The Newburgh Town Board on Monday, July 28 unanimously approved at their work session a resolution opposing the termination of the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry Service. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced this year the ferry service would be discontinued for the area.

The decision to cease ferry service has been a point of contention with residents from Newburgh, Beacon and other municipalities along the river. The ferry service ceased following damage to the dock on the Beacon side this past winter and has been replaced by bus service for the time being. Over the past month, residents of Newburgh and the surrounding communities have been holding events to raise awareness on the issue and call on the MTA to reconsider their decision.

On July 8, Councilmen Scott Manley and Jim Politi both attended a rally to Save the Ferry where over 100 people and other elected officials from the region joined together to oppose the decision. Another rally was to be held on July 29 in Beacon and the next MTA Board Meeting was set for July 30.

The resolution to be voted on on Monday was presented and prepared by Town Attorney Mark Taylor.

On Monday night, the town board voted on the resolution as follows: “Whereas, the Town of Newburgh is one of the northernmost municipalities in Orange County; and Whereas, Orange County is part of the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District (MCTD) and its northern boundary is the northern boundary of the MCTD; and Whereas, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“MTA”) provides no direct public transportation services in or to the Town of Newburgh nor is any MTA infrastructure located in the Town; and Whereas, notwithstanding the Town of Newburgh’s location at the northern boundary of Orange County and the MCD and the absence of any direct MTA service to the Town, Town of Newburgh businesses and residents, in addition to fares and tolls, contribute and pay myriad taxes, fees and surcharges including but not limited to the business payroll regional mobility tax, mortgage taxes, sales taxes, franchise tax surcharges, and taxes for Orange County’s payments for the statewide mass transportation operating assistance program, in support of the MTA’s funding of public transportation services, including trains, buses, ferries, and subways in the greater New York City area; and Whereas, Town residents and businesses pay similar MTA fees and taxes as other, highly MTA serviced areas even though the Town receives no direct MTA public transportation services or investment and all of Orange County is served by the MTA with a single, sporadically operating train line, the Port Jervis NJ Transit line; and Whereas the MTA has indicated it secks to address its lack of service west of the Hudson, including Orange County, by pointing to ways the MTA is trying to help west-of-Hudson commuters reach trains across the river, where Metro-North’s Hudson Line trains travel directly to Grand Central Terminal by “subsidizing different strategies for folks to get to the east side of the Hudson”.

The resolution continues as follows: “Whereas, despite such statements, the MTA has announced it has eliminated funding for the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry and will not be investing funds in the repair of critical dock infrastructure; and Whereas the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry has been a vital transportation link between the City of Newburgh and the City of Beacon, providing essential service for commuters, including commuters from the Town of Newburgh, and contributing to the regional economy for many years; and Whereas, the ferry service was suspended in January 2025 due to the “critical dock infrastructure damage”, with further assessment revealing “significant damage” requiring “long-term solutions”; and Whereas the MTA subsequently announced the permanent discontinuance of the ferry service, citing declining ridership and an estimated annual savings of $2.1 million; and Whereas this decision will negatively impact the residents and businesses of the Town of Newburgh as well as the cities of Newburgh and Beacon, particularly those who rely on the ferry for their daily commute to jobs and other destinations in Beacon and connecting train services to New York City; and Whereas alternatives like bus service, while provided as a replacement until the end of 2025, may not fully address the needs and convenience offered by the ferry, particularly given potential traffic congestion and longer travel times and the discontinuance of ferry service runs counter to the MTA’s own representations that it seeks to provide different strategies for underserved west side residents and employees in reaching the MTA’s services on the east side of the Hudson River; and Whereas the ferry service, even with past fluctuations in ridership, holds potential for growth and resurgence, especially with continued efforts to promote its use and integrate it into a comprehensive regional transportation network; and Whereas the termination of the ferry service may have adverse consequences for the local economy, impacting businesses that depend on ferry users and potentially hindering economic development efforts in both Newburgh and Beacon which also benefit the Town of Newburgh.”

The resolution concludes addressing the position of the town on the matter and what it seeks to be resolved: “Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved that the Town Board of the Town of Newburgh hereby expresses its strong opposition to the permanent termination of the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry service; and Be It Further Resolved that the Town of Newburgh urges the MTA and other relevant officials and agencies to reconsider this decision and actively seek viable solutions to restore and enhance the ferry service, including: Prioritizing the repair and upgrade of the ferry infrastructure in a timely and efficient manner; Exploring funding opportunities to support the long-term sustainability of the ferry service; Implementing strategies to increase ridership and promote the benefits of the ferry as a convenient and environmentally friendly mode of transportation and Engaging in meaningful dialogue with local communities to understand their needs and concerns regarding the termination of the ferry service”.

Copies of the resolution were to be forwarded by the town clerk to Governor Kathy Hochul, Congressman Pat Ryan, Senator Rob Rolison, Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson, the Federal Transit Administration, Marie Therese Dominguez, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Transportation, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the Dutchess County Executive and Legislature, the Orange County Executive and Legislature, and the Orange County Transportation Council.