Monthly Archives: June 2016

Talking Transportation: Why Ferries Aren’t the Answer for Commuting in Connecticut

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Bridgeport to Port Jefferson Ferry

Bridgeport to Port Jefferson Ferry

Recently, NYC Mayor DeBlasio announced a $325 million plan to reintroduce ferry boat service to the five boroughs charging the same fare as subways.  The mayor says these boats could carry 4.5 million passengers a year.

So why don’t we have ferries in Connecticut?  There are several reasons:

SPEED:  In open water, fast ferries on the Sound could make 30 knots (35 mph).  But if they must sail up inlets to the downtown areas of Bridgeport, Norwalk or Stamford, that speed is cut to 5 knots, extending travel time.

DOCKING: To keep to their competitive speeds, docks would have to be located close to the Sound.  That’s expensive real estate. And what about parking at those docks… and drive-time on local roads to reach them? Again, more travel time.

FREQUENCY: Metro-North offers trains to midtown New York every 20 minutes in rush hour carrying 800 – 1000 passengers per train. No ferry service anywhere in the country can compete with that frequency of service. Will travelers really be willing to wait an hour or two for the next boat?

COMFORT: In nice weather, a boat ride to work sounds idyllic. But what about in a Nor’easter?  The bumpiest ride on the train pales by comparison.

FARES:  The most optimistic of would-be ferry operators in CT estimate their fares will be at least double those charged on the train.  And people say Metro-North is too expensive?

OPERATING COSTS: Fast ferries are gas guzzlers, the aquatic equivalent to the Concorde.  When the Pequot tribe built high-speed catamarans to ferry gamblers to their casino in Connecticut to lose money, the service proved so expensive to run that the Pequots dry-docked the ferries in New London.

ECONOMICS: The final reason I don’t think ferries make economic sense is that nobody else does either!  Ferry operators (like the near-bankrupt NY Waterways) aren’t stupid. They’ve looked at possible service from coastal Connecticut, crunched the numbers and backed off. In a free market economy, if a buck could be made running ferries, they’d be operating by now. They aren’t operating, and there are lots of reasons why, many of which I’ve listed.

The only place ferries are run successfully is where they’re heavily subsidized (everywhere), have a monopoly (for example, getting to downtown Seattle from an island suburb), don’t duplicate existing transportation routes (like from Bridgeport to Port Jefferson), or offer advantages of speed because they operate on extremely short runs (from Hoboken to midtown).  Our situation here in Connecticut passes none of those tests.

You already know I’m a train nut. (The bumper sticker on my car reads “I’d Rather Be on the Train.”)  And I do love an occasional recreational sail on the Sound.  But it’s unrealistic to think that commutation by ferries is in our future.

Jim Cameron - Chairman of the CT Metro-North / Shore Line East Rail Commuter Council

Jim Cameron

About the author: Jim Cameron is founder of The Commuter Action Group, and a member of the Darien RTM.  The opinions expressed in this column are only his own.  You can reach him at CommuterActionGroup@gmail.com

For a full collection of “Talking Transportation” columns, visit www.talkingtransportation.blogspot.com

Chamber of Commerce Presents Scholarships to Local Students at Annual Meeting

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Scholarship_winners_2016

From left to right, back row: State Rep. Devin Carney, Lyme-Old Lyme Chamber President Mark Griswold, Brett Hartmann, Gabriel Barclay, Austin Pilgrim, State Senator Paul Formica, State Senator Art Linares, Lyme-Old Lyme Chamber Scholarship Chairman Russ Gomes; front row: Meredith Kegley, Allison Marsh and Sloane Sweitzer.

Gabriel Barclay, Brett Hartmann, Austin Pilgrim, Sophia Romeo and Sloane Sweitzer, all of Old Lyme, are the 2016 recipients of the Business Leadership Senior Scholarships awarded by the Lyme-Old Lyme Chamber of Commerce.

Meredith Kegley of Lyme and Allison Marsh of Old Lyme are the 2016 recipients of the inaugural Senior Scholarship for Promise and Achievement in the Arts also awarded by the Chamber.

All the students, except Sophia Romeo who was unable to attend due to a college orientation commitment, were presented with their awards at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting held June 15 at the Old Lyme Country Club.

The students were also acknowledged with proclamations from the state legislature presented by State Senators Paul Formica (R-20th) and Art Linares (R-33rd) and State Representative Devin Carney (R-23rd), all of whom graciously attended the meeting.

The Lyme-Old Lyme Chamber of Commerce Scholarship program has awarded over $33,000 in scholarships and grants to local students since its inception. The Chamber Scholarship Fund is supported through donations to CMRK clothing donation bins located in Lyme and Old Lyme: at the Lyme Firehouse, behind The Bowerbird, at 151 Boston Post Rd., and on Rte. 156 at Shoreline Mowers.

For more information about the Lyme-Old Lyme Chamber, visit www.visitoldlyme.com.

Carney, Formica Hold Legislative Wrap-up in Old Lyme Tonight

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State Representative Devin Carney

State Representative Devin Carney

State Representative Devin Carney (R-23) and State Senator Paul Formica (R-20) invite residents to attend a legislative wrap-up on Wednesday, June 22, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library, 2 Library Ln, Old Lyme.

Legislators will be available to discuss the laws that passed during the legislative session and how these measures will affect area businesses and residents.  These meetings will also provide an opportunity for residents to voice their opinions and ask any questions regarding budget or any other state or local issue.

Everyone is welcome and the event is free of charge

Visit www.RepCarney.com  for more information and updates.

Editor’s Note: The 33rd District includes the Town of Lyme.  The 20th District includes the Town of Old Lyme.  The 23rd General Assembly District includes the Towns of Lyme and Old Lyme.

In 33rd CT Senate District, Incumbent Linares, Challenger Needleman State Their Respective Cases

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State Senator Art Linares (R-33rd)

State Senator Art Linares (R-33rd)

In a recent fund raising e-mail message, State Senator Art Linares (R-33rd) stated his case for re-election  for a third term in this November’s general election. The 33rd Senate District includes the town of Lyme.

He said, “Over the past two years, we have taken on the big spenders, as well as those who believe that temporary cuts are the way to deal with the budget up in Hartford. I stood up and voted against a budget that called for quick one time solutions, which would continue to be a burden on the citizens of our state.”

Linares continued, “I will not stop making the argument that in order to solve our fiscal problems, we need a real structural change to how we spend our tax payer dollars. We also need to put forth policies that promote a business friendly environment, so that those who create jobs have an opportunity to do so.”

Democratic candidate for the 33rd State Senate District, Norman Needleman

Democratic candidate for the 33rd State Senate District, Norman Needleman

When asked to comment on his qualifications as a State Senator, Norman Needleman, the Democratic candidate opposing Senator Linares, wrote, “As a local business owner for over 30 years and a first selectman for almost five years, I know how we can get Hartford to work better for our businesses and towns. I’m running for state Senate to change how state government budgets and operates. I will be a Senator who finds real solutions to Connecticut’s fiscal problems.”

Apart from Lyme, the extensive 33rd State Senate district for which Linares and Needleman are competing, includes the towns of Chester, Clinton, Colchester, Deep River, East Haddam, Essex, Haddam, Old Saybrook, Portland, Westbrook and portions of Old Saybrook.

Hear the Best Youth Music Around at ‘LymeStock 2016’ Today at Ashlawn

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The Brazen Youth will be headlining Lymestock 2016 at Ashlawn Farm on Sunday

The Brazen Youth will be headlining Lymestock 2016 at Ashlawn Farm on Sunday

MusicNow Foundation, Inc. is hosting the 3rd Annual Lymestock 2016 Father’s Day concert and picnic at Ashlawn Farm in Lyme on Sunday, June 19, from 12 to 7 p.m.  The festival will present New England’s award-winning young artists with local, aspiring youth opening the performances.  Gates open at 11:30 a.m.  Children are welcome.

Highlights this year will be a performance by Rumblecat, who received the 2016 New England Music Award for ‘Best in the State of Vermont’, and Brazen Youth, recipients of ‘New England’s Radar Music Award 2015.’ Additionally, performances by Joe Holt of Brooklyn, New York and ‘Radar Music Winner’ James MacPherson and the Bonzai Trees will highlight the day of music.

Joe Holt is another big name that will be performing on Sunday at Lymestock 2016.

Joe Holt is another big name that will be performing on Sunday at Lymestock 2016.

Opening performances by local emerging artists, Sophia Griswold and Connected, Drew Cathcart and Blind Fool, The Modern Riffs, and Julia Russo will take the stage for a day of music, food and fun on the farm for Father’s Day.

Hamburgers and hot dogs along with lunches, desserts and summer refreshments will be available for sale or guests can pack their own.

Lymestock 2016 will benefit Youth in Music mission initiatives of the MusicNow Foundation, Inc.
(www.musicnowfoundation.org) serving southeastern Connecticut and beyond.  The concert picnic is
presented in collaboration with Ashlawn Farm, Pavoh.org and sponsored in part by LymeLine.com, the Bee and Thistle Inn, and iCRV Radio — among others.

MusicNow Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the support of live music to engage, educate and enrich young artists through performance opportunities, enrichment workshops, and collaborative mentorships / internships to nurture creative and artistic development.

Advance tickets can be purchased in advance at Nightingale’s Acoustic Café at 68 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, Conn. or by calling (860) 434-1961. Advance tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students.  Gate tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students.

For more information, call (860) 434-1961 or email info@musicnowfoundation.org