Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) has been selected by the New York Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) to design a new class of ferries that will operate between the boroughs of Staten Island and Manhattan in New York, USA.
The project scope consists of a complete design package, including contract drawings, specifications and other documents for vessels to replace the existing Barberi- and Kennedy-class ferries.
Also included in the scope are modifications to the existing Molinari-class ferries to retrofit a new propulsion system, something the city says is necessary to establish consistency between the new ferries and those that will remain in the fleet.
In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, Senator Charles E Schumer (D-NY) urged the Federal Government to provide US$267 million to the NYC DOT for passenger ferries and upgrades to existing ferry terminals.
According to Schumer, damage from Superstorm Sandy has necessitated a more modern and resilient infrastructure, with ferries playing a key role due to their ability to begin service immediately following a storm (given the proper landing equipment).
NYC DOT is expected to apply for the grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Sandy Resilience Program to help pay for the ferries, which will cost an estimated US$309 million to build.
Image Source: Rob Young/Wikimedia Commons
