Next SI Ferry Might Not Include Outdoor Seats

The DOT says designs are only preliminary

Preliminary designs for the next generation of Staten Island Ferries would do away with the outdoor seating that has helped turn the big orange boats into a popular tourist attraction.

The Staten Island Advance reports that a design report prepared by a naval engineering firm calls for new ships that would be run with a smaller crew and cut fuel costs by 40 percent.

But the early blueprints also lack the breezy outdoor promenades, which some consider a romantic way to see New York Harbor.

Ferry Riders Committee Chairman Nicholas Zvegintzov tells the Advance he is confident the outdoor decks will be restored.

City Department of Transportation spokesman Scott Gastel says the designs are only preliminary and the public will be asked for input before anything is finalized.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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