The basics:
- Carteret awarded $5.38M federal transportation grant via NJTPA
- Funding supports $48M multimodal ferry terminal — now under construction
- Project central to Carteret’s broader waterfront redevelopment
- Ferry service to Manhattan expected to begin in early 2028
Carteret has secured a $5.38 million federal transportation grant to support construction of its $48 million Carteret Multimodal Ferry Terminal Building.
The North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority recently awarded the funding.
The four-story, 52,000-square-foot terminal officially broke ground Dec. 12. The project is a key element of Carteret’s waterfront redevelopment. The project now includes a fishing pier, public park mini golf course, a 185-slip marina as well as soon-to-open Riverwalk, Pier Pavilion and mobile kitchen.
Mayor Daniel Reiman has spearheaded the vision to transform the once inaccessible, completely industrial waterfront into a popular regional destination for arts and public recreation.
The facility is designed to serve as a transportation hub as well as a destination. It will feature retail, restaurant and recreational space. In late October, the borough awarded a $47.5 million construction contract to Brockwell and Carrington Contractors of Towaco.
“A project of this magnitude cannot happen without strong collaboration from the alphabet soup of acronyms of federal, state, regional, and local agencies, some working collaboratively with us to become partners in the project,” said Reiman, crediting New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), NJTPA and other partners for their funding, guidance and partnership. “These agencies recognized the value and impact of this terminal for the people of Carteret and for the transportation network of our entire region.”
Ferry good news
At the end of 2025, the Delaware River and Bay Authority approved a major step in modernizing the Cape May–Lewes Ferry fleet.
Read more about the $78.6 million contract here.
The ferry terminal is expected to take 18 to 24 months to build, with completion anticipated by December 2027. Ferry service expects to begin in early 2028, or sooner, with the potential for limited service available through a kiosk-based smartphone app.
Initial operations anticipate including two to three Manhattan stops, with three to four trips each morning and evening.
Commuting from Carteret
To date, Carteret has secured more than $86 million in federal and state funding for the broader ferry project.
Completed work includes:
- Installation of a 130-foot steel bulkhead along the Arthur Kill waterfront
- Dredging for ferry slips and docking areas
- Construction of in-water docks and gangplanks
Work is also underway on a 700-space parking lot and related site improvements.
The terminal’s intermodal design will allow NJ Transit buses, municipal jitneys and rideshare services to serve the site. Jitney connections will run throughout Carteret as well as to Rahway and Woodbridge train stations.
“Carteret is quickly becoming one of the most desired locations for commuters to call home,” said Reiman. “New residential and commercial opportunities, combined with our future ferry service, newly constructed Performing Arts and Events Center, upgraded parks, and stable tax rates, solidify Carteret as a great place to live, work, and raise a family.”
Today, we broke ground on Carteret’s Multimodal Ferry Terminal – a multi-purpose, multi-level, terminal that will redefine what a waterfront city can be.
For generations, this land belonged to industry, closed off to the community. Now, it belongs to the people of Carteret. pic.twitter.com/k21QuyRVZy
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) December 12, 2025
The 7-acre ferry terminal sits on a former Dupont property. The borough plans to obtain the rest of the site, too, to develop a movie studio, hotel and more.
“Like so many of these projects that we plan in Carteret, these are game changers,” said Reiman. “They create jobs, they put people to work and bring significant economic benefits to the community. They continue to change and improve the community for the future.”
“I am proud to deliver the expansion of ferry service to New York City from Carteret,” Gov. Phil Murphy said at the December groundbreaking. “I am grateful to Mayor Reiman and our partners in Carteret for bringing to life this new transportation hub that will drive economic growth in the area.”
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