HRT considering ferries to ease tunnel traffic
By Debbie Messina
The Virginian-Pilot
© January 21, 2010
As money to build roads and bridges continues to shrink, transportation leaders are starting to explore an alternative way to get around – ferry boats.
Hampton Roads Transit and a private company are each studying reviving the decades-old concept of ferries to connect South Hampton Roads and the Peninsula.
There are no plans or money to fix the most popular route across the water – the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, which is notorious for miles-long backups at rush hour and during the summer months.
So some are turning their attention to water-borne travel, which was the only way to cross the Hampton Roads harbor before the bridge-tunnel was built.
The first two-lane tunnel opened in 1957.
On Wednesday, the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization agreed to ask federal authorities to designate the Hampton Roads harbor as a Marine Highway Corridor in order to compete for federal funding.
The planning board was approached about the designation by MetroMarine Holdings Inc. of Alexandria, which has proposed a public-private partnership for a fast ferry system for Hampton Roads.
“We feel there’s a real opportunity here to compete for federal funding,” said MetroMarine’s Robert Heffley, who added that the company would also seek private investment.
MetroMarine wants to use at least five high-speed (34 mph) catamarans to shuttle 1,200 to 1,500 commuters daily. Ferry stops could include downtown Norfolk, Norfolk Naval Station, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News and possibly Fort Eustis. Trips would take 15 to 25 minutes.
Because the concept is in the preliminary planning stage, the company has not released ticket price estimates.
Heffley said it would cost about $28 million to establish the system. Expenses include the boats, dock and land development, and marketing. A pilot program could be rolled out as early as 2012 and a full system in 2013.
The company operated a seasonal ferry service called Harbor Link between Hampton and Norfolk from 1999 to 2002 with one boat that primarily attracted tourists.
Alan Gray, MetroMarine president, said the new service would be designed to attract commuters by using smaller, faster boats with more frequent trips.
Meanwhile, HRT is studying ferry service between Newport News and Norfolk. Newport News Mayor Joe Frank requested the study once it was determined that a light-rail connection to Norfolk was not viable in the near future.
Three options are under study, ranging from $14 million to $15 million in capital costs. Ferries would sail from downtown Newport News to either downtown Norfolk or the Norfolk Naval Station.
Trip times range from 17 minutes to 60 minutes, with the boats traveling at a top speed of about 34 mph.
Projected ridership ranges from 350 to 1,660 passengers daily. Annual operating costs range from $5.6 million to $6.3 million a year. Funding has not been identified for that service.
“It’s a very conceptual analysis of what some different operating scenarios might be,” said Jayne Whitney, an HRT senior vice president. “It will be the basis for any further evaluation if we do decide to pursue it.”
HRT already operates ferries between downtown Norfolk and downtown Portsmouth.