Manhattan is connected by bridges to every borough in New York City except Staten Island. So the Staten Island Ferry provides the only direct link between the two boroughs. There are other routes of getting to Staten Island from Manhattan but it would involve a detour through either Brooklyn or New Jersey. There has been a ferry service between Manhattan and Staten Island, in one form or another, since the 1700s.The Staten Island Ferry service is currently free of charge for all commuters because law makers and citizen activists argued that it is possible to walk from Queens, Brooklyn or the Bronx to Manhattan (across bridges) but not from Staten Island. Therefore, the city cannot reasonably expect commuters to pay for a service that the city failed to provide (ie. build a bridge between Manhattan and Staten Island). That's what I was told at a dinner party and I don't know if it is true. Nonetheless it is a valid arguement, don't you think?!?!
N.B.: Click on the photo to see the vibrant blue color.
