The Chesapeake Bay Passenger Ferry Consortium, comprising representatives from Anne Arundel, Calvert, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, and St. Mary’s counties, is poised to unveil a pivotal feasibility study at this year’s Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) Conference. The study, orchestrated by Cambridge Systematics, Inc., scrutinizes the viability of a new passenger ferry service across the Chesapeake Bay.
The consortium’s findings, aimed at fostering economic growth, improving equitable access, and enhancing tourism opportunities, will be presented during a panel discussion at the MACo Conference in Ocean City, Maryland. The session, dubbed “Navigating Opportunity: Results of the 5-County Coalition on the Chesapeake Bay Ferry System Feasibility Study,” is scheduled for August 15, 2024, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Roland Powell Convention Center.
Panelists at the conference include several regional leaders such as Kristen Pironis, Executive Director of Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County; Clint Sterling, Director of Somerset County Recreation and Parks; Heather Tinelli, Director of Queen Anne’s County Economic & Tourism Development; Hilary Dailey, Tourism Program Specialist from Calvert County Government; and Ben Cohen, Development Facilitator from St. Mary’s Department of Economic Development.
The study assesses the potential impact of a passenger ferry system on local economies and aims to address transport connectivity within the region. Such a service would not only link communities more effectively but also open new avenues for residents and tourists to access the scenic and recreational benefits of the Chesapeake Bay, potentially revitalizing the area’s tourism sector.
