County ferry project moving along smoothly

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This Matawan Creek bridge, which connects Aberdeen and Keyport on Amboy Avenue-West Front Street, is slated to get some temporary repairs. For the story, see page 8.

MIDDLETOWN — The county is forging ahead with Phase I of its Belford Ferry Terminal project and is anticipating that the service will be operational later this year.

At a workshop meeting of the Township Committee on Monday, Monmouth County Planning Board member Kevin Ganson, who is also the project coordinator, gave a presentation explaining the current status of the project while offering the committee a rough timeline for future work.

"We’ve hit a lot of hoops and hurdles because we’re using federal money," he said.

However, Ganson, along with Rich Watson, a project engineer, agreed that the project is moving along smoothly, despite having to meet several conditions set forth by the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The county is currently concentrating on "stabilizing the ground" in front of where the ferry would be accessed as well as by the adjacent landfill area. Ganson also explained how, as part of the stabilizing effort, the county is using dredge materials to cap the landfill area to make the area environmentally sound.

"We’re using as much material from the site as possible in order to limit truck traffic," he said.

As part of the initial phase of the project, the county is concentrating on the development of 500 parking spaces, a pair of docks for the ferry boats, a bridge on the site’s main access road, which has already been completed, and the finalization of construction specifications for the terminal building, which will serve as a loading area.

According to Ganson, the county expects to go out to bid for the construction of the building sometime this month. The building will contain a tower, which will be available to the township’s marine police, and will be located in the upper corner of the site closest to the water.

"This building will not be a monster by any means," Ganson said. "It is to serve as a drop-off point where people can get shelter while they wait for the boats to load."

Members of the committee asked Ganson questions about where the service would go, how much it would cost, and if any other services would be available to commuters within the building.

Ganson told the committee that the ferries will travel to Manhattan, which should take about 40 to 45 minutes, and may also travel to JFK Airport, which may take as little as 29 minutes.

The cost of the service is to be determined at a later date; however, Ganson emphasized that the service is aimed at being competitively priced with other area ferry services.

Members of the committee pointed out that a low cost of $15 to $19 per day for the service might draw commuters who are currently using the train to get to work, which might help alleviate the parking problem at the train station.

Toward the conclusion of his presentation, Ganson told the committee that the county currently has all of its permits in order to continue with the project, although it is preparing a response to the corps’ concerns about the number of available parking spaces at existing ferry sites operated by New York Fast Ferry and Seastreak Ferry in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands.

"The corps wants us to re-examine the parking issue based on Congressman (Frank) Pallone’s letter," he said. "But their argument is based on what-ifs; whereas, we had professional engineers look at this. Right now we have the permits necessary. … We will respond to their concerns, hopefully this week."

Ganson also dispelled questions about whether a N.Y. Fast Ferry service in Keyport, which the Keyport Borough Council is considering, would lessen the need for the ferry service in Belford.

"They have a significant ways to go before that may happen (in Keyport)," he said. "And that service would serve a different ridership. But regardless, this service is to complement existing ferry services, not to compete with them."