Port Liberte Ferry Service Relaunched
City-run ferry operations have been relaunched from Jersey City’s southernmost coast in an effort to close transit gaps and create more affordable and efficient transportation options for low- and middle-income residents outside of the downtown area.
Ferry service from and to the Port Liberte terminal shut down at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2020. Jersey City Mayor Steven M. Fulop's administration recently acquired the ferry terminal to take an active role in subsidizing ferry rates for residents traveling to and from New York City. Following an RFP process, New York Waterway was selected to provide weekday services.
The newly revived ferry terminal is part of Jersey City's broader commitment to expanding transportation options, especially for low- and middle-income residents.
Utilizing a $4 million NJDOT grant, service across the Hudson River is being reintroduced at the Port Liberte Ferry Terminal with a 40% discount on travel rates. In addition, the Fulop Administration will use grant funding to provide free transportation to and from the ferry terminal by leveraging existing transit services through Via, Jersey City’s on-demand microtransit service.
"We are committed to making Jersey City a place where everyone can thrive, and expanding mobility is a key part of that effort,” said Mayor Fulop. “We saw a unique opportunity with this underutilized ferry terminal and added free Via rides for direct access to encourage residents in Greenville and the West Side who are close in proximity but have been deterred for decades due to its secluded location.”
"NY Waterway is delighted once again to provide service from Port Liberte to lower Manhattan,” said Armand Pohan, NY Waterway’s president and CEO. "As the region continues to emerge from the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to connect Jersey City communities to NYC with a transportation option that keeps cars and buses off bridges and tunnels."
In addition to the over 70,000 Port Liberte residents who live within walking distance from the revived ferry terminal, NY Waterway expects to see ridership spike as more commuters outside of Port Liberte take advantage of the new amenities and direct connections to the only ferry in the surrounding area.
“This is a great addition for the surrounding community and a much-needed transit option at a much cheaper price than before,” added Jersey City resident Milton Roges. “My wife and I used the ferry to commute to work in downtown and midtown Manhattan, and so I am very appreciative that Jersey City brought the ferry service back. I know a lot of my neighbors are grateful too.”
