The ferry proposal begins with two catamarans that would run between the Schultz Preserve area and MacDill Air Force Base. HMS Ferries photo.
Work has started on an environmental study to gauge the impact of a high-speed ferry port linking South County with Tampa.
The study comes on the heels of a nod of approval for the project from Hillsborough county commissioners last month to continue working with HMS Ferries South Swell Development Group. The companies propose building a ferry terminal at the Fred and Idah Schultz Preserve just north of Apollo Beach. Commissioners voted to continue studying the project for another year.
“We are ramping up the environmental study to select a preferred site,” said Ed Turanchik, a former county commissioner and a lawyer who represents the companies trying to bring the ferry to Tampa Bay. Turanchik now works for Akerman LLP, specializing in government affairs and public policy.
County officials will lead the environmental study. HNTB, a Tampa engineering and consulting firm, will also be involved.
The environmental study is expected to be complete within a year. Supporters then hope to have design, engineering and environmental permits by the following year, with construction starting in 2017 and the first ferry service in 2018.
The proposal begins with two catamarans that would run between the Schultz Preserve area and MacDill Air Force Base, with the first anticipated riders being among the 7,800 MacDill employees who commute between 25 and 35 miles daily from across the Bay.
The two catamarans would operate the six-mile straight-across service approximately every 20 minutes from 6 to 9 a.m. and again from 4 to 6 p.m. for MacDill employees. Service would expand as others signed on, Fernandez said.
A third catamaran would be added later for public use if the venture proves profitable, said Mark Fernandez of HMS Ferries Inc. in a public meeting at Hillsborough Community College last June. HMS Ferries also runs The Statue of Liberty and Alcatraz Tours ferries.
Ed Turanchik represents the companies trying to bring the ferries to Tampa Bay.
“It will be huge for South County’s military families and for taking people off the roads,” Turanchik said. “It is the least expensive transportation option because it moves so many people for so little money.”
The ferry’s travel time from Schultz Preserve to MacDill is estimated to take 13 minutes. The road trip by car can take 40 minutes.
“There are roughly 7,200 trips every morning and evening [from South County to MacDill], so we are going to take between 1,500 and 2,500 cars off those crowded roadways at [rush hour],” said Turanchik, citing Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization studies.
A 2012 feasibility study commissioned by the county studied various routes for a ferry and found a service linking the Apollo Beach/Gibsonton area and MacDill Air Force Base would be “the most promising route.”
Commissioner Sandra Murman, whose district includes much of South Shore, said the area has not “gotten its fair share of transportation dollars … and I have stood up for that at this board every single step of the way, trying to get more roads, buses, whatever we can put into South County.”
Vowing that “failure is not an option,” Murman, who has worked on the ferry project since its inception, said the county needs to have a thorough and fiscally responsible approach to the project. “We will not fail to bring transportation options to South County; we will not fail to bring a ferry to South County, but we’ve got to do it right.”
In this corner …
A rare coalition has backed the project, including the Tampa Bay Sierra Club and the powerful Tampa and St. Petersburg chambers of commerce.
“By removing 1,500 commuting cars from our road daily, the ferry project significantly reduces greenhouse gases,” said Kent Bailey, president of the Tampa Bay Sierra Club. “We are one of the nation’s most threatened communities due to sea level rise. The development of [a] public transportation system is critical in the reduction of carbon emissions and critical to our community’s future.”
The Sierra Club’s executive committee has voted twice in support of the project, the second time, last September, with specific reference to the Schultz site.
The project also calls for adding 46 acres of new environmental lands between the Schultz Preserve area and Golden Aster Scrub Preserve in Gibsonton, according to HMS Ferries.
This facility will also serve as a waterfront recreational park, according to the ferry firm, “providing outdoor enthusiasts with good public access to the Schultz Preserve as well as the ‘Kitchen,’ [a natural haven between Tampa Electric’s Big Bend power plant and Cargill’s phosphate plant]. An access roadway would be built along an existing service roadway and constructed roadway right-of-way, which will not impact the existing Preserve.”
Proposed recreational features include a half mile of beachfront on the Kitchen; fishing, kayak and canoe launches; and a bike-share facility. A concession area and restrooms would also be provided.
… and that corner
While the ferry has a diverse group of supporters and backing in Washington, D.C. — the project won a $4.8 million federal grant last year — hurdles still remain, including, among others, approval from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense.
Port Tampa Bay also raised concerns last month that the proposed ferry would interfere with other vessels already using Bay waters. The Audubon Society of Florida has also opposed placing the terminal on the Preserve, citing environmental worries.
Ferry Q & A
Q. When would the MacDill Ferry operate?
A. Vessels would run regularly between South County and MacDill Air Force Base during the morning and evening rush hours. The service would operate on all working days, but not federal holidays or weekends.
Q. Would there be parking at the terminal?
A. Yes, the proposed Schultz Ferry Park would be able to accommodate at least 1,200 parking spaces. The parking area would be fenced, lighted and have security.
Q. Who would use the MacDill Ferry Service?
A. There are more than 7,800 families living in the area around the proposed terminal who have a MacDill employee in their household. They commute between 45 and 70 miles each day, taking 1.5 to 2 hours each day. The ferry service would reduce travel time by as much as 30 minutes per day, as well as cut costs, while increasing the quality and productivity of the commute.
Q. How much would the MacDill commuter service cost?
A. Federal employees receive a monthly transit benefit that can be applied to ferry transit services. At present, this benefit would cover the anticipated cost of the fare, so the trip would be no additional cost for those federal employees. It is estimated that a household that used this service would save between $3,200 and $6,300 each year in economic costs associated with operating a car.
Q. Could non-employees use the MacDill HSF Commuter?
A. Yes, but their entrance onto the base would be governed by existing security regulations, restrictions and procedures. All passengers would have to go through MacDill’s security. They would also be required to pay for a daily pass, the amount that would be established before starting service.
SOURCE: Tampabayhighspeedferry.com