By Joseph Morales

   City Island in The Bronx is one of New York City’s top local tourism spots during the summer. People from across the region come to enjoy the city’s largest concentration of seafood restaurants or board a fishing boat from one of the island’s piers. The island is located across a bridge from Pelham Bay Park and is not far from Orchard Beach.

          Despite its widespread popularity, transportation to and from the island from the Bronx mainland is extremely limited. This may be a substantial reason why you may have never heard of City Island if you live outside of The Bronx or South Westchester. For starters, the only way on and off the island is the two-lane bridge from Pelham Bay Park. The reliance on this single bridge and the resulting congestion can make getting on and off the island a major challenge for motorists. These conditions particularly pose a burden on City Island’s roughly 4,500 residents for which the bridge is their only way of leaving their neighborhood. As for public transportation, the only bus routes are the Bx29 from the Pelham Bay Park subway station and the BxM8 which provides express service to and from Manhattan. Unfortunately, the Bx29 can be very infrequent and only a very small portion of BxM8 trips pass Pelham Bay and enter City Island. It is likely that the dire lack of connections between City Island and the rest of NYC results in the island not getting as many visitors as it can. The issue also makes it harder for residents to access just about everything NYC has to offer outside of City Island.

         To help resolve City Island’s transportation issues, the advocacy group City Island Rising, has called on the city to extend the Soundview Ferry route from Throggs Neck to City Island. The route currently serves Throggs Neck and Soundview in The Bronx before running nonstop to Manhattan and making several stops there. City Island Rising believes that adding City Island to the route would offer a new viable travel option for both residents and locals alike. A feasibility study by the New York City Economic Development Corporation(NYCEDC) in 2019 looked into the issue and determined that ridership on such an extension would likely be low. However, City Island Rising disagrees with advocate John Doyle telling CBS New York in 2024, “‘You don’t have to live on City Island to be invested in its future.’” Since then, the group has given signs to businesses and started an online petition to fight for a ferry station. Advocacy efforts are likely to intensify now that a City Island extension was not proposed as part of NYC Ferry’s redesign of its ferry network.

         So, even if it’s not for some time, could City Island one day see a ferry stop? City Island already meets some of the conditions necessary for warranting ferry service and in some cases does so better than some places that already have boats. For instance, the study from 2019 showed that a direct ferry was estimated to take to get to Midtown versus existing transit is relatively similar for City Island(79 vs 54 minutes) as it was for Throggs Neck(80 vs 52 minutes). Throggs Neck has had ferry service since 2021 and it has been lauded by residents. Unlike a would-be terminal on City Island, Throggs Neck riders must drive or take an infrequent bus to a parking lot at Ferry Point Park and then walk 10 minutes or take a shuttle to the ferry terminal. The ferry’s success in this area despite these conditions is a good sign for what could be on City Island. Also, almost every neighborhood NYC Ferry has expanded to including Throggs Neck has substantial, 7 day a week express bus or even subway to Manhattan while City Island sees just four peak-directional bus trips a day on weekdays only. This can lead to a much greater proportion of Manhattan-City Island travellers using a ferry. 

           Whether or not City Island ultimately gets its ferry terminal likely comes down to whether or not the NYCEDC believes it can get enough ridership to justify service. While City Island’s transit scarcity makes it seem like a slam dunk, it is a lot more complicated than that. A ferry terminal would have to either be at the southern tip of the island or be adjacent to the Fordham Street Promenade near the Hart Island Ferry Terminal. For reference, Hart Island is NYC’s public cemetery and the ferry transports workers and visitors. The Hart Island Ferry Terminal’s restricted nature means a new terminal would be needed for NYC Ferry operations. There is no parking accessible to commuters near either site and City Island has a total of just 4,500 residents. In addition, the island is roughly 2 miles long and residents might not want to take the same Bx29 bus to the ferry that they could take to the Pelham Bay Park(6) subway station. These circumstances could make for a low number of daily riders if the ferry does not match or beat existing modes as far as convenience is concerned.

           Though there are some challenges, there are a few ridership factors that could work in City Island’s favor. 

           One of the most significant of these factors is the likelihood of recreational travel to the island. Riders have been known to take recreational trips throughout the NYC Ferry system to neighborhoods throughout the city that for the most part are not known for drawing guests. However, City Island is a true destination in its own right, as it boasts the highest density of seafood restaurants in NYC and is home to a decent variety of recreational activities and facilities. Activity options include lower-cost fishing boat experiences, the City Island Nautical Museum and the Starving Artist Cafe and Gallery. Some of these things are likely unheard of to many due to City Island’s significant isolation from the rest of the city. Having a ferry stop could change this as more visitors would come to the island more when it becomes more accessible. 

         Also, a ferry terminal at the southern end of City Island would be located directly in front of Tony’s Pier and Johnny’s Reef. The two restaurants are both open-air seafood cafeterias that are considered extremely rare in the Northeast. They are extremely popular and often have lines stretching the entirety of the buildings to order food. When talking about the places people come from to go to Johnny’s Reef, a Forbes article said that Johnny’s is, “as close to being in a true melting pot as any institution in the five boroughs.”

         Outside of recreation, another thing working in favor of City Island ridership is people’s general desire for alternative travel modes to driving or traditional mass transit. Many people across the city ride ferries even when other modes are faster due to safety or comfort related reasons. Others want to ride the ferry for the fun of riding the boat in and of itself. A survey by the Citizens Budget Commission obtained by the Gothamist said that just 51% of New Yorkers felt safe riding the subway during the day compared to just 22% at night. These numbers indicate that there is a good chance a significant number of residents and visitors to City Island would welcome a travel option that does not involve taking the 6 train to the last stop. Additionally, the NYC Ferry offers the ability to enjoy wonderful views from outdoor decks, spacious seating on the interior, and even amenities like work tables and a concession stand. This coupled with the long waits/rides required to use existing transit may drive more residents to the ferry if a stop were to exist.

          With how popular City Island is amongst Bronx residents, it would undoubtedly be huge for the community if the island was more accessible from the rest of the city. Enhanced mobility would also be a game-changer for residents who face a number of unique challenges to commute from such an isolated location. There are a number of factors weighing into how much ridership a City Island ferry stop would get and it will likely be a while until the NYCEDC assesses the possibility of a route extension again. Hopefully, whether it’s a ferry station or something else, solutions can be reached so that one of NYC’s top summer destinations can be better connected to the city and the region. This will allow City Island to become a better place to live as well as to reach its potential as a regional recreation and seafood hotspot.

Works Cited

“About NYC Ferry.” NYC Ferry, 2025, https://www.ferry.nyc/about/. Accessed 13 July 2025.

Bedrosian, Shosh. “City Island residents pushing for ferry service for fast commutes, more foot traffic.” CBS News, 1 April 2024, https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/city-island-residents-push-for-ferry-service-for-fast-commutes-more-foot-traffic/. Accessed 13 July 2025.

“Changes are coming to NYC Ferry routes. We want your feedback! – New York City Ferry Service.” NYC Ferry, 14 July 2025, https://www.ferry.nyc/blog/changes-are-coming-to-nyc-ferry-routes/. Accessed 15 July 2025.

“City Island.” Niche, https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/n/city-island-new-york-city-ny/. Accessed 13 July 2025.

“Happy Hour and New Snacks on Board NYC Ferry – New York City Ferry Service.” NYC Ferry, 11 February 2025, https://www.ferry.nyc/blog/nyc-ferry-happy-hour-concessions/. Accessed 13 July 2025.

Lane, Charles, et al. “New Yorkers feel somewhat safer in public, but subway fears persist, survey finds.” Gothamist, 5 June 2025, https://gothamist.com/news/new-yorkers-feel-somewhat-safer-in-public-but-subway-fears-persist-survey-finds. Accessed 13 July 2025.

Mariani, John. “Johnny’s Reef Revisited On Long Island In The Bronx.” Forbes, 5 September 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnmariani/2023/09/05/johnnys-reef-revisited-on-long-island-in-the-bronx/. Accessed 13 July 2025.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority. “BxM8 Bus Timetable.” MTA, 29 June 2025, https://www.mta.info/document/88961. Accessed 13 July 2025.

“2018-2019 NYC Ferry Expansion Feasibility Study.” New York City Economic Development Corporation, 2019, https://edc.nyc/sites/default/files/2025-01/NYCEDC-Ferry-Feasibility-Study-2018-2019.pdf. Accessed 13 July 2025.

“Yes to an NYC Ferry Terminal on City Island.” City Island Rising, https://cityislandrising.org/ferry/. Accessed 13 July 2025.