Press Release -- March 23, 2005
New Woodland Ferry Will Feature Six-Vehicle Capacity
Woodland --
Based on the results of a public survey of Woodland Ferry users and with an eye for future service, the Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announces that the historic Woodland Ferry will be replaced with a new six-vehicle vessel by the spring of 2006.
Chesapeake Shipbuilding Corp. of Salisbury will build the new Ferry at a projected cost of $750,000. Additional funds will be spent to make improvements to the docking facilities, bulkheads, pilings, and boat ramps at the Ferry site to accommodate changing tidal conditions and the new vessel itself. George & Lynch, Inc. will perform the site work. These improvements, together with the cost of the Ferry, will bring the total price tag of the project to a range between $1.3 and $1.7 million. The current Ferry will be removed from service in the fall of 2005 in order to facilitate the improvements.
The new Ferry will address several of the issues that plague the current 40-year-old craft, namely reliability and a consistent service schedule. The new Ferry will nearly do away with any downtime due to significant mechanical problems, and the ramp upgrades will eliminate the need for delays due to tidal conditions.
Century Engineering conducted a public survey of Ferry riders on Tuesday, February 15, and Saturday, February 19, 2005. Out of a total respondent group of 390 Ferry users a majority of 52% preferred the six-passenger Ferry option. Thirty-five percent of riders preferred the three-passenger option and 13% had no opinion. At a Public Workshop held on December 2, 2004, the majority of attendees also preferred the six-vehicle option.
The Woodland Ferry has been in operation for more than 200 years providing trips across the Nanticoke River between Woodland & Seaford and Laurel & Bethel. The United States Coast Guard regulates the Ferry service.
For further information contact DelDOT Public Relations at 1-800-652-5600 (in DE) or 302-760-2080 or visit www.deldot.net.
|
|
