After nearly five years of construction, the MTA has announced that the South Ferry 1 Train station will re-open this June. Those commuting to and from Staten Island and Manhattan will soon be able enjoy the newly improved station and ease of travel just in time for summer!
The state-of-the art, $545 million South Ferry station was originally unveiled in 2009, after a long awaited post-9/11 rehabilitation project. However, in 2012, Super-storm Sandy ripped through the city, dumping nearly 15 million gallons of saltwater, sewage and debris into the station.
During construction, Staten Island commuters were forced to utilize the nearly 111-year-old 1 train station, which has no handicap access and a curved design forcing riders to only exit from the first five cars.
The new $343 million renovation project promises to make commuting from the ferry and Lower Manhattan much easier. The new South Ferry station will be handicap accessible and virtually stormproof. A press release from the MTA states the project included “leak mitigation, replacement of track, mechanical, electrical, signal, and communications equipment, as well as ceiling and wall panels and other damaged assets.”
Nearly 29% of all Staten Island commuters utilize public transit daily, and commute times last an average of 69 minutes per day. The brand new, highly anticipated South Ferry station will hopefully improve travel times for thousands of Islanders.
Image attribution: The entry to the New South Ferry – White Hall Street Station By User:bebo2good1 – [1], GFDL, Link
Victoria is a writer, host, and actress for Richmond City Media. She’s also a storyteller, digital marketer, and pop culture aficionado. When she’s not educating the masses on Staten Island culture, you can find her watching Bravo TV shows or getting her nails done.
![[1]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:IRT_BMT_South_Ferry_-_Whitehall_st_Station.JPG){kind=link}