For Immediate Release July 12, 2013

Contact: Barbara Morgan barbara@anthonyweiner.com (347) 480-8875

Weiner Proposes Doubling New Ferry Ridership in New York City The Keys to the City Tour: Idea # 17 Launch Ferries in All Five Boroughs New York City Today, Anthony Weiner visited the East 34th Street Ferry Terminal to discuss a proposal from his book, Keys to the City - 64 Ideas to Keep New York the Capital of the Middle Class, to launch ferry service in all five boroughs and double new ferry ridership in New York City. Weiner proposed new routes providing service to Riverdale, Sheepshead Bay, Coney Island, Bay Ridge, John F. Kennedy (JFK) and LaGuardia Airports to Manhattan, as well as an East Side Shuttle. The proposal would also make permanent the now-temporary ferry service from the Rockaways to Manhattan. In addition to cutting travel times and reducing congestion, by being both Citi Bike and one-swipe Metrocard transfer-accessible, the lines would significantly increase the ease and efficiency of travel between key points around the city. At $5 per ride or less, the ferries would be comparable to MTA express buses, and in the cases of the airport lines, significantly cheaper than taxis. Idea #17: Launch Ferries in All Five Boroughs Weiners 6-Ferry Line plan would build on the Department of Transportations efforts to provide more efficient modes of transportation to New Yorkers, thereby alleviating long, congested commutes along these routes: The Rockaway Ferry Line: Proven to be critical in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, this temporary ferry line, which Weiners proposal would make permanent, runs from Beach 108th and Beach Channel to Wall Street and East 34th Street, easing the commute for an estimated ridership of 135,000 annually by cutting travel times by up to 33 percent. The Riverdale Line: Running from Riverdale to Lower Manhattan, this line would shorten travel by 15 minutes for 4,000 commuters. The South Brooklyn Line: Serving 3 million New Yorkers during peak summer travel to Coney Island and 24,000 commuters regularly, this line would connect Brooklyns southern neighborhoods like Sheepshead Bay to Manhattan lessening commuting time by 10 percent. The LaGuardia Airport Line: Using the existing ferry dock at the airports Marine Air Terminal, this line would cut travel times to Midtown and Lower Manhattan by up to 20 minutes for the 25,000 fliers whose final destination is Manhattan.

The JFK Airport Line: Providing a more efficient alternative to the congested Van Wyck and Long Island Expressways, this line would provide direct service to Manhattan for JFKs 32,000 Manhattan-bound daily travelers. The East Side Shuttle: Beginning at the East 106th Street pier and making stops at East 90th and Easy 34th Streets before turning around at Wall Street, this line would have an estimated ridership of 470,000 annually and would significantly reduce travel times for East Siders far from the Lexington Avenue subway line.

Connecting the city between the five boroughs by leveraging our natural resources is crucial to our economic growth, Weiner said. "New York City has been lagging behind in providing reliable transportation for too long and providing New York Citys middle class communities with fast, reliable means of getting to work throughout the city will be a priority for my administration, Weiner said. It is estimated that the East River Ferry pilot program and the current Rockaway Ferry carry over one million riders per year. Considering that the City of New York estimates that the population of the five boroughs is going to grow by one million between now and 2030, leveraging the use of our rivers will be a key asset to sustaining this growth. ### www.anthonyweiner.com