Why are some benches missing from St. George Ferry Terminal?
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- If youve visited the St. George Ferry Terminal recently you may have noticed its a bit harder to find a seat while waiting for the boat. Currently, about half of the benches in the terminals waiting area have been removed, leaving riders with fewer seating options during their daily commute. The benches were removed so that they could be stripped and powder-coated to accommodate repairs from being marred, stained and discolored throughout the years, according to the Department of Transportation (DOT). The benches will be removed and repaired in phases to ensure that some seating is maintained in the terminal at all times. All benches are expected to be removed, repaired and reinstalled in the coming months, according to the DOT. The temporary removal of the benches has had a minimal impact on commuters, with ferry ridership still down significantly from pre-pandemic levels. In May 2021, Staten Island Ferry ridership was down approximately 67% from May 2019, before the coronavirus (COVID-19) limited the amount of people commuting daily, according to city data. The Staten Island Ferry handled just 757,340 passengers in May 2021, compared to 2,297,143 passengers in May 2019.