A 120 million dollar renovation project has been completed, and the historic Hoboken Ferry Terminal has been officially reopened – after being closed 44 years ago.

State transportation officials say it means the opportunity for expanded ferry service into New York City, and a more comfortable terminal environment for travelers.

Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner Jim Simpson says the new Terminal – which connects to NJ Transit buses and trains – will help ease the burden on Jersey commuters because “it’s almost a one seat ride- every time you take someone off of one mode of transportation and put them onto another mode, that connection in between is really vital…you can walk right off the trains- or a pedestrian can walk right in- and no pun intended, slip onto the slip – to get into New York or to get back…the rider’s experience will be a lot more favorable, they’ll be more apt to ride the ferries or public transportation, and as the ridership starts to peak, the ferry company will add – as needed – their ferry service.”

He points out having this kind of facility will give Jersey commuters who usually drive into the City another option.

“It’s getting pretty expensive to park your car” says Simpson, “and it’s also, not only the actual cost of the car – it’s the lost time with congestion – why waste an hour to get to Manhattan with a car when you can get across in 10 minutes and maybe park over here- we’ve got park and ride lots…coming into the Terminal, we’ve got 8 bus lines, 7 commuter lines the PATH trains, the light rail, the ferries, the taxis, and we’re in the number one walkable community in the state…if we don’t invest in our existing infrastructure it will fall apart, and then any expansion that we do is going to be for naught – so this is the kind of development that we like to see.”

Jim Weinstein, the Executive Director of NJ Transit, says the project provides “a new, much more efficient, much more attractive facility for people traveling from Jersey into New York City…and as the economy grows, the demand for capacity to cross the Hudson – both ways – is also going to grow…we’re at capacity on the rail- PATH will be at capacity probably when the World Trade Center opens – and the ferry system can be scaled up as needed…if we’ve got a good facility to work out of – for people to travel out of – that’s going to attract people…the ferry system is one of the great opportunities that we have to grow capacity in the trans-Hudson market going across- both ways.”

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