Bayonne Receives $650K Federal Passenger Ferry Grant 

Grant Will Support Mayor Davis’ Plans to Bring Commuter Ferry Service to City 

BAYONNE, NJ — The City of Bayonne has received funding through the federal Passenger Ferry Grant program of nearly $650,000 thanks to the advocacy of Mayor Jimmy Davis and U.S. Representative Albio Sires (D-West New York). The grant will be used to help pay for the construction of the proposed Commuter Ferry Terminal at the former Military Ocean Terminal (MOTBY), which was announced earlier this year after Mayor Davis secured a term sheet agreement with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The city is currently awaiting bids from private ferry operators after the City Council voted in April to issue a Request for Proposals for the ferry program. 

“Commuter ferry service is a game changer for Bayonne and this federal grant is another step forward for our city towards a brighter future with millions in new tax revenue and an opportunity for our community to thrive,” said Mayor Davis. “I would like to thank Congressman Sires and his staff for their hard work in securing this grant funding. Our community’s future is looking better each and every day as we continue to move closer to creating the kind of city we’ve all dreamed that Bayonne could someday be.” 

The commuter ferry terminal plan is part of the Davis administration’s ambitious redevelopment of the MOTBY site, which saw little progress before Mayor Davis was elected. Now, a new Costco store has already broken ground and new luxury housing units are also under construction. In addition, an agreement to bring 2,700 new jobs in high-tech commercial warehouses was announced last month. 

“Bayonne is finally experiencing the kind of renaissance that residents have waited a long time for and I’m very proud to be able to assist in that effort by securing this grant to help bring commuter ferry service to the city,” said Congressman Sires. “I have seen what kind of positive impact ferry service has had on communities like Weehawken, West New York, Jersey City and Edgewater and with the revitalization of the city being led by Mayor Davis and his team, Bayonne is a natural fit for this transportation option.”