Mitigation Actions Title
Resilient Staten Island Ferry Terminal Â
Mitigation Actions Description
The New York City Economic Development Corporation proposes the planning and design of a new, resilient Staten Island Ferry Terminal (SIFT) in New York City (NYC) to protect the Terminal against destructive flooding hazards and to maintain the reliability of Staten Island Ferry service during and after extreme weather events. The project targets two levels of flood protection: (1) maintaining ferry service despite the impacts of increased ocean levels and expected higher tides (“sunny day†conditions) and (2) protecting the facility from increasingly frequent and severe coastal storms, including the significant impact of waves and wave action. The project will conduct surveying, modeling, and economic analyses to reach a preliminary (30%) stage of design for a Staten Island Ferry Terminal that is comprehensively safeguarded against multiple flooding hazards to preserve operations, avoid costly disruptions and structural damage, and maintain ferry safety, accessibility, and service for millions of annual passengers. Â
This project scoping activity has three key goals:
1) Advance the design development of a new, resilient SIFT to begin environmental review and permitting. This would focus on three main systems: (1) the flood protection system (e.g., passive elevation features, floodwalls, gates), (2) marine structures and systems (e.g., dolphins, fenders, piers, ramps, and related requirements), (3) the building/facility system (e.g., building envelop, structural, foundations, interior spaces, passenger services). This would include identification of major design elements across architectural, civil, structural, mechanical, and other disciplines. Efforts include creating plans, sections, and specifications, assessing existing conditions, integrating flood protection, and analyzing space requirements for marine operations and passenger movement. The design will emphasize economic resilience by aiming to minimize ferry service disruptions by evaluating constructability, staging, and temporary relocation of operations during construction.
2) Conduct stakeholder engagement and partnership building to inform a successful and comprehensive design; and
3) Complete a FEMA-compliant economic impact analysis and benefit-cost analysis (BCA) for a preferred design.
This scope of work will result in preliminary (30%) design of the flood protection and marine structures and systems such that a new, resilient SIFT that can be submitted in a future HMA application cycle to complete the design and implement the project. Deliverables will include schematic design of the ferry terminal, documentation of robust stakeholder engagement, an economic impact analysis, a benefit-costs analysis (BCA), and a subapplication for a future HMA funding opportunity. The documentation will be included as attachments/inputs in the project implementation grant application to be submitted in a future grant cycle, to position the City to secure additional funding for final design, permitting, and construction.
Description Problem
The current Whitehall Ferry Terminal, which the new SIFT will replace, faces growing challenges from recurring coastal flooding and severe weather, which threaten its long-term functionality and economic viability. If no action is taken, by the 2050s daily tides will reduce the clearance between the top ferry deck and roof of the Terminal. This could require steeper boarding ramps which can be challenging for all users, along with compromising compliance with accessibility regulations such as American Disabilities Act (ADA) and NYC Local Law 68. By the 2080s, the lower level will be submerged daily, which will not only block lower-level boarding but impede operations of the whole facility entirely, leading to costly infrastructure damages and disrupting ferry services relied on by thousands of daily commuters to access their jobs. In addition to tidal flooding, the Terminal is at risk from more frequent and severe storms, like hurricanes and nor’easters. Without proactive measures, the financial consequences of these extreme weather events on the Terminal and surrounding community would be dire: projections through 2100 indicate flooding could result in up to $20.3B in losses across the Lower Manhattan area and region if flood protection measures are not implemented. This includes $15.1B in direct and indirect economic impacts, alongside expected disruptions to the transportation systems that are critical to the city and region’s economy and workforce mobility.
In 2021, NYC released the Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan (Master Plan), which outlines long-term strategies to protect Lower Manhattan from severe coastal storms and rainfall through integrated coastal resilience projects. In identifying an areawide flood protection system to prevent flooding of the entire neighborhood, the Master Plan also identified the need for the current Whitehall Ferry Terminal to be reconstructed and made resilient to maintain Ferry service. The challenges of reconstructing this critical ferry terminal are compounded by the fact that it sits on top of and astride multiple subway tunnels. Additionally, the areawide protection for the stretch of shoreline along the Financial District and Seaport neighborhoods will need to be integrated into the Ferry Terminal. Therefore, it is proposed that the terminal be rebuilt as the new “Staten Island Ferry Terminal†to mitigate flooding hazards, maintain continuity of Staten Island Ferry service, and integrate with the larger planned flood defense system. The City will also explore opportunities to seamlessly integrate the flood protection and resilience components while improving passenger experience as well as accommodating projected future passenger increases.
Lead Agency
Economic Development Corporation
Support Agency
New York City Department of Transportation, Small Business Services
Action Category
Property Protection
Action Status
Proposed or Not Started
Action Status Date
2025-02-20T00:00:00.000
Hazards Addressed
Coastal Storms,Flooding
Estimated Start
2027-01-01T00:00:00.000
Estimated Finish
2029-06-30T00:00:00.000
Estimated Cost
$4,710,000.00
Federal Funding Source
FEMA-HMGP
Description Of Critical Facility
According to U.S. DOT Areas of Persistent Poverty (AoPP) data, Manhattan and SI poverty rates surpass the national average (11.1%), with Manhattan boroughs reporting at 16.5% and SI at 13.1% of people living in poverty. The median household income of SI is approximately $95,543, categorizing the average SI resident as low-income with a 68% AMI, according to 2023 Census data and the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The proposed Ferry Terminal location is adjacent to six (6) tracts identified as AoPP in Manhattan and—since over half of the Ferry’s resident riders are Staten Island residents—also offers a critical service to the twenty-nine (29) AoPP tracts in Staten Island. These residents rely on the Ferry, a free service, as a cost-effective alternative to using express buses or driving to reach Manhattan. The Ferry also offers a more time-efficient transportation connection to Lower Manhattan, where traffic congestion is among the worst in the nation, costing residents hundreds of hours annually and delaying access to jobs, schools, local businesses, and essential services.
