries at Brooklyn Bridge Park

No more missing the boat: The new floating dock for New York Waterway's larger East River ferries has opened at Pier 1 in Brooklyn Bridge Park just in time for the Memorial Day weekend.

The East River ferry run to Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Manhattan has been so successful that bigger ferries are necessary to carry the load.

The original ferry slip at Fulton Ferry Landing (sometimes called the "DUMBO" landing) was too shallow to accommodate the larger ferries, hence the move to Pier 1.

According to New York Waterway, BillyBey Ferry Company, which began operating the service last June, will be switching to 399-passenger models on the East River on weekends. Those boats are more than twice as big as the 149-passenger vessels previously running this route.

Dredging for the new East River Ferry slip. Photo: MK Metz

Over the last month, the area surrounding the new dock has been dredged out to make it deep enough for the larger ferries.

East River Ferry slip, May 13. Photo: MK Metz

According to the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, expanded ferry service is a critical component of WAVES, the City's Waterfront Vision and Enhancement Strategy, which focuses on increasing people's connectivity to the water.

The ferry service is financed on a pilot basis with $9 million of city money.

According to the NY Times, the service will add a second boat to its rotation next Tuesday, during the period between the morning and evening rush hours. The Times notes that the boats, which had sold coffee from Brooklyn Roasters, have added other drinks and some snacks with a local flavor, including egg creams made with U-bet chocolate syrup.

Fare is $4 one way, and up to four children may ride free with a paying adult. The East River Ferry Service connects Wall Street (Pier 11) to East 34th Street, with stops at Brooklyn Bridge Park, South Williamsburg, North Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Long Island City.

Photos copyright MK Metz

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