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Ferry to Columbia Point?
By adamg on Fri, 03/01/2019 - 9:46am
WBUR reports on calls for ferry service between Downtown and Columbia Point in Dorchester.
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Why?
Isn't that route served by the Red Line already?
Edit- read the article, I guess if they're just adding a stop to the Quincy route that makes sense. I don't know if investing in boats is better than just fixing the red line though.
JFK UMass and Savin Hill are
JFK UMass and Savin Hill are the nearest stops, but you'll quickly realize, especially in the winter, it is not as close as it looks and depending on where you are coming from at UMass, it is almost a mile to either stop from the JFK Library.
The JFKL should take a page from A.R.T. and move
Enough transportation band aids. Just move already
The Library claims that JFK would have loved the current site.
100% BULLCRAP. JFK wanted his library to be accessible to the masses. The existing library epitomizes INACCESSIBILITY
UMass/JFK shuttles?
I work at one of the two BPS schools that share the Point with UMass Boston and the JFK library, and there are already regular shuttles in place (operated by UMass) that take students/tourists from the JFK/UMass red line station to the campus and the JFK library, and also currently service the UMass parking lot at the former Bayside Expo site (sadly those shuttles don’t stop at the elementary/middle schools on the route, as I would definitely opt to take them in the winter rather than watch them fly by as I walk down Mt. Vernon St in the cold!). Wouldn’t ferry service create some redundancy/serve as a solution to a transportation problem that UMass seems to have already solved with the shuttle buses?
The campus pier is not convenient to those schools
It's on the other side of the campus, across University Drive from Wheatley Hall.
In fact, it's not convenient for anybody but UMB faculty, staff, and students, who are already well served by the shuttle bus to the Red Line.
Not a bad idea
On-line ferry stops are hard, because ferries generally work when they cut across a body of water cars have to drive around (Hull to Boston is 7 miles by ferry, 23 by car). In this case, it would only add a quick stop and a quarter mile of travel to make this extra stop, which is probably very worthwhile. It would also help with making the ferry have a bidirectional demand which could spur more service. Right now the ferry only runs every hour at rush hour and few hours at other times, visiting several different ports and routes. A dedicated boat could provide hourly service all day, two boats service every half hour. (Three every 20 minutes, four every 15, etc.) Given the Red Line capacity issues and that the two potential ferry sites are more than a mile from the Red Line, this would serve a useful purpose for Squantum, Marina Bay and Columbia Point.
Thanks
Good info.
Its a bad idea. Your inexperience is showing Ari
Look into all of the Columbia and Quincy water ferry failures. They come and go after their subsidies run out.
Its probably another Boston Harbor Now push
One of those nuts actually pitched a Neponset River ferry if the Mattapan H-S Line is cut. Between the bus lobbyists and ferry lobbyists. Its hard to keep track of the puff
Quincy ferry hasn't run for years
Dock fell into sinkhole. Runs out of Hingham & Hull now.
A Quincy dock fell into a
A Quincy dock fell into a sinkhole? Talk about your redundancies.
edit - because I'm sure someone will get bent out of shape: I'm calling Quincy that because it's in the floodplain, and in the future draught conditions followed by heavy rains can turn much of the city into a sinkhole. Also because Quincy is home to some of the most wretched white trash on the South Shore.
A (seasonal) ferry has run
A (seasonal) ferry has run between Squantum and Rowes Wharf & Seaport the last few years.
The Fore River Shipyard MBTA
The Fore River Shipyard MBTA ferry doesn't run any more. But this proposal is for the Marina Bay-Boston-Winthrop ferry. http://mbferry.com
It's still in business, but doesn't run in the winter.
Same group came up with the disastrous Copley-JFK shuttle
Anyone remember the recent Copley-Columbia shuttle? The bus that ran empty from Copley Square to Columbia Point? Columbia shuttles by sea and land have come and gone since the 70s.
Great idea
But can't they use the dock at the JFK library?
Yes, but...
...according to what I heard on the radio, it would cost 5 million to make it ferry-friendly.
Sure
That's what they say when they don't want to do something.
The biggest issue I could see would be getting the ramp to be ADA-accessible at low tide. Which maybe means a longer ramp. That doesn't seem all that hard.
A ramp cost would be pocket
A ramp cost would be pocket change compared to the money they’d need for dredging.
Ferry is a cataraman
Doesn't draw much water at all.
How do you know the ferry
How do you know the ferry they use will be a catamaran? I don’t see anything mentioned in the article and the ferry pictures in the M/V Massachusetts, not a Cat. It’s not about drawing water, it’s about being in the mud at half tide.
A stop on the Squantum ferry was being discussed upthread.
That's a cat.
https://www.mbferry.com/
oh, you’re talking about the
oh, you’re talking about the ferry currently used for Squantum point. I was meant in general, regardless of the type of ferry, dredging will have to happen.
The article is talking about
The article is talking about the same pier. It is technically UMass property
There's a UMass boating
There's a UMass boating program. There are also a bunch of small time marinas around there. Wonder what this would mean, if anything, for those recreational users.
What a great climate for a
What a great climate for a ferry
What planet are you posting from, again?
There are numerous ferries already in operation.
They have these things called "cabins" where people sit out of the cold and rain and whatever.
You might try one some time.
People say the same thing about all-year bike commuting
And yet, many of us persevere and make it work.
You don't even have to make
You don't even have to make it work on a ferry. You go inside the heated cabin, and have a beverage from the bar.
Ask Hingham commuters, they
Ask Hingham commuters, they love it.
Hull, too
I have three coworkers who are living in Hull and enjoying the "island life" - except they can drive off if they need to.
when I lived in Rockland the
when I lived in Rockland the P&B bus was faster but I would drive to hingham for the relaxing view with my first cup of coffee.
On route 228
...otherwise known as the Highway to Hull.
Scenic or rail fan type trips?
What scenic or rail fan special public transport type trips are upcoming around the Eastern Massachusetts area?
Per Dot Reporter "Researchers
Per Dot Reporter "Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Boston this week say they received a $150,000 state grant to study what improvements would be needed to allow ferry service on the campus pier." So many of these studies involving enormous amounts of currency seem a bit unnecessary and over the top.
So they should just start doing this
Without knowing what they are doing or what it would cost.
Riiiiggghhhht.
There a lot of things to
There a lot of things to study. At first I thought this would be the place where the research boat, but the Fallon Pier is at least on the residential side. If you are going to be transporting students to UMASS, I would point out that they can't afford to live at Rowe's Wharf. But a stop from Quincy would be great. Lynn is more affordable and its too bad we can't get that ferry going.
I love this idea
The commuter ferry to Thompson Island for the Outward Bound program ran from that dock. Does it still?
I think this is a great idea. Inaccessibility cuts into tourism to the Commonwealth Museum, JFK Library, & Edward Kennedy Center. Also, Columbia Point has some good fishing and kiting!
If this had been in place when I worked on Columbia Point & lived in Dot, I would have used it to come downtown more often for dinner, movies, whatever; any trip downtown either required a slow bus ride or a minimum 2 leg trip.
Great Idea
I'm all for it. As long as the T doesn't subsidize it. Once UMASS fixes their piers, I am sure private enterprise such as Boston Harbor Cruises will jump right in with shuttles and water taxi service.
what do you need for a ferry?
What about a Port Norfolk Ferry(sorry)? Is the Squantum Ferry still going?
Where is Norfolk Point?
Where is Norfolk Point?
Behind Sozios at the Neponset
Behind Sozios at the Neponset rotary.
Norfolk Point isn’t a place.
Norfolk Point isn’t a place.
The Ferry from Marina Bay
The Ferry from Marina Bay runs spring/ summer. Port Norfolk would need to be dredged, no pier for ferry and no parking for commuters.
What's the point of a seasonal commuter ferry?
Don't people who live down there and need to commute to Boston work all year round?
Service is in the preliminary stage
Form the https://www.mbferry.com/ website:
What’s the long-term plan?
Permanent ferry service from Squantum Point Park! This program will be used to collect data, gauge interest, receive feedback and prepare for what is hoped to be a substantially larger operation and expanded schedule in coming years. Any permanent operation will require major investment in the pier and dock and will include the extension of Commander Shea Boulevard to the park to provide more efficient vehicle access.
The current ferry is owned by the town of Winthrop and only runs seasonally. I think part of adding Quincy (and perhaps Columbia Point) is to gauge demand in order to plan for year round service.
Seasonal use also has higher demand from non-commuters as well.
I know the Hull ferry used to get many non-commuters on board during the nicer weather. It's a great way to sight-see as well as to commute.
Let the private sector
Let the private sector explore this extravaganza .There are enough existing needs to be addressed before baking any more expansionist pies. If you want the plight of the T to be taken seriously , stop with the new spending, and fix what you got.
History
The world is covered with ancient canals because water is the most efficient way of moving heavy weight. Unfortunately, most ferries are powered with diesel fuel. If we had Hybrid Ferries,the ferry system could expand with less pollution.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_ferry
Port Norfolk
Is located in Dorchester. If you ever go down the Neponset Trail You'll walk right past it.
but lmo is right, norfolk
but lmo is right, norfolk point is not a place.