MTA Suspends Weekend Train Service On Hudson Line, Which Includes Beacon Stop

MTA service is suspended on the Hudson Line, which includes the Beacon stop, as well as Wassaic, Danbury, New Canaan, and other service changes.
Photo Credit: MTA website

As first announced by Governor Kathy Hochul, and first reported by the Highlands Current (which it looks like they squeezed in before their usual tight Thursday print deadline), the MTA suspended service on the Hudson Line (which goes to Beacon) on Thursday, and into the weekend, due to damages along the track from Hurricane Ida. The MTA is hopeful to restore limited service next week.

The MTA’s Deputy Communications Director Renee Price confirmed with A Little Beacon Blog: “Service is suspended on the Hudson Line this weekend. Crews are working toward establishing limited service early next week.”

MTA service is also suspended on the Hudson Line, which includes the Beacon stop, as well as Wassaic, Danbury, New Canaan, and other service changes.

No Ferry Service From Beacon To Newburgh - Suspended Indefinitely Since April 2020

The dock to the NY Waterway Ferry for the Newburg/Beacon ferry. As of July 2021, it has been closed since April 2020.

Several readers have reached out to see if the Newburg/Beacon Ferry is running. This week on Thursday 6/30/2021, ALBB confirmed with the NY Waterway, by way of the Marketing Manager Bernice Ramos, that the ferry is not running. We asked for more details as to why it is not running, and have not heard back yet. This article will be updated if a response comes in.

At the height of the pandemic, while subways in New York City were shut down and people were not commuting into work due to the shutdown, the Newburgh/Beacon Ferry suspended service on April 13, 2020, according to Mid Hudson News. The Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry was also suspended. Both were replaced with bus service.

However, bus service was also discontinued, as reported on May 25, 2020 by Mid Hudson News, citing low ridership. Dutchess County has been promoting its bus service, using it as a free resource for people getting COVID-19 tests, and are considering increasing service for those who need public transportation and don’t have cars.

A marketing message on the NY Waterway website, encouraging people to use the ferry. However, the ferry has been closed for over a year. No signage is posted down at the dock, or on the website.

No Signage or Website Message To Indicate Ferry Is Not Running

Currently, heavy construction is being done to the Newburgh/Beacon bridge, creating the usual traffic to cross over and through the toll lines. The ferry service continues to the most pleasant, and arguably most COVID-friendly way to cross the river, as it is in open air.

The only marketing message stand at the NY Waterway Ferry. The schedule for the ferry is from 2020.

There is no signage at the dock that the ferry is not running. People who wander down to the dock looking to take he ferry ask others who are waiting for the Bannerman Island Boat Tour ferry, which is running, if anyone knows anything about the Newburgh/Beacon Ferry. There is also no message on the NY Waterway website, except that there is no schedule posted. Which to be honest, is par for the course, and not a strong enough indication that the service has stopped.

Heavy Interest In Reviving The Newburgh/Beacon Ferry In 2019 With Pilot Weekend Service Initiative

Prior to the pandemic, investment was made into the Newburgh/Beacon Ferry, with great fanfare around the increased service - to run on the weekend. Since 1963, when the Newburgh/Beacon bridge was built, the weekend service was cut. The announcement of the weekend service trial was made in September 2019, with both Beacon and Newburgh working with Dutchess County and Orange County to make this happen. At that time, the weekend service wasn’t even using the NY Waterway Ferry vessel. It was using a boat from the Hudson River Maritime Museum. It is unknown at this time why the weekend service wouldn’t use the NY Waterway boat.

The NY Waterway Ferry Launched Free Service To IKEA In Brooklyn In Partnership With IKEA

As reported by NBC New York on 7/1/2021, NY Waterway partnered with IKEA in Red Hook (Brooklyn) to launch a new free weekend service to help people get to the Brooklyn store. The service had been offered before, but was halted during the pandemic.

According to the article, beginning on July 3, 2021, service “will run on weekends for the rest of the summer. Customers can board the ferry from Pier 79/Midtown Ferry Terminal, Brookfield Place/Battery Park City or at Pier 11/Wall Street. Those from New Jersey looking fto take advantage can connect from cross-Hudson ferries by transferring at any terminal in Manhattan.” The ferries run power up from 11am- 7pm. On July 4,, service will go from 9:25am to 4pm.

Social distancing will be encouraged, and masks are still required inside ferry terminals, and inside the cabins and shuttles. However, masks are not required on the open-air top decks, the NY Waterway said.

Why the Newburgh/Beacon Ferry has remained anchored at port-side (or out of the water) is unknown at this time. If you have information, please reach out to ALBB.

MTA Reduces To Weekend Schedule Preparing For Storm - Advises All To Finish Commute By 3pm

The MTA issued a press release on Monday, August 3rd, 2020 advising riders that service would be reduced to the weekend schedule in preparation for Hurricane Isaias. Empty tractor-trailers and tandem trucks on MTA bridges are banned on Tuesday, in anticipation of tropical storm force winds expected to arrive on Tuesday. Mayor Kyriacou translated the message during Monday evening’s City Council Meeting, and encouraged commuters to complete travel by 3pm to avoid delays caused by the storm.

“High winds pose a particularly serious concern on bridges, which is why we’re instituting a ban on tandem trailers and empty tractor trailers on our bridges from noon to midnight on Tuesday,” said MTA Bridges and Tunnels President Daniel DeCrescenzo. “Additional restrictions may put into place if conditions warrant so we are advising all motorists to look out for announcements as the storm passes through.”

More caution was given in the press release: "Customers should take precautions to travel safely and should defer non-essential travel, if possible, during and after heavy rain and winds. Customers may experience significant delays or disruptions and should allow for extra travel time, take extra caution when walking on platforms and stairs, watch for slippery conditions and be mindful for overhead foliage or wires."

An efficient way of getting fast updates from the MTA is by following their Twitter: www.twitter.com/mta

Beacon Train Station Overpass Stairs Being Replaced By MTA

Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

A reader wrote in to ask about the work being done to the overpass at the Beacon Train Station and why the stairs had been blocked off since late January 2020. According to a flyer posted in the MTA box, the stairs were closed on January 28, 2020, with an ETA of reopening in April 2020. A Little Beacon Blog reached out to the mayor’s office and learned that Beacon had been informed of the work, but not told in detail what it was, said Anthony J. Ruggiero, city administrator for the city of Beacon.

We reached out to the press office of the MTA, and learned that the MTA is fully replacing the entire staircase, from the parking lot to the pedestrian overpass. “The concrete has been completely removed and new steel is currently being installed,” answered Meredith Daniels, spokesperson with the State of New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority. “We expect the steel work to be completed by mid-March and new concrete stairs will then be poured. The new stairs are anticipated to open by early April.“

Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

PS: Getting these pictures today was actually tricky, with the strong gusts of wind whipping across the platform! I had to brace myself to the trash cans to avoid being blown away. Be careful out there!

Parking Fee Hikes At Beacon Metro-North Train Station Almost Happened, But Vote Postponed

Apparently parking rate hikes at Beacon and Poughkeepsie’s Metro-North (MTA) train stations were to be voted in today, according to a press release issued by Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson (D-104). According to the release, Jacobson and 11 of his legislative colleagues learned about the proposal to increase the daily and yearly parking rate, and to add a new charge for otherwise free parking on Saturdays, via regular local media when it was reported on this past Saturday, November 9, “in the middle of a long holiday weekend,” according to Jacobson’s press release. The proposal was to be voted upon today.

What Parking Prices Were Going To Increase?

The MTA’s proposal would increase daily, monthly, and annual parking rates as well as implement charges on Saturdays, when parking is currently free.

The proposed fee hike would increase the daily parking rate in Poughkeepsie from $3.75 to $4.50 and the annual rate from $358 to $394. In Beacon, the daily rate would increase from $3.50 to $4.25 and the annual rate from $298 to $328 for residents and from $358 to $394 for nonresidents.

“Charging parking fees on Saturday will also hurt riverfront tourism and depress attendance at many of Beacon and Poughkeepsie’s riverfront festivals, since most attendees park in MTA lots,” noted Jacobson.

Had There Been Talk Of A Parking Increase Before?

On November 1, Jacobson attended a meeting between Metro-North leadership and members of the Assembly, but the proposed increases were never mentioned by Metro-North.

After learning about the rate increase via local news, Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson (D-104) issued a joint statement with 11 of his legislative colleagues opposing the MTA’s proposed parking fee hikes at dozens of train stations, including Beacon and Poughkeepsie.

“The new charges are penny wise and pound foolish,” said Jacobson. “Instead of encouraging more people to use the trains, this proposal encourages people to drive to Manhattan, especially on Saturdays.”

The Vote To Increase The Parking Rate Hike Was Delayed

“I am happy to report that due to the outrage expressed by me and my colleagues, any decision on these parking fee increases has been delayed to December at the earliest,” said Jacobson.