166 replies to this topic

[KWebz]

How long does the ferry trip take?  There's a ferry close to me that takes 40 minutes each way... and it's $20.     The state does it now, but it used to be a private company... several years ago, some Greek freighter ran into a major bridge over in Pensacola and screwed it up, and the dang ferry company just took their boats and went over there to cash in, leaving us ferry-less... which is why the state took it over... the point being that it's not some heavily subsidized thing...

  By comparison, the Cape May/Lewes ferry is 15 miles, takes 80 mins and costs $45 for a car & driver.

I've been on the cape may ferry and thought it was only a half hour but I could be wrong. Maybe 80minutes when you factor in loading up all the cars and such?

[NewMarketSean]

I got the info from Wikipedia:

 

The ferry trip takes approximately 80 minutes^[1] and provides a view of three lighthouses: the Cape May Light in New Jersey, and the Harbor of Refuge Light and Delaware Breakwater East End Light near Lewes.

[Nigel Tufnel]

I got the info from Wikipedia:

 

Yeah, according to the ferry's website, the trip is 17 miles and takes 85 minutes.  Peak fares are $45 each way, but that's only on summer weekends.  You can buy 12 tickets for $288, which averages out to $24 each way.

 

I'd also assume that the Cape May ferry is way, way busier than one in southern Maryland would be.

[Chris B]

Also, I'd like to change Route 50 or build bypasses next to it so that you're not stuck at traffic lights in Easton and Cambridge.  They have that in Salisbury already.  One highway with a 65 MPH speed limit.

Or that one random light by the community college right before 404.

Get rid of that or build a bridge or something.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Or that one random light by the community college right before 404.

Get rid of that or build a bridge or something.

 

+1.  That light sucks.

[NewMarketSean]

I take all the back roads to bypass those lights when taking route 50. Wye Mills, Easton Parkway...it definitely helps and you keep moving, which is all that matters IMO.

[KWebz]

I retract my insistence that there be a southern md ferry. Improving public transit in Baltimore should be first priority. I saw that they are removing a line and many stops on the remaining lines on the Charm City Circulator. This makes me sad but I'm also unsure where the revenue for a free bus system is coming from. I like the CCC. The Orange route is sketchy and has a lot of homeless people but it's nice when your grandma visits and can't walk all the way to Fells. I've never had an issues with the other routes.

[DJ MC]

I retract my insistence that there be a southern md ferry. Improving public transit in Baltimore should be first priority. I saw that they are removing a line and many stops on the remaining lines on the Charm City Circulator. This makes me sad but I'm also unsure where the revenue for a free bus system is coming from. I like the CCC. The Orange route is sketchy and has a lot of homeless people but it's nice when your grandma visits and can't walk all the way to Fells. I've never had an issues with the other routes.

 

I doubt they make any real "revenue", it's more about encouraging people to frequent businesses where the CCC goes. They make up the money in business taxes.

 

As for another bay crossing, I know I've heard discussion at various times over the years for a second crossing somewhere along eastern Baltimore County and Kent County. And I think the argument against Easton and Cambridge bypasses would be that 50 already does bypass the central part of Easton, and they would need to build a whole new bridge at Cambridge.

[BSLMikeLowe]

It would be nice.

 

Hogan would have won some people over by setting aside money for an Easton/Cambridge bypass.

 

Easier said than done though.

 

A Cambridge bypass means building a whole new bridge across the Choptank. That's expensive. And while residents might like the idea, the businesses along Rt 50 (i.e., people who helped get Hogan elected) certainly wouldn't. I always wondered why they never built a better interchange at the intersection between 50 and 404 that would eliminate the traffic light there.

[DJ MC]

A Cambridge bypass means building a whole new bridge across the Choptank. That's expensive. And while residents might like the idea, the businesses along Rt 50 (i.e., people who helped get Hogan elected) certainly wouldn't. I always wondered why they never built a better interchange at the intersection between 50 and 404 that would eliminate the traffic light there.

 

They could still do that. And it's been a while since I've been down 50 (one of the advantages of being well northeast of the city is the easy access to Delaware) but I assume they could build interchanges along the route around Easton. Although the surrounding development may not support it (like I said, it's been a while).

[BSLMikeLowe]

They could still do that. And it's been a while since I've been down 50 (one of the advantages of being well northeast of the city is the easy access to Delaware) but I assume they could build interchanges along the route around Easton. Although the surrounding development may not support it (like I said, it's been a while).

 

Yeah, they could. Just seems to me it would have made so much more sense (and cost less money) to do it as part of the improvements they made to Rt 50 east of Kent Island many years ago.

[RShack]

 But even then there wasn't any real regional cooperation. I don't know if that has ever happened, or whether there is a real chance that it could in the non-distant future.

 

Regional cooperation only happened when the City was rich and the counties weren't... so, the City just paid for whatever was needed... Friendship Airport... Lock Raven reservoiur... they weren't in the City, but the City just paid for them anyway...

 

My Dad was a Republican (until he got fed up)... but even in the mid-60's his Goldwater-voting, County-residing self said that the balance of power shifting to the counties was gonna screw things up... that a regional gov't was requiired, otherwise decisions would be made based on what's cheap, not based on what's needed...

[DJ MC]

The Sun: Mayor reversing CCC cuts

[KWebz]

The Sun: Mayor reversing CCC cuts

This is so exciting! I'm one of those 300,000 who use the Banner Route. I don't depend on it to get to the grocery store like the lady in the article, but it's nice not having to drive. Glad it's no longer on the chopping block. The purple route pushing into Charles Village and Hampden is an excellent move IMO. I would take it to go to some of the shops and restaurants whereas otherwise I wouldn't want to deal with the traffic and the parking. Tourists can see more of Baltimore's more charming neighborhoods. Win win.

[RShack]

The Sun: Mayor reversing CCC cuts

 

Good move... now, if she would expand it...

[NewMarketSean]

Hogan closes Baltimore prison.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2...e-jail-closing/

 

A good move, since it sounds like it was a corrupt institution anyway.

 

The allegations included accounts of how one member of the Black Guerrilla Family gang, Tavon White, was able to operate his criminal enterprise from within the jail. Not only had White impregnated four of the guards who smuggled in contraband on his behalf, but one correction officer was so loyal to the inmate that she had "Tavon" tattooed on her wrist, according to court documents.

 

And Hogan continues his "Fuck You, Baltimore" campaign.

 

I am starting to like it, actually.

[BSLMikeLowe]

So I'm guessing this only applies to the detention center, and none of the other state correctional facilities like the prison across the street or the juvie center a few blocks south (which IIRC is a relatively new facility). I know these facilities have to be located somewhere, but having them sitting right in between downtown and Hopkins, an area the city has long expressed a desire to see redeveloped, pretty much serve as a man-made barrier to that.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Baltimore Business Journal: Design for Merritt Athletic Club expansion in Canton has 'come a long way'

http://www.bizjourna...l4&t=1438434536

 

Baltimore Business Journal: $81 million Marriott Residence Inn planned for East Baltimore moves ahead

http://www.bizjourna...l4&t=1438434538

 

Baltimore Business Journal: Kevin Plank's development group will use National Aquarium land for incubator project

http://www.bizjourna...r&ed=2015-07-31

[NewMarketSean]

My friend bought a used boat recently, and we took it out around the harbor on Sunday to make sure it ran. After we got gas to the engine, it ran fine. Fist time I've boated through the harbor before, the city looks so much different from the water. Much...classier. I loved seeing the development form the water too...lots going on.

 

That said, the city should invest in some trash cleaning boats, or combine some kind of boating course with trash pick up. Pretty disgusting out there and I was amazed at how many people I saw fishing...I wouldn't eat anything caught north of the Key Bridge.

[RShack]