<p>Cost estimates for a ferry to replace the Governor and a plan to rebuild the Woods Hole terminal top the agenda of the Steamship Authority governors this morning. The monthly board meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. in the Marine Biological Laboratory Candle House in Woods Hole.</p>
Cost estimates for a new passenger and freight ferry to replace the Governor and a decision on a plan to rebuild the Woods Hole terminal top the agenda of the Steamship Authority governors this morning.
The monthly board meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. in the Marine Biological Laboratory Candle House in Woods Hole.
Planning for the new ferry has been under way for a little more than a year. In February the board decided to go with the smaller of two designs under discussion, settling on a 235-foot ferry that can carry 384 passengers along with large trucks. Preliminary cost estimates for the boat were about $35 million.
The Elliot Bay Design group in Seattle, Wash., will design and build the new ferry, expected to go into service in 2016. She will replace the open-decked freight ferry Governor, which will eventually be scrapped or sold.
The aging Woods Hole terminal is slated for reconstruction in the next year as well, and this morning’s meeting is expected to take up final design decisions for that project. A group of Woods Hole residents have objected to a number of aspects of the plan.
The meeting agenda includes a number of items for Nantucket too, including a request from the Hy-Line to put a second high-speed ferry on the route between Hyannis and Nantucket.
The state-chartered SSA is permitted to license its competition to protect revenue share.
Comments
When it comes to the new
Sean W Oak BluffsWhen it comes to the new terminal I wish the SSA would look at the Cape May N.J. terminal of the Cape May Lewes Ferry. There are plenty of comfortable seats and nice clean bath rooms while you wait. You then go up stairs, escalator or elevator to a second level with an enclosed, climate controlled, elevated walkway that branches off to each boat slip where you cross a small gap outside for the gangway onto the boats. No standing in the weather and clouds of second hand smoke waiting to go around in loops like a heard of cows (Not to mention how many slips and falls take place). Take a look at http://upload.wikimedia.org/wi...
They also build their boats so you can open your car door and actually get in or out with out an insurance claim..
You have to be kidding. Id
Ken EdgartownYou have to be kidding. Id like to go back to bare bone terminals so everyone can afford to use the ferry. Right now you are shutting out low income families.
I'm with Ken. This is crazy.
Trying to afford life on the vineyard ChilmarkI'm with Ken. This is crazy. The steamship authority has become obsessed with upgrading facilities and boats to be as nice and luxurious as possible. The governor is a great boat that is no frills. It is very inexpensive to run except for having too many steampship employees. Even with island resident discounts, everyone pays as all goods and services that come over on the boat just keep on getting more expensive. Stop the insanity and go back to a bare bones approach. The island home was a waste of money. We could have had two martha's vineyard boats for the cost of one island home. Now, the new freighter will cost just as much as the island home! Crazy!
A double ended ferry would be
John W. Osborn, Jr Edgartown & mechanicsburg, Pa.A double ended ferry would be best in my estimation.
Other published reports
Thomas Hodgson wtOther published reports indicate that the SSA is going for a ferry that has to turn around at each port, which could be a huge waste of time, fuel, and money, never mind the dangers posed by having to turn a ferry around in ever-more-crowded harbors.
Martha's Vineyard residents should carefully inspect the SSA plans, providing the SSA decides to make them easily available to the public they are supposed to serve. The new Woods Hole terminal would enable greatly expanded service to MV. (Not everyone thinks that's a good idea.) On the plus side, they seem to be including sea level rise in their planning. The new Woods Hole terminal is a hugely expensive project that will impact all islanders, and the window for input is rapidly closing. Add the cost of the new ferry and the new terminal, and you're looking at numbers that could rapidly approach one hundred million dollars
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