EDGEWATER - The Mayor’s Ferry Advisory Committee delivered its report to the Mayor and Council on Wednesday, concluding that ferry service should be reintroduced to the borough “as soon as possible” and that it would improve and enhance the quality of life for Edgewater residents.

The 10-member panel’s report, titled Evaluation of the Potential for Ferry Service in Edgewater, strongly endorsed the restoration of ferry service to the borough. The report was the end result of a series of meetings held by the committee from May 16 through August 1, which included gathering input from professionals, conducting physical inspections of a number of possible ferry terminal sites, and examining a variety of alternatives for restoring ferry service after a 50+ year absence.

The committee found that ferry service had the potential to “transform Edgewater into a unique and highly desirable village”, and recommended that the Mayor and Council “act immediately to take as many initial steps as possible to secure the maximum in Federal and Port Authority aid and assistance”.

Multiple Locations Recommended

As for the location of a ferry terminal, the committee actually recommended that there be multiple ferry sites, distributed over the town’s waterfront. Possible sites in the north include the Von Dohln Marina and/or the Grand Edgewater Marina; in the central part of town, Edgewater Commons or the Binghamton Plaza; and in the south, the Promenade or the adjacent former Quanta Resources site.

With respect to the last, the committee was hopeful that proposing the site as a ferry location “may attract federal funding for a complete environmental cleanup” or what has become commonly referred to by locals as “the Superfund site”.

No Increase In Traffic Or Parking

The report states that the committee approached its study with the premise that any ferry service restoration must not include commuter parking lots or garages, and that anyone who is to ride a ferry from Edgewater must be able to reach it on foot or through the institution of a shuttle bus service. The committee felt that the aim of restoring ferry service should be to minimize and possibly reduce vehicular traffic, both entering as well as within the town, and therefore recommended “in the strongest terms possible” that no parking be provided for any Edgewater ferries.

The committee also stated that the selection of terminal sites should be subject to an in-depth traffic analysis, to insure that no additional traffic affects the existing roadway network.

To deal with the potential problems of increased traffic, noise, and emissions, the committee recommended that there be resident-only street and municipal lot parking, with strict enforcement by way of ticketing and towing. The committee found that ferry service would ease the burden of existing bus routes through the borough, as well as possibly decrease local automobile traffic by those who would “leave their car at home”.

Anticipated Financial Gain

According to the committee, the establishment of ferry routes between Edgewater and New York would make the borough a more desirable place to live, and should therefore have a positive effect on property values, spur commerce, and stimulate business. Moreover, the committee felt that ferry landings would create new private-sector jobs in Edgewater, plus revenues to the borough in the form of landing rights fees.

The report also addressed the possibility of a partnership with the Borough of Fort Lee to provide a joint parking enforcement and shuttle bus service. The committee felt that such a partnership could provide Edgewater with additional federal funding in an amount totaling $26 million. But the committee also warned that for Edgewater to be able to utilize presently available funds, the Borough must act promptly or it could “lose this opportunity to re-introduce ferries at minimal to no cost".

In addition to the local benefits, the committee observed that in light of the occurrences of September 11, “ferries are essential in times of crises” and are “critical in planning homeland defense”.

An informal online poll conducted by Edgewater Online between June 11-19 revealed that out of 131 responses, 80% favored ferry service in Edgewater while 20% were opposed. A special emergency meeting of the Mayor and Council to discuss placing a referendum question on the November general election ballot was cancelled due to lack of quorum; read the proposed agenda and resolution of the meeting in Adobe Acrobat .PDF format.