Bloomberg greenlights East River Ferry service for five years

City hipsters can keep taking the scenic route.

On Friday, Mayor Bloomberg announced a five-year contract extension for the East River Ferry, which serves the hot 'hoods of Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Dumbo and Long Island City.

The service had been scheduled to end in June after a three-year pilot project. But the mayor said the popularity of the privately operated boats persuaded the city to keep them afloat for another five years, with taxpayers kicking in a subsidy of $2.7 million a year.

Ridership has averaged 3,400 a day and topped 8,000 on some summer weekends, officials said. Both rates were well above projections.

A one-way fare will remain $4 on weekdays, but tourists and sightseers who swarm the ferries on weekends will be paying $6 to defray costs.

The cost for a bicycle will remain an extra $1 at all times.

The frequency of service will be cut from every 60 minutes to every 80 minutes during periods of lower ridership in the winter.

A business owner near one of the ferry stops applauded the city for keeping the service — and the steady stream of customers it provides.

"That's good news. We get people coming from the ferry," said Barbara Eden, manager of the Waterfront Crab House in Long Island City, Queens, which is two blocks from the ferry terminal.

Eden predicted that demand for the service would increase in coming years because five apartment complexes are going up along her stretch of the water.

Bloomberg stressed that "spurring economic growth across the city" was one key reason to keep the ferry going.

The Billy Bey Ferry Co., the service's current operator, is keeping the contract.

The daily ferry service runs between East 34th Street and Pier 11 off Wall Street in lower Manhattan, making five stops in Brooklyn and Queens.

During summer weekends, there is also a stop at Governors Island.

Politicians representing the hipster nabes welcomed the parting gift from Bloomberg, who is leaving office at the end of the month.

"I'm thrilled," said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.

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