The proposed service, which would include a stop in Yonkers, has been a hotly controversial issue in Nyack. The village board passed a resolution against the facility last month, and candidates for local office who campaigned on a pro-ferry platform lost by a rough margin of 3 to 1. Many residents protested the garage would attract more traffic, clogging village streets and adding to pollution. Gov. Pataki commented that "a high-speed ferry service from Rockland to Manhattan is still a good idea, but not to the point where it disrupts the community." The Thruway Authority also said it had not found private partners to help finance the $12 million garage.

The Thuway will continue to look at other options, including using parking lots at Rockland Lake State Park and at-grade parking lots (instead of a garage) in Nyack.