On June 30, 1952, a ribbon cutting in Anne Arundel County marked the beginning and the end of transportation options between Maryland’s eastern shore and western shore. On that day, the first Chesapeake Bay Bridge opened for vehicular traffic. That same day, a ferry service that had carried 2 million passengers and 1 million vehicles on the Bay since being launched in 1930 ended. Conventional wisdom then was ferry service would never return to the Bay. Now an effort is underway to return ferry service that is very different from that which ended abruptly 72 years ago.
Currently, nine Maryland counties — Queen Anne’s, Anne Arundel, Calvert, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Wicomico, Talbot, Kent, and Dorchester plus the City of Annapolis are working with a consultant to study the feasibility of a new passenger-only ferry service on the Bay. Their final report will include recommendations on next steps if the consultant’s feasibility study concludes such a service is viable and sustainable. Below is the current map of potential routes. It is a work in progress. Routes may be added deleted or modified.
With all due respect to the supporters of this concept, I suggest there are two critical issues they need to consider if they have not done so already.
One issue is the ferry vessel under serious consideration for the proposed new service. It is the Candela P-12 all-electric ferry. It sells for approximately $2 million, does not carry vehicles, seats a maximum of 30 passengers, and has limited storage space for carry-ons such as bicycles, strollers, and wheelchairs.
This vessel will not be a practical alternative for the huge number of tourists who use Route 50 when going to Ocean City (“downy shore”).
Accordingly, this proposed new ferry service is not likely to generate significant support from eastern shore residents and public officials hoping for a solution to regular summer traffic jams on Route 50.
The second issue is the increasingly limited potential for state funding for this concept.
During the past several weeks in the General Assembly, there have been intense (and yet to be resolved) differences of opinion on how to address structural deficits in the state transportation trust fund and projected structural deficits in the state budget. Those deficits are almost certain to become worse based on the devastating impact on the state economy and state revenues from the tragic collapse of the Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Securing state funding for the launch and operation of a new ferry service on the Bay is not going to be a high priority in Annapolis in the foreseeable future.
I am not suggesting these are insurmountable obstacles or the only obstacles. I am suggesting they are very serious obstacles that cannot be ignored by the proponents of returning ferry service on the Bay.
One path forward may be securing private investment for this concept from investors with the resources to launch and operate it.
Otherwise, returning ferry service to the Chesapeake Bay may be an interesting idea whose time has not yet come.
David Reel is a public relations and public affairs consultant who lives in Easton.
Bill Anderson says
Evidently, a consulting service has been engaged for the purpose of identifying potential ferry routes across the Chesapeake Bay between the Eastern and WEestern shores. Whatever that cost of consulting services in that regard, the money was squandered. Without compenasation, I am able to assure that the ferry service, utilizing craft as described in this article, unable to transport vehicles and limited to 30 passengers, will arrive on a variety of desks seeking financial support. It will arrive there DOA.