A consortium of five Maryland counties — Anne Arundel, Calvert, Queen Anne’s, St. Mary’s, and Somerset, recently released results of a $250,000 feasibility study on a new Chesapeake Bay Passenger Ferry System.
The study reports that passenger-only ferries (NOT vehicle-carrying ferries) serving Annapolis, Baltimore, and the following Eastern Shore destinations—Easton, Cambridge, Rock Hall, Kent Narrows, St. Michaels, Oxford, Chestertown, and Crisfield—are feasible.
Members of the Consortium and other supporters of this new ferry system are well-intentioned. The ferry feasibility study looks good on paper.
Upon closer scrutiny of the August 24, 2024 executive summary of the consortium’s feasibility study, there are a number of unanswered questions. There is also one alternative that should be thoroughly evaluated before proceeding further. The questions and alternative include:
Why does the consortium only have two Eastern Shore counties – Queen Anne’s and Somerset?
Who will pay for projected start-up costs for a base line system requiring at least $8 million in ferry boat acquisitions and up to $5 million in necessary infrastructure improvements such as docks, passenger shelters, restrooms, and attraction shuttle services at system destinations before ferry operations can begin?
Who will pay for projected $5 million in annual operating costs for a baseline system that will be only partially offset by the feasibility studies “suggestion” that 50,000 ferry passenger riders will generate $2.5 million in revenue in the first season of operation?
What is this suggestion of 50,000 riders based on?
Who will cover this deficit if passenger revenue is below projections?
What assurances are there this new venture will not replicate the historical record of cost overruns during start up and post start overruns on new transportation projects?
Where do the 67% of individuals live, who responded to a consortium-sponsored survey who expressed interest in the ferry service?
Where do the 62% of community partners who have expressed interest in engaging activities for visitors to and residents of proposed ferry destinations live and/or operate?
Were survey respondents made fully aware that a new ferry system would not carry vehicles and would thus likely have a minimal impact at best on enormous amounts of vehicular traffic going to and from Ocean City every year?
Are consortium partners and supporters planning on state or local or government funding, for start-up and post start-up operating expenses?
If so, how much?
Are they acknowledging the following current and projected fiscal realities in Maryland?
The state and local governments across Maryland are facing significant challenges in funding current programs, including funding for implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future (Kirwan Plan). Current projections are the state deficit will each over $1 billion in 2026 and 2027, nearly $3.5 billion in 2028, and nearly $4 billion in 2029. Maryland is also facing a projected $3 billion deficit in the Maryland six-year transportation plan that does not yet reflect the loss in toll revenue after the Key Bridge collapse and the yet-to-be-finalized amount of state funding needed to rebuild that bridge. Governor Moore acknowledged this fiscal reality in his remarks at the Maryland Association of Counties Summer Conference last month. He noted all new state spending will be facing “extreme scrutiny.”
Is it realistic to assume state and local funding for the launch and operation of a new Bay ferry service will be a priority or even considered in Annapolis or with local governments in the near future, if ever?
Has the consortium and supporters of more ferry service on the Chesapeake Bay given serious evaluation of an alternative to meet the goal of a new ferry service to promote tourism AND help an endangered Chesapeake Bay way of life to survive and hopefully thrive?
There are over four hundred charter boats registered in Maryland. Operators of these charter boats have been and are dealing with extraordinary hardships due to new state regulations limiting the size and number of rockfish that can be caught by recreational fishing enthusiasts. These enthusiasts have historically come from within Maryland, from states adjacent to
Maryland and beyond.
These charter boat captains could be heavily promoted by every destination marketing organization in the Chesapeake Bay region for Bay pleasure cruises. Charter boat captains can provide tours to anywhere clients want to go on the Bay, whenever they want to go, and for as long or as short time they want to go. Charter boat captains can also provide accurate data on the demand for Bay cruises that may or may not match the data from the consortium’s surveys reporting interest for passenger ferry boats.
The next best step for the consortium is to meet with a representative group of charter boat captains to discuss their interest in, capacity for, and feasibility of providing more recreational cruises on the bay. Charter boats could be a cost-effective alternative to a new, costly, and unproven Chesapeake Bay passenger ferry system as THE way to generate more tourism and economic benefits for the Eastern Shore and the entire Chesapeake Bay region.
David Reel is a public relations and public affairs consultant who lives in Easton.
Karen O'Connor says
IF there is serious interest in providing ferry service the ONLY reasonable thing to consider is car service. It is done very successfully in the Pacific Northwest. Maybe soemone needs to do some homework and see if that apporach could solve the traffic problems we see on the BAy Bridge. It might be less expensive in the ong run than constructing a new bridge. Just a thought.