The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) and the Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) announced the ribbon cutting of the expanded and upgraded Liberty State Park Ferry Terminal in Jersey City, which serves millions of visitors to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island each year.
The $51.1 million project transformed the historic Central Railroad of New Jersey Ferry Terminal, which has largely been unused since Liberty State Park was established in 1976, into a modern facility for future services that can support a multi-functional landing scheme, while preserving elements of the terminal’s history. A key feature of the project was replacing a sunken barge with a new pier structure and barge to accommodate increased maritime traffic and strengthen regional emergency response capabilities. In addition, the sunken barge was repurposed to create an artificial reef to support a healthy marine ecosystem off the Jersey Shore.
As part of today’s event, approximately 30 vessels took part in the Great Boatlift ceremony, an annual commemoration honoring the historic maritime rescue effort on September 11, 2001 in the Port of New York and New Jersey – one of the largest maritime evacuation operations in history.
“This new facility expands ferry capacity, improves accessibility, and replaces aging marine infrastructure with a modern terminal designed to safely serve the needs of visitors to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island,” NJDOT Commissioner Priya Jain said. “Together – with NJDEP’s New Jersey State Parks program, the National Park Service and ferry operators – we are helping restore an iconic public space, strengthen an important transportation asset, and ensure that this historic waterfront is ready to serve New Jersey and the world for generations to come.”
“We are grateful to our partners at the New Jersey Department of Transportation for helping bring the Liberty State Park Ferry Terminal back to life, an important step in advancing the Sherrill Administration’s vision for the revitalization of Liberty State Park and making government work more efficiently for the people of New Jersey,” New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Ed Potosnak said. “The expanded terminal provides New Jersey’s only access point for visitors traveling to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, while strengthening public safety. It also gives park interpretive staff new opportunities to teach visitors about the millions of immigrants who passed through this historic gateway, arriving at Ellis Island, traveling by ferry to Jersey City, passing through the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal and continuing their journeys by train from the Historic Train Shed, which is also being restored.”
“One of the incredible benefits of this project is that this will enhance the experience for everyone who chooses to come and pay homage to our nation’s history here at Ellis Island, here at Liberty State Park, especially at this moment in our country’s history,” U.S. Congressman Rob Menendez said. “In addition, as we recently memorialized and commemorated the 25th anniversary of 9/11, having additional redundancy for first responders who can ensure that this coastline can be used in the case of an emergency is something that ensures that we are prepared for whatever moment we need to meet once again.”
“As we dedicate this modern terminal, it’s especially appropriate that 25 years after the attacks of September 11th, we remember the historic 9/11 boat lift,” Commander of U.S. Coast Guard Sector New York, and Captain of the Port of New York and New Jersey Doreen McCarthy said. “Our responsibility is not simply to remember that legacy. Our responsibility is to carry it forward. We do that by investing in our people, in maintaining the highest standards, in ensuring the next generation of mariners and responders are prepared to answer the call when the moment comes.”
“Today is about more than maritime infrastructure,” Senator Raj Mukherji said. “It’s about ensuring that this waterfront remains ready to serve New Jersey when people are going to Liberty Island and Ellis Island and experiencing their own immigrant stories.”
“It’s an honor to be here at Liberty State Park as we celebrate the opening of the newly rebuilt ferry terminal, a $51.1 million investment in our infrastructure, our safety, and our future,” Senator Angela McKnight said. “This is a momentous occasion. Together we can do amazing things.”
“Every day, we work together to safely move people and goods beyond our two states and between them,” New York City Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson said. “Today, we’re not here as a city or a state; we’re here at the harbor that makes us one. I want to congratulate everyone here on the completion of this incredible project. This new landing will serve residents and visitors on good days, and as we’ve heard, in times of need.”
“Today we are here to celebrate the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Liberty State Park Ferry Terminal project, and the Federal Highway would like to thank everyone involved in this project for your dedication, skill, and attention to details, which ensured that the project was completed to the highest standards,” Federal Highway Administration’s Director of Field Services North Thomas Nelson Jr. said. “This $51 million project received $41 million in federal funding, which is approximately 80 percent of the project cost.”
“We are proud to call this facility our new home,” Statue City Cruise Vice President of Sales and Marketing Rafael Abreu said. “For Statue City Cruises, this facility isn’t just new infrastructure; it’s the future of how we serve the millions of visitors who come to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island each year.”
“This new facility will help serve the millions of people who visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, but these four new ferry slips also strengthen something larger: the maritime capacity and resilience of the Port of New York and New Jersey,” Maritime Association of the Port of New York and New Jersey Executive Director Stephen Lyman said. “At the Maritime Association and the Towboat and Harbor Carriers Association, we believe that protecting and investing in our commercial maritime industry and maritime infrastructure is not simply an investment in an industry. It is an investment in the economic strength, mobility, safety, and resilience of our entire region.”