Q&A
Discussion on Coney Island ferry project challenges and costs
1:48:03
·
88 sec
Council Member Brannan questions the EDC about the challenges and costs associated with the proposed Coney Island ferry project. He expresses skepticism about the $250 million cost estimate for the project.
- Brannan challenges the new 'excuse' of high costs and technical difficulties
- EDC representative clarifies that typical ferry dock costs are $10-15 million
- Brannan argues that the $250 million estimate seems unrealistic and excessive
Justin L. Brannan
1:48:03
You know, I'm old enough to remember in prior administration when there was talk around, you know, building a Kony Island ferry, whether it was on the Creekside or whether it was on the Ocean side, The issue of, you know, the the issue that that EDC is now putting in our way as far as it would cost $250,000,000 to do it to do it right because of challenges on the ocean side.
1:48:26
That was never an issue before.
1:48:27
Like, when we talked about the Kony Island ferry version 1, whether it was Creek or Oceanside, it was always about viability in terms of how many people were gonna use the ferry.
1:48:36
So I kinda feel like this is a new excuse that we're hearing.
1:48:40
I don't disagree that it would be a challenge.
1:48:42
I don't think the $250,000,000.
1:48:44
I think that number is absurd.
1:48:45
I don't think there's any what is the average cost to build a a ferry dock?
James Wong
1:48:50
10 to 15 at this time.
Justin L. Brannan
1:48:52
So that would mean that this one would be I mean, it's it's absurd.
1:48:55
Absurd.
1:48:55
And I'm not a marine engineer, but when I hang out on the beach in Kony Island, and I see the Rockaway ferry going back and forth, passing by Stifel Chase Pier, maybe 20, 30 feet away from from where a dock would be, it's hard for the average person to think that it's an impossibility or it's a $250,000,000 impossibility to to make that happen.
1:49:16
So the legislation that that I'm pushing is to really dig back into that issue because, again, knowing that in the past, there was a different excuse.
1:49:25
And now the excuses become that it's not feasible because of the water.
1:49:29
It it's it's it's sort of it's hard for us to believe.
1:49:31
Really, last thing, the the environmental bond act, which authorized New York State to to spend about $4,000,000,000.