Post by ferryfast admin on Sept 24, 2007 17:48:12 GMT -5
Committee calls for bay ferry network
O'Malley gets 42-page report from citizens, business leaders
By ANDREW CHILDERS, Staff Writer
Published September 23, 2007
In a report offered to the governor last week, advocates for a network of Chesapeake Bay ferries suggest the boat system would alleviate congestion on the Bay Bridge without sparking a new Eastern Shore development boom.
The ad hoc committee of citizens and business leaders presented Gov. Martin O'Malley with a 42-page report that suggests linking Annapolis, Baltimore, Aberdeen, Kent Island and the southern Eastern Shore with a network of ferries. Mr. O'Malley, who opposes a third Chesapeake Bay span, already has instructed the Maryland Department of Transportation to review past feasibility studies on ferry services. The citizen-drafted plans suggests future avenues of discussion, including a collaboration with Virginia.
While even "wall-to-wall ferries" will not likely eliminate the need for new roads, Alan Gray, president of MetroMarine Holdings in Alexandra, Va., which helps develop and fund ferry systems and a member of the citizens committee, predicted it could alleviate some congestions.
"The important thing is to see how the market responds to water travel," he said.
"Passenger ferries will not address the need for moving large numbers of automobiles or trucks across or up and down the bay but can be used on the margins of the problem," the citizens group wrote in its report.
Committee member Chuck Weikel said the ferries could connect communities along the bay without creating new development pressure in Queen Anne's County.
Mr. O'Malley has resisted calls for a new Bay Bridge because of the potential harm to the Eastern Shore, a spokesman said.
"He wants to keep the Eastern Shore the Eastern Shore. Population follows roads and sewer," Rick Abbruzzese said.
However, Route 50 is pushing the limits of its capacity. In 2005, state officials acknowledged to the Task Force on Traffic Capacity Across the Chesapeake Bay that the current bridge cannot keep up with growing demand.
By 2025, more than 230,000 cars per day will be driving past Annapolis, about twice the current number.
Transportation officials currently are reviewing past studies on ferry systems and expect to report back to the Mr. O'Malley within the next six weeks.
In May, ferry proponents made the 7-mile trip from Annapolis to Kent Island in 22 minutes as part of a test run.
Modeled on a Rhode Island system linking Providence and Newport, they estimate the service could be contracted a ferry operator for roughly $1.7 million for a nine-month test. After that, the program would be evaluated to see if the service is a viable alternative.
The committee wants to follow up May's test with a trip to Virginia, racing against a car to see which mode is the most efficient.
"We need the governor for that one," committee member Craig Purcell said. "He's a busy guy with budget shortfalls."
The report is very conceptual, but the group said it is crunching numbers of several economic models for running the service.
The citizens group's report is not without its critics. Naval architect Bruce Johnson, who provided the modeling for the Annapolis to Kent Island run, removed his name from the report because he thought it focused exclusively on pedestrian ferries without considering car ferries.
Pedestrian ferries "are among the least viable options" to alleviate congestion, he said.
Mr. Weikel said the group has not entirely ruled out car ferries.
O'Malley gets 42-page report from citizens, business leaders
By ANDREW CHILDERS, Staff Writer
Published September 23, 2007
In a report offered to the governor last week, advocates for a network of Chesapeake Bay ferries suggest the boat system would alleviate congestion on the Bay Bridge without sparking a new Eastern Shore development boom.
The ad hoc committee of citizens and business leaders presented Gov. Martin O'Malley with a 42-page report that suggests linking Annapolis, Baltimore, Aberdeen, Kent Island and the southern Eastern Shore with a network of ferries. Mr. O'Malley, who opposes a third Chesapeake Bay span, already has instructed the Maryland Department of Transportation to review past feasibility studies on ferry services. The citizen-drafted plans suggests future avenues of discussion, including a collaboration with Virginia.
While even "wall-to-wall ferries" will not likely eliminate the need for new roads, Alan Gray, president of MetroMarine Holdings in Alexandra, Va., which helps develop and fund ferry systems and a member of the citizens committee, predicted it could alleviate some congestions.
"The important thing is to see how the market responds to water travel," he said.
"Passenger ferries will not address the need for moving large numbers of automobiles or trucks across or up and down the bay but can be used on the margins of the problem," the citizens group wrote in its report.
Committee member Chuck Weikel said the ferries could connect communities along the bay without creating new development pressure in Queen Anne's County.
Mr. O'Malley has resisted calls for a new Bay Bridge because of the potential harm to the Eastern Shore, a spokesman said.
"He wants to keep the Eastern Shore the Eastern Shore. Population follows roads and sewer," Rick Abbruzzese said.
However, Route 50 is pushing the limits of its capacity. In 2005, state officials acknowledged to the Task Force on Traffic Capacity Across the Chesapeake Bay that the current bridge cannot keep up with growing demand.
By 2025, more than 230,000 cars per day will be driving past Annapolis, about twice the current number.
Transportation officials currently are reviewing past studies on ferry systems and expect to report back to the Mr. O'Malley within the next six weeks.
In May, ferry proponents made the 7-mile trip from Annapolis to Kent Island in 22 minutes as part of a test run.
Modeled on a Rhode Island system linking Providence and Newport, they estimate the service could be contracted a ferry operator for roughly $1.7 million for a nine-month test. After that, the program would be evaluated to see if the service is a viable alternative.
The committee wants to follow up May's test with a trip to Virginia, racing against a car to see which mode is the most efficient.
"We need the governor for that one," committee member Craig Purcell said. "He's a busy guy with budget shortfalls."
The report is very conceptual, but the group said it is crunching numbers of several economic models for running the service.
The citizens group's report is not without its critics. Naval architect Bruce Johnson, who provided the modeling for the Annapolis to Kent Island run, removed his name from the report because he thought it focused exclusively on pedestrian ferries without considering car ferries.
Pedestrian ferries "are among the least viable options" to alleviate congestion, he said.
Mr. Weikel said the group has not entirely ruled out car ferries.