2-weekend pilot program hopes to bring back ferry service between Newburgh and Beacon
The MTA discontinued the original service in June of 2025, citing low ridership among other factors.
More Stories
A two-weekend trial program is hoping to convince the MTA and state officials to bring back ferry service between Newburgh and Beacon.
The original program was discontinued in June of 2025, with the MTA saying only 62 people rode it a day, and that the money would be used to make buses over the Newburgh-Beacon bridge free and more frequent.
"You're still stuck in traffic," said Naomi Hersson-Ringskog, a member of the Save the Ferry Coalition. "A lot of people say it comes 15 minutes late, then they miss their train."
Hersson-Ringskog and other members of the Coalition argue that the ferry could have worked if it had better service and publicity.
To try to prove their point, they partnered with a private charter company, bringing back the ferry last weekend and this weekend, saying they hope it will be "an indicator of enthusiasm."
So far, it has been. Every ticket for both weekends sold out.
"There is pent-up demand for this, whether it's job, or cultural, or joy-ride, or the economic of small businesses," Hersson-Ringskog said.
However, the program's future could come down to infrastructure. Save the Ferry says that a permanent service would likely need Beacon to rebuild its dock, and Newburgh to expand the one on its side.
While sources tell us that Newburgh has applied for a state permit to do that twice, both times, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation sent it back, saying it needed more justification for the size.
As a workaround, the Coalition says the cities could also install temporary docks, called spud barges.
"This is an election year, and I think that will be very telling of what are the priorities," Hersson-Ringskog said. "Transportation is a non-partisan issue. A lot of people can work together on it."
The plan for now is to do another, longer pilot next year, and share the data with state officials.
News 12 reached out to officials from both Beacon and Newburgh, who have not responded.
Meanwhile, the MTA referred News 12 to the New York State Department of Transportation, who is also yet to respond.
