New York's Orange County appoints a new member to the MTA board, amid doubts concerning the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry service
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is currently undergoing significant changes that have affected Orange County residents, including the discontinuation of the Newburgh-Beacon ferry service and the implementation of congestion pricing.
The Newburgh-Beacon Ferry, the oldest in the United States with origins dating back to 1743, has been a vital transportation link across the Hudson River for centuries. However, the ferry was discontinued primarily due to damage to the ferry dock infrastructure on the Beacon side caused by ice during the winter and declining ridership, which made its operation financially unsustainable. In 2024, ridership dropped to an average of 62 passengers daily, while the annual operating cost was about $2.1 million, leading the MTA to announce the ferry's permanent closure.
Following the suspension and announced discontinuation, there have been community efforts and rallies to save and restore the ferry service. Over a hundred residents, alongside local elected officials, have organized to bring awareness and advocate for the restoration of the ferry. Meanwhile, the MTA has continued a shuttle bus service replacing the ferry, extending free shuttle access to connect ferry users to Metro-North trains, with plans to increase the shuttle's frequency and coverage in the area.
One of the key figures in this fight is Jimmy O'Donnell, the newly appointed MTA board member from Orange County. O'Donnell, who served as the MTA's chief of police from February 1999 to December 2003, has a "use it or lose it" stance on continuing ferry service. He plans to survey former ferry riders to understand why they stopped using it and study the data after a year to see how congestion pricing has affected his constituents.
O'Donnell would like to see the ferry return, but only if it is used by a significant number of people. He also supports congestion pricing, citing improved commute times for his daughter as an example. In addition, he wants to push for each of the mid-Hudson counties (Orange, Rockland, Dutchess, and Putnam) to get a full vote on the MTA board.
State Sen. James Skoufis and other local officials have expressed frustration about Orange County's lack of a representative on the MTA board, particularly after the approval of congestion pricing. A group of residents and politicians, including U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan and organizer Naomi Hersson-Ringskog, have been advocating for the restoration of the ferry service. Hersson-Ringskog believes the ferry's low attendance is due to its limiting schedule and lack of advertising, and suggests improving it through pilot schedules or a weekend ferry.
The MTA, however, finds the cost to maintain the ferry service is too high. They are currently undergoing significant changes that aim to invest more efficiently in their systems and customers, and do not plan to bring back the ferry service. Jimmy O'Donnell's commute to MTA headquarters for his first meetings last month was a 12-hour journey due to the lack of public transit from west of the Hudson into New York City.
In an effort to improve the situation, Jimmy O'Donnell is interested in exploring a rail connection from the Beacon station through the city of Newburgh via Broadway. He is also considering a low-cost bus service between Newburgh and Beacon, similar to the one currently provided by the state Department of Transportation since January.
As the fight for the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry continues, the community remains hopeful that their voices will be heard and that the ferry will once again become a vital transportation link for Orange County residents.
- Jimmy O'Donnell, a newly appointed MTA board member, is advocating for a rail connection from the Beacon station through Newburgh via Broadway, as well as a low-cost bus service between Newburgh and Beacon, to address the lack of public transportation options.
- The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has discontinued the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry service due to damage to the ferry dock infrastructure and declining ridership, which has led to community efforts to save and restore the service.
- The MTA is undergoing changes that involve investing more efficiently in their systems and customers, and they do not plan to bring back the ferry service, while congestion pricing has been approved, leading to concerns about representation for Orange County in the MTA board and advocacy for the ferry's restoration.
