Andrew Yang Visits Staten Island to Tour Businesses and Union Bus Depot; Releases Staten Island Transit Plan

Said Andrew Yang, “Staten Island has long been deprived of efficient and essential transportation infrastructure that would ease New Yorkers’ mobility between all five boroughs. My plan involves expanding existing systems such as ferry and bus services, making more accessible transit for disabled commuters, exploring new transportation infrastructure such as a bike lane on the Verrazano Bridge, and more. My administration will be focused on rebuilding New York not as it was, but how it should be, and that means a more unified, interconnected city.”

Yang's Staten Island transit plan includes:

• Return Staten Island Ferry to Full Overnight Service and reopen ferry bathrooms. Yang is calling for the return of 30-minute service overnight for the SI Ferry as ridership returns later this year. In addition, bathrooms on the ferry should also be reopened.
• Expand Express Bus Service and Restart Review Process for Bus Rapid Transit. A recent redesign of express bus routes has made Staten Island commutes faster and more reliable — shortening travel time to Manhattan by 10 percent. We will continue to expand express bus lanes throughout the city to build on this success and further speed up buses. Unlocking federal funding will be key to realizing these goals. In addition, the North and West Shore Bus Rapid Transit routes have been bandied about for years with minimal progress. First, one of the two West Shore routes needs to be chosen so the planning process can continue. Second, we need community input to decide whether the full North Shore route makes sense. Yang will direct an environmental review that was supposed to be completed this past fall and should be completed. Staten Islanders need efficient ways to run errands and access the ferry.
• Make the Staten Island Railway accessible. Following the upgrades announced at the New Dorp stop, Yang will pursue recommended upgrades at the Clifton and/or Huguenot stations.
• Maintain connection from Staten Island to the NYC Ferry network. The Yang Administration is committed to maintaining the upcoming ferry route from St. George’s Terminal to Battery Park City and Hudson Yards once it launches.
• Invest in Access-A-Ride for Staten Islanders with Disabilities. The Yang Administration will invest in and grow the Access-A-Ride E-hail pilot program, which recently had its funding cut. With limited access to inter-borough subway and bus services, Staten Islanders with disabilities rely on this life-changing paratransit program to connect them to the rest of the city.
• Focus on neighborhood improvements such as filling potholes and building sidewalks. A Yang administration will direct DOT to expand sidewalks, with community input, and fill potholes at a faster pace.
• Keep Discounted Tolls and Study a Bike and Pedestrian Path on the Verrazano Bridge. A Yang administration will direct transit officials to consider different options to build a bike path and a pedestrian walkway on the Verrazano Bridge that would complete the 50-mile Harbor Ring path. This will include looking into how to keep the bridge secure for bikers and pedestrians, similar to the George Washington Bridge, while guarding against increased traffic congestion.
• Build Protected Bike Lanes to Support Beryl Bike Share. With less than two miles of protected bike lanes — to the extent they are truly protected — were built on Staten Island last year, Yang will engage with Staten Island residents to discuss ways to link biking infrastructure with commercial corridors and mass transit.