Fresh off that success, in 1983, Arthur made what many called an unwise bet: he purchased 350 acres of land along the New Jersey Hudson River waterfront from the Penn Central Railroad, declared that he’d redevelop the land, and create a commuter ferry system for residents. Three years later, he launched NY Waterways with just one ferry. NY Waterways went on to become one of the largest ferry companies in the nation, and its bus-to-ferry network has transported almost 300 million passengers.

Arthur was a long-time supporter of Regional Plan Association, and served as a member of our New Jersey Committee. Among other collaborations over the years, he was interviewed as part of our 2006 paper on the ferry system he helped build. Arthur was a visionary, and we were fortunate to benefit from his wisdom, generosity, and judgement.