Bayonne, Port Authority, & NY Waterway officials break ground on ferry terminal

Officials from the City of Bayonne, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and New York Waterway broke ground on a new ferry terminal on Wednesday.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

“[Wednesday], we broke ground at the Bayonne Peninsula (former Military Ocean Terminal) on our new NY Waterway Ferry Terminal which will provide a much-needed ferry service to and from NYC in the coming year,” Mayor Jimmy Davis said in a statement.

“Again, as we discussed [Tuesday] at the 1888 Studio groundbreaking, our journey together was a promise to make Bayonne a great city to live, work, and recreate … and we have not wavered in that work!”

In order to have a location for the ferry, the city is obtaining 2.3 acres of land from the Port Authority for $4.4 million.

Of those 2.3 acres, 1.6 acres will be used for the ferry terminal and a parking facility, and 0.7 acres will be used for expanding the local waterfront walkway.

Lincoln Equities, a neighboring private property owner, is donating an additional acre of land for the facility, which will be located next to the former military motel at 51 Port Terminal Boulevard.

At the ceremony, Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole said it was “a great day for
Bayonne.” He predicted that the ferry would be part of “a shinier future” for the community.

He added that Davis wanted to have a locally owned terminal that would provide “real transportation to New York and back.” The Port Authority leader said that the ferry “will transform this region and Bayonne.”

NY Waterway President and CEO Armand Pohan echoed a similar sentiment.

“We are excited to be partnering with the City of Bayonne to bring safe, reliable and convenient ferry service to commuters and families of this great city,” he declared.

“Bayonne is growing in impressive ways. Adding ferry service will not only provide a better quality of life for those who live here now, it will be a great incentive for anyone thinking about making Bayonne their home. We look forward to serving the Bayonne community for many years to come.”