Ferry Boat Feasibility Study

Chapter 1 – Introduction

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) received a grant from Congress in 1999 to study the feasibility of a high-speed passenger ferry service on the Potomac River. The grant was a result of legislation sponsored by Congressmen Frank Wolf and Tom Davis and was prompted by the desire to explore all commuter travel alternatives in the I-95/I-395/I-295/US Route 1/Maryland Route 210 corridors during the reconstruction of the Springfield Interchange and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Also, several private ferry operators with announced plans to initiate a high-speed passenger ferry service were exploring how they could partner with appropriate public sector agencies.

The study was authorized by VDOT based on:

• The region’s continued interest in utilizing the Potomac River as a right of way for transportation services,
• The significant impacts on I-95 motorists anticipated as a result of reconstruction of the I-95 Springfield Interchange and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge over the next 10 or more years, and
• Potential private ferry operators’ desire to access public funding.

To address these issues, VDOT’s Transportation Planning Division engaged the firm of ATCS,P.L.C. to perform a high-speed passenger feasibility study. ATCS was supported by SG Associates, BMI, Travesky and Associates and LAWGIBB. The study was conducted over a five-month period between November 1999 and April 2000.

The study process that was used is as follows:

• Establish Purpose and Needs Statement
• Assess Ferry Market Potential
• Develop Preliminary Ferry Service Alternatives
• Perform Travel Demand Forecasts
• Perform landside Infrastructure Analysis
• Perform Waterside Operations Analysis
• Model Ferry Service Operations
• Prepare a Ferry Service Operations Plan
• Perform Public Involvement activities
• Prepare a Final Report on Findings and Recommendations

Travel projections were performed for a base year (assumed 2000) and a design year (assumed 2010). Ferry patronage forecasts were made for the same time period. Also, annual ferry patronage projections were made for a five year period to use as a base for financial projections.

Evaluation of numerous ferry termini and route alternatives was performed using Measures of Effectiveness (MOE’s). The MOE’s were established to provide a logical and systematic approach to screening ferry service alternatives. MOE’s included comparative travel times, socio-demographic data, accessibility measures, market attributes, cost data, environmental impacts and operational measures. Data for the MOE’s was developed through research, field reconnaissance and forecasting activities.

An operations plan was prepared for the selected alternative that included schedules, service characteristics, capital requirements, financial projections and implementation concepts. The final chapter contains conclusions and recommendations drawn for the study.

The remainder of this chapter presents the study’s purpose and need.

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to examine the feasibility of alternative high-speed passenger ferry boat service options operating on the Potomac River. The area of potential service operation includes Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia (DC), and extends from Cherry Hill, Virginia on the south to the District of Columbia on the north. Feasibility will be determined by:

• Evaluating the potential market for high-speed passenger ferry service,
• Determining a ferry operation’s impact on existing transit services,
• Identifying landside/waterside considerations for service implementation,
• Examining funding needs,
• Identifying operating authority, and
• Developing an implementation plan that provides for private and/or public participation in operating the service.

The project was initiated based on existing and anticipated congestion in the I-95/I-395 travel corridor. This congestion cannot be fully addressed using existing infrastructure:

• It will be expensive and difficult to widen portions of I-95, thereby increasing vehicular capacity, and
• Single Occupant Vehicle (SOV) lanes on I-95 will experience a varying degree of decreased carrying capacity as a result of the Springfield Interchange and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge reconstruction.

Two existing transportation facilities that can help address anticipated congestion are:

• Virginia Railway Express (VRE) can add an additional track at a significant capital cost and add some capacity by introducing larger cars and increasing train set length, and
• High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on I-95 have the capacity to carry additional multi-occupant vehicles.

If a high-speed passenger ferry service is found to be feasible either as a public or private operation, it could also help mitigate travel congestion.

The operation of passenger ferry boat service on the Potomac River has been studied for many years.

• In 1964, O. Roy Chalk proposed a federally funded study to investigate the feasibility of operating a scheduled ferry service from Fort Washington, Maryland to the District of Columbia that would connect with D.C. Transit.
• In 1984, the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (today’s Federal Transit Administration) commissioned Advanced Marine Systems Associates to prepare a survey and analysis of advanced marine vessels and operations throughout the world. The research was then used to determine possible applications for high-speed ferry services in the U. S. The marine vessels studied all had calm water speeds of 25 knots or more in passenger service and included air cushion vehicles (ACV) and surface effect ships (SES) including hydrofoils, catamarans and twin hull vessels. Potential U. S. sites for technology transfer were evaluated based on waterfront accessibility, water depth, travel volumes and routes with time/convenience advantages. A route from Woodbridge to Maine Avenue was evaluated and determined to not be feasible based on low ridership, high fare needed to pay operating costs, and lack of a significant travel time savings.
• In 1988, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) had SG Associates, Inc. and Richard H. Pratt, Consultant, Inc. prepare a high-speed commuter ferry study. The study was requested by the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC). Service from Cherry Hill, Woodbridge, Indian Head, and Fort Washington to the Maine Avenue dock in the District of Columbia and the Pentagon in Virginia was considered. High-speed vessels of 60 to 149 passenger capacities and operational speeds of 25 to 50 knots were used to assume travel times. The study only considered commuter work trips. A schedule of four trips in each daily peak period operating at fares of $2.50/$3.00 was assumed. The ferry service configuration was modeled on the proposed VRE rail service. The study also assumed reasonable landside infrastructure (docks, parking, etc.) and shuttle bus service from Maine Avenue to Metrorail. Travel modeling used conventional approaches, and the split allocation among modes was made based on travel times, convenience measures, distance, and cost. The study forecast that Virginia had a large amount of daily commuter travel that was effectively served by existing modes, and implementation of a high-speed (50 knot) ferry service would not attract sufficient patronage to be financially viable. Maryland has a smaller commuter market and less transit service. A high-speed ferry service would attract a higher percentage of transit commuters than Virginia, however, still not in sufficient numbers to operate a financially successful service.
• In 1989, Textron Marine Systems prepared an economic feasibility report for an air cushion passenger ferry vehicle service on the Potomac River for Potomac Associates. The study focused on the development of a water taxi service using 24-passenger air cushion vehicles to initially operate on a Port America (now National Harbor), National Airport, Maine Avenue, and Georgetown. Other destinations would be added later. Although the economic analysis indicated a profitable operation, service was never initiated.
• In 1990, COMSIS Corporation prepared a Statewide Commuter Assistance Study for the Maryland Department of Transportation. The study identified and analyzed 24 major travel corridors throughout the state, including hovercraft service on the Potomac River, to address congestion in the Southern Maryland to Washington corridor. A passenger ferry route serving Indian Head, Fort Washington, Port America, Alexandria, National Airport, and Maine Avenue in the District was developed. Capital and operating costs were estimated, as well as possible patronage assuming no transit service would be introduced in the corridor. No revenue projections were prepared. The study recommended that private operators implement the hovercraft service.
• In 1998, Aqua Line, Inc. proposed a 3-phase program using ACV’s traveling at 40 miles per hour, to serve commuters and tourists in Maryland, Virginia, and the District. Phase One called for operation of four 30-passenger ACV’s serving immediate downtown locations (Georgetown, Maine Avenue, and RFK Stadium). Phase Two extended service to points (Pentagon, National Airport, Port America, and Fort Washington) in a bus stop linkage concept. Phase Three extended services to Indian Head and Quantico using 100+ passenger vessels. Proposed private and public financing never materialized.
• In 1994, D.C. Ducks, Inc. filed an application for authority to operate a passenger transportation system using renovated amphibious military vehicles. These 33-passenger vehicles would service various points in the metropolitan area from National Airport using the Potomac River. The service never became operational.
• Metromarine Holdings, Inc. has proposed several passenger ferry service concepts during the past 10 years, including commuter, rivercoach, and tourist service. Commuter service was proposed from Woodbridge and Fort Washington to terminals at National Airport and Maine Avenue. The rivercoach service would travel to Georgetown, the Pentagon, National Airport, Maine Avenue, the Navy Yard, Alexandria, and Port America. Tourist service would run from Maine Avenue to Mount Vernon. A mix of two 250-passenger boats and an unspecified number of 60-passenger catamarans would be needed to operate this service. In 1999, Metromarine submitted a demonstration project proposal to the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (VDRPT) for high-speed ferry service from Woodbridge to the Navy Yard.
• Potomac Riverjets, Inc. is proposing a high-speed passenger ferry service using up to 10 boats and serving Woodbridge, Indian Head, Fort Washington, Maine Avenue, and the Navy Yard. Initial service is planned to start between Woodbridge and the Navy Yard in the year 2000. This private venture would utilize a 149 passenger Stolkcraft Multi Hull vessel with a speed capability of 35 knots. The vessel would be equipped with airline type seating with tables and include food and beverage service and access to electrical outlets for portable computers. A fleet of shuttle buses would transport commuters from home to dock and dock to work.

The location of high-speed passenger ferry boat service is restricted to the following nearby waterways: the Potomac River, Anacostia River, Occoquan River and several inlets along the Potomac. In order to assess the conditions, needs, and demands for ferry service, an impact area or ‘study corridor’ was defined over a 40-mile length of the Potomac River between Washington, DC and Quantico, Virginia. Figure 1-1 depicts the study corridor, key waterways, and jurisdictional boundaries.

The study corridor is served in a north-south direction by four major roadways:

• I-95/I-395 (Virginia). I-95 is a key interstate facility connecting all major cities along the Eastern Seaboard. Portions of the Capital Beltway, including the Woodrow Wilson Bridge crossing of the Potomac River, are designated as I-95. In combination, I-95 and I-395 provide direct SOV and HOV connections through the Northern Virginia suburbs of the Washington Metropolitan region. I-95 and I-395 join at the Capital Beltway, collecting and distributing other non-radial commuting trips. Separate exclusive HOV lanes are located in the median of I-95/I-395 South to Quantico Creek.
• Route 1 (Virginia). Route 1 is also an eastern seaboard roadway that traverses states from Florida to Maine. This route parallels the I-95/I-395 route through Northern Virginia until they converge at the Potomac River.
• Route 210/Indian Head Highway (Maryland). Route 210 is a divided arterial roadway that runs parallel to the Potomac River and has an interchange with the Capital Beltway. It represents the first southern route into Maryland after crossing the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.
• I-295 (Maryland). This interstate facility closely parallels (within 0.7 miles) the Potomac River, from the Capital Beltway to the north into Washington, DC. The interstate connection provides the first access to the north after crossing the Woodrow Wilson Bridge into Maryland.

These major roadways are interconnected with other radial arterials (e.g., Telegraph Road, and George Washington Memorial Parkway) providing additional north-south roadway commuting capacity. North-south traffic to/from eastern Prince William County is restricted by three bridge crossings along the Occoquan River via Route 123, I-95, and Route 1. The Route 123 bridge connects to central parts of Northern Virginia. The other two bridges accommodate travel to/from the urban core.

In addition to the I-95 HOV lanes, the study corridor is served by a variety of public transportation alternatives:

• Metrorail/Metrobus Service,
• VRE Commuter Rail Service,
• PRTC Express Bus Service,
• Fairfax Connector Service,
• Commercial Van Pools,
• Park-and-Ride Lots, and
• Private Bus Companies.

Study Area Map - Figure 1-1

Recent data collection efforts by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) reveal heavy commuter use of the I-95 HOV lanes from communities located immediately west of I-95 in Prince William and Stafford Counties. Three-fourths of all auto trips destined for downtown Washington, DC utilize the HOV lanes. HOV usage by residents between I-95 and the Potomac River is not as popular, and represents approximately one-third of the commuters.

Over the next decade, households and the overall population are expected to grow significantly along the I-95/Route 1 Corridor. There will be an expected increase of 14,000 households in eastern Prince William County and Stafford County. This represents a 23 percent growth with respect to the existing 63,000 households within the Corridor. Along Route 210 in Maryland, the population and household growth is expected to exhibit a 10 percent increase. While these indicators of potential trip production are increasing, the core employment of the metropolitan region will also experience growth. The inner jurisdiction of Washington, DC will experience the most significant growth in employment with the addition of 48,000 jobs by 2010.

The growth in population, households, and employment over the next 10 years will give rise to increased traffic volumes and will impact congestion in the I-95/Route 1 Corridor.

The Washington metropolitan area experiences severe traffic congestion during morning and evening peak periods. Annual urban mobility studies indicate that the metro area ranks second in the nation, relative to congestion during these periods. The 2020 Transportation Plan produced by the Transportation Coordinating Council (TCC) in Northern Virginia has indicated significant continued growth within the study corridor. TCC data depicts a 50 percent growth in person-work trips from the study corridor to the DC Core from 1990 to 2020. The analysis also indicated that traffic volumes on I-95/I-395 would continue to exceed the capacity of the facility through 2020.

Major construction is underway on the Springfield Interchange. Special task forces were established to address methods for managing traffic and reducing travel demand in the I-95 Corridor during the 8-year construction period. Major construction on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge along the Capital Beltway, Route 1, and Route 123 is expected to begin during the same timeframe.

Based upon the aforementioned discussion regarding previous ferry initiatives, existing travel conditions in Northern Virginia, ongoing construction activities, and documented projections of increased travel in the corridor, the following were evaluated in the course of this study:

• A passenger ferry boat service option in the I-95 corridor that reduces SOV use, aids in Transportation Demand Management (TDM) efforts resulting from construction activities, and minimizes impacts on other public transportation services.
• The role of passenger ferry service as an integral and economically sustainable part of the region’s transportation system.

Return to the Ferry Boat Feasibility Study Table of Contents
Return to the Ferry Boat Feasibility Study Main Page