BlackSheep
New Member
775 passengers, 250 cars and 14 motor homes or tour busesaps45819 said:
Two HUGE problems;2ndAmendment said:
1. infastructure: Roads to the embarkation point and the embarkation point would have to be constructed.
2. population: be realistic. The population of So. Md is squat when compared to PG and Baltimore. Why would the state want to sink money into a project that would have marginal benefit to this region? There is absolutely no debate that the Johnson bridge needs to be expanded but the regions delegates can't even get the planning process started. When did the bridge fail? 1988 and still there is no work around should they have to close the bridge for an extended period to repair it - which they are going to have to do sooner or later. St. Mary's and Calvert counties just don't matter in the big scheme of things.
LOL, that's another point NIMBA - not in my back yard.aps45819 said:
I was talking more about the cost to improve the roads leading up to the embarkation point and then the cost of actually building the lots and ramps.
From what I read the primary reason given for the service would be to allow Eastern Shore residents access to employment on this side of the bay more then as a tourist convience. If the service did provide an alternative to the bay bridge it could attract a fair number of people looking to avoid the weekend jam on the bridge - the problem is it would jam the roads to the access point in SoMD.
Heres the options.... of what is going to eventually.... one of the 3 if not all of them will happen....
A. Ferry service. The ferry service will run nonstop in good weather across from St. Mary's Co out towards ocean city... The ferry will carry at LEAST 250 cars or more... and cost what it would cost to travel from Island to Island in Italy, similiar to European Ferry's. Ports will be built on either side, and the enviromentalists will fuss and cuss but in the end... it will take some of the load off of the bay bridge... and possibly save you in gas money in the end. Most economical for the state. Desire is not that great.
B. Monorail/train service.... the train/monorail will run from the DC/Baltimore area out to Ocean City. Its going to severly cut the amount of traffic on the bridge, and save people time/money on their commute to Ocean City. The citizens of that town will hate it, and the enviromentalists will fuss about the impact, but.... need to learn that it might be the lesser of 2 evils You either get your pollution from cars, or the damage of building a train/monorail that runs from from DC/Balt area to OC. This service would run 24/7, and would cost a little more than a metro pass...
C. expand/replace bay bridge/ or build new bridge. Cost would be astronomical along with the impact on the enviroment definately wouldn't be good whether its building it, or whether its the car pollution. a lose/lose situation.
D. Do nothing like the state always does, and let the problems get worse.
A. Ferry service. The ferry service will run nonstop in good weather across from St. Mary's Co out towards ocean city... The ferry will carry at LEAST 250 cars or more... and cost what it would cost to travel from Island to Island in Italy, similiar to European Ferry's. Ports will be built on either side, and the enviromentalists will fuss and cuss but in the end... it will take some of the load off of the bay bridge... and possibly save you in gas money in the end. Most economical for the state. Desire is not that great.
B. Monorail/train service.... the train/monorail will run from the DC/Baltimore area out to Ocean City. Its going to severly cut the amount of traffic on the bridge, and save people time/money on their commute to Ocean City. The citizens of that town will hate it, and the enviromentalists will fuss about the impact, but.... need to learn that it might be the lesser of 2 evils You either get your pollution from cars, or the damage of building a train/monorail that runs from from DC/Balt area to OC. This service would run 24/7, and would cost a little more than a metro pass...
C. expand/replace bay bridge/ or build new bridge. Cost would be astronomical along with the impact on the enviroment definately wouldn't be good whether its building it, or whether its the car pollution. a lose/lose situation.
D. Do nothing like the state always does, and let the problems get worse.
protectmd said:
A. assuming you have accurate projections of use, you have to get the vehicles to/from the ferry and right now the roads in both St. Mary's and Calvert could not support the traffic.
B. AMTRAK has enough trouble running passenger service to / from New York. All existing rails are owned by frieght companies and passenger service is religated to a non-priority. Would you send the trains north, over the river and then loop them east and then south through the eastern shore?
C. The most likely since it will cost the least in dollars and political capital. It's the same reason a second span over the Patuxant River to suppliment the Johnson bridge will remain in the realm of the editorial. This region does not have the political clout to have the state invest that type of money here.
In the end, they are all wonderful ideas with lots of merit. But all would cost money, lots of money and face stiff opposition from environmentalists and NIMBA
