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Post by matt on Feb 9, 2007 14:10:59 GMT -4
This Shadow1 fella and I are agreeing lately...
Where we live we get few beach maggots (in case anyone wonders my opinion of OC traffic). And yet, there's litter all along the county road. Last year we did a clean up and it wasn't 2 days before some jacka$$ dumped his McD's along the road. After that it just piled up again. Those are locals.
The kids that went on the spree recently were locals. My beef with beach maggots is the simple immature opinion that they're in my way when I'm trying to go home or around my hometown.
The ferry, if done right, actually could make a difference in typical day-to-day traffic patterns. I welcome it. That's, if done right.
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Post by shadow1 on Feb 9, 2007 14:43:48 GMT -4
Matt -I figured you must be an alright guy!
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Post by Mike on Feb 9, 2007 14:47:49 GMT -4
what about me?
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Post by shadow1 on Feb 9, 2007 15:02:58 GMT -4
GBM - your cool Bro, but I have to keep it low profile; I can't afford to lose my good karma.
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Post by bchevy on Feb 11, 2007 8:01:58 GMT -4
I think the passenger ferry is a good idea. Since we pay taxes to support the bus services in the metro areas, how about some of that tax money benefiting us on the shore? How about the MTA having stops set up where the ferry lets passengers off and take them along the bus route to the city etc.... I still say how can carrying 40 or 70 passengers every 75 minutes have an impact on traffic? It would be foot traffic, tourists (not a bad word) coming over here for lunch or shopping (still not bad). I just don't see it as having an impact on traffic, BEACH TRAFFIC, and that's from Kent Island all the way past Cambridge. MDTA would HAVE to connect bus lines at each end. My guess is they would mess it up if it happens
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Post by AquaHolic on Feb 12, 2007 11:26:32 GMT -4
I don't get it. They have trouble keeping the BUS service, and they are studying a passenger ferry service to Annapolis/Baltimore? Can someone hire me for these studies? I need some easy money. The "Ferry issue" is an absolute waste of time. I am with you...I would like to earn some easy money doing these stupid studies too. They need to build another bridge...or two...somewhere else to divert traffic. Probably won't see that in my lifetime... Barb
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Post by mikey on Feb 12, 2007 12:31:39 GMT -4
The short term solution is to prioritize Bus traffic at the toll plaza and the Severn River bridge. Virginia addes bus-only lanes and people saw the busses getting through traffic and started taking the bus. Of course they would also need to increase the bus routes.
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Post by matt on Feb 12, 2007 12:36:23 GMT -4
I don't understand the POV that the ferry is stupid. I also doubt that it'll be 40 passengers only on a 75 minute rotation. Perhaps just to test the waters as it were and gage the interest in it, but long term a ferry with reasonably high passenger capacity can only help. Certainly 40 people won't solve the bridge problems, but (1) so what (we choose to live here and commute there), and (2) it won't make it worse.
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Post by mikey on Feb 12, 2007 12:55:31 GMT -4
Matt, the ferry "solution" is just a delay tactic to keep the politicians from having to make the decission on where to build the new bridge (or span).
Maybe it "can only help" by carrying a tiny percentage of people ... but it can only delay the real decission that is needed.
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Post by matt on Feb 12, 2007 13:23:57 GMT -4
Again, I find the 40 passenger number hard to believe beyond the very near term. I have yet to meet more than 2-3 government employees with speakable grey matter between their ears, and yet... I can't foresee a long term plan to run a 40 passenger ferry on 75 minute rotations. That's less than an additional bus.
A large capacity system such as in place in NJ-NY or Boston/elsewhere in New England could, in my opinion, make an impact on common traffic delays between the Severn River and Bay Bridge.
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Post by falgar25 on Feb 12, 2007 19:15:26 GMT -4
How much will it cost to start, how much will it cost for a ticket, and who will take it?
A 40 passenger, walk-on "ferry" is a fairly large boat, but not something extraordinary. A high-capacity ferry or one that would carry vehicles would cost a lot more.
If we have a small ferry, there could be more than one running at a time. If money is spent on a large ferry, there might only be enough for one boat so only one trip at a time.
If only one boat and one trip, a 75 min round trip to Annapolis is probably right. Baltimore would be a lot longer.
So let's say they find the money to buy a boat or two. Now they need to make it profitable. However, either they make it profitable on the backs of the passengers or they get state funding. State funding is probably out since it will only carry a few people from the Eastern Shore and that isn't really part of MD anyway (check any MD paper outside Annapolis - KI and parts East don't exist). Paying for the operation through ticket sales is going to make for a very expensive ticket when you consider the cost of purchasing the boat, paying for fuel, paying for maintenance, paying for staff, and paying for the inevitable docking fees.
So who would take the ferry? Probably commuters to Annapolis and maybe, possibly, commuters to Baltimore. But, how many people would that be and what would be the traffic impact? I'm guessing not much on either count. Sure, I could be wrong, maybe we'll see.
I think an additional bus to Annapolis and maybe one to Baltimore would be worth considering. Sure, it isn't as cool as a ferry, but it would be cheaper to set up, cheaper to operate, provide faster service, use less fuel, and only add one additional vehicle to the bridge traffic. But, if no one would take a bus to Annapolis then why would they take a slower means of transportation?
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Post by Barry on Feb 12, 2007 20:36:56 GMT -4
They could fund these projects from the existing bay bridge tolls. Maryland is the only state that uses its funds from one bridge to pay for others. In other states, once the bridge is paid for, they drop the toll rates to just collect money for maintence. Bottom line, build another bridge to the south at Chesapeake Beach. There is already a 4 lane hwy that pratically runs into the bay. O'Malley has to stop all these waste of time studies and get another bridge built.
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Post by bchevy on Feb 12, 2007 21:31:41 GMT -4
They could fund these projects from the existing bay bridge tolls. Maryland is the only state that uses its funds from one bridge to pay for others. In other states, once the bridge is paid for, they drop the toll rates to just collect money for maintence. Bottom line, build another bridge to the south at Chesapeake Beach. There is already a 4 lane hwy that pratically runs into the bay. O'Malley has to stop all these waste of time studies and get another bridge built. WOW! If you were registered, I'd hit ya with an exalt!
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Post by ivyswann on Feb 13, 2007 15:34:41 GMT -4
They could fund these projects from the existing bay bridge tolls. Maryland is the only state that uses its funds from one bridge to pay for others. In other states, once the bridge is paid for, they drop the toll rates to just collect money for maintence. Bottom line, build another bridge to the south at Chesapeake Beach. There is already a 4 lane hwy that pratically runs into the bay. O'Malley has to stop all these waste of time studies and get another bridge built. He doesn't care what happpen's for the people. Even though it might make him look good. He just wants the mighty dollar.
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Post by bchevy on Aug 29, 2007 18:20:24 GMT -4
GUESS WHAT!
O'Malley is funding ANOTHER Study to see if a FERRY SERVICE is feasible......
Good God Man!
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Post by dej on Aug 30, 2007 2:36:33 GMT -4
Since it's transportation related, I'm sure the study costs will be covered by gas tax increase we're going to see. Why increase taxes if you can't find a way to waste 'em?
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Post by Ellen on Aug 30, 2007 7:43:36 GMT -4
Just a thought: Why couldn't the ferries be privately owned? And have 2 or 4 of them that sit ready - as soon as one fills up and heads out, the next one starts filling up. NY Waterways & Seastreak have terrific NY/NJ commuter schedules -- and on weekends they do specials for the tourists and even do special runs to get people to 'commute' to sporting events, i.e. Yankee Stadium. All you need is a parking deck or lot at either end and space to dock a few boats at either end and they just criss cross all day long. In the long run it might not cost the taxpayers anything since it could be privatized, and the cost of additional bus runs could be privatized as well. Once people realize having a cup of coffee staring at the bay isn't such a bad way to start the day, it would catch on -- and grabbing a beer on the way home is even better!
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Post by Frank on Aug 30, 2007 7:59:04 GMT -4
GUESS WHAT! O'Malley is funding ANOTHER Study to see if a FERRY SERVICE is feasible...... Good God Man! From the Capitol last Sunday: "Tax bills will be going up while spending goes down, slots at destination locations near Maryland's borders could become an issue, and nobody should expect a new span for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge as long as Gov. Martin O'Malley is in the State House." I know we've visited this topic a number of times on this board, but at least I was hoping there was some possibility we could get some traffic relief. It looks like the lines will never end.
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Post by bchevy on Aug 30, 2007 19:22:57 GMT -4
The only ferry service I've seen mentioned in print was to shuttle PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC, not cars, to certain scenic stops......
A great idea for tourism, a slap in the face to commuters
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Post by qtboyforlife on Aug 31, 2007 0:11:49 GMT -4
hahahaha, I have an Idea. How about they shut down shipping/ boating traffic during peak times and use one of those floating bridges? I'm sure the state can find one in surplus after the Iraqi War. Heck I even think they had some left over after WWII. I mean they fall apart quite frequently and some cars may end up at the bottom of the Bay but heck it's all in the name of wasting money anyways.
Why not just bite the bullet and start the court battles now so maybe in 20 years there will be a chance at getting a new bridge? Oh wait I'm trying to use common sense and when "Omally" is involved common sense is something that never existed..............
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