1. Washington, DC Commuter
Ferry Service
January 2013
Noël P. Comeaux, AICP, PMP
Maritime Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation

2. Ferries & Water Taxis
Both fall under the legal
• Ferry: definition of a passenger
• Defined in 46 USC 2102(10b). vessel or a small passenger
• Normally runs between set points & vessel & require U.S. Coast
on set schedules.
Guard certification to carry 6
or more passengers for hire.
• Water Taxi:
• A small passenger vessel that can be used as a ferry or to final destination,
as directed by a passenger (or the someone hiring the vessel).
• Normally, water taxis are not large and run routes that are not economical
for larger ferry operations.

3. Prior Studies
 Ferry Boat Feasibility Study
• Virginia Department of Transportation
• April 2000
 Potomac River Commuter Ferry
Service Study & Route Proving
Exercise
• Prince William County
• September 2009

4. Existing Water Taxi
Tourism Services

5. Potential Commuter Markets
Note: There is also a viable Washington National Airport-National Harbor/DC Market.

6. Potential Military / Homeland
Security Markets

7. Existing Commuter Markets
 I-95 Corridor
• Up to 300,000 AADT
• Virginia Railway Express
 20,000 Ridership Daily
 I-495/Woodrow Wilson Bridge
• Up to 200,000 AADT
 Indian Head Highway
• 25,000 AADT
 Anacostia Freeway
• 75,000 AADT

8. Better Solution?
 Washington, DC Metro Area – #1 in Congestion
• Urban Mobility Report, 2012
 Walkability
• Old Town Alexandria – Ferry to Work in DC
• Southwest Waterfront Metro – short walk
 Energy
• Liquefied Natural Gas – less emissions
 Transit Oriented Development
• Prince William County - Occoquan
 Eligible for Commuter Benefits
• Commuter ferry services are eligible for Federal benefits up to $125
monthly
 Emergency Evacuation
• There is existing waterside infrastructure.
• Public vessel capacity may be an issue.

9. Government Support
 Ferry Stakeholder Committee
• Stakeholder Board
 US Coast Guard
• Permitting/Vessel Certification (Safety
Inspection)
• Channel Buoy Maintenance
 National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
• Navigation Charts

10. Departmental Support
 Maritime Administration
• Stakeholder Board
• Marine Highway Corridor Recommendation
 M-495 Connector
 Federal Highway Administration
• Ferry Grant Program
 Federal Transit Administration
• Stakeholder Board

11. Stakeholder Committee
 Northern Virginia Regional Commission
• Federal
 Maritime Administration
 US Joint Forces Command – DC
 General Services Administration
• Maryland Highway Administration (Port)
• Maryland
 Tri-County for S. Maryland
 Prince Georges County
 Charles County
 Town of Indian Head
 National Harbor

12. Stakeholder Committee
(Cont.)
 Commonwealth of Virginia:
• Virginia Office of Intermodal Planning & Investment
• Dept. of Rail and Public Transportation
• City of Alexandria
• Fairfax County
• Arlington County
• Prince William County
• Town of Quantico
• Marine Corps Base Quantico
• MWAA Airports Authority

13. Ridership Study
 Purposes:
• “…for a regional high-speed commuter ferry service
between selected origin and destination locations on
the Occoquan, Potomac, and Anacostia Rivers.”
• “…regarding the future of commuter ferry passenger
transportation in the National Capital Region
(NCR),….
 …especially in light of the military market encompassing the
BRAC adjustments.”
• “Commuter ferry service is intended to supplement,
not compete with, existing transit services, including
Virginia Railway Express (VRE), METRO and local
and long-distance commuter bus service.”

14. Ridership Study (Cont.)
 Scope of Work (Tasks):
1. Stakeholder Outreach
 Statistically-significant survey to gauge the interests and
concerns of key stakeholders
 Stakeholder Meetings
2. Develop Criteria & Methodology for Selection of
Sites
3. Market Analysis to Determine Demand for
Service
4. Preliminary Service Model
5. Submit Draft and Final Reports/Presentations

15. Impediments & Solutions
 Impediments  Solutions
• Fuel Access: • Fuel Access:
 Liquefied Natural Gas  Immediate Solution - Clean Diesel?
• Navigation: • Navigation:
 1980s laws  Wake Waiver
 DC is not a commercial port  Wave attenuators
 DC - No Wake Zone
 New Low-Wake Boat
 10” @ 100’ from boat
• Sea trials starting soon
• Transit Connection: • Transit Connection:
 Bus Services  Metrorail/bus – next train
 Metrorail connection  Private Phone Apps – next ferry
• Competing North-South • More Congestion!
Drive Time • I-95 / VRE
• Dredging: • Cost Built into Service
 Reagan Airport Agreement
 Ft. Belvoir
 Pentagon
• Funding • Less Expensive than Additional
Lane-Miles (New / To Maintain)
• 2013: >$14.5 million / lane-mile

16. More Impediments &
Solutions
 Impediments  Solutions
• Much of the shoreline in • Cooperation:
control of Military/DOD or • Where facilities make sense
Dept. of Interior, National
Parks, and private hands.
 Makes development of waterfront
infrastructure very difficult and
limited to few locations along the
river.
• Current predominant • Beginning to change, but only
development pattern ignores time and rediscovery of the
the waterfront. waterfront will tell.
 There are exceptions, but • National Harbor, The Wharf, and
significant density of residents The Yards
and jobs immediately adjacent to
the water is limited.

17. Marine Highway Program
 Energy Independence and Security Act,
2007
• Reduce congestion, lower emissions, less energy…
 US Coast Guard Authorization (112th
Congress, H.R. 2838)
• To expand the program from congested corridors
to promoting short sea shipping
 Freight and passenger
 Hence, Revised Final Rule in 2013
• Stemming from H.R. 2838
• Expected timeframe: Winter 2013

18. Your Departmental Support
 Maritime Administration
• Noël P. Comeaux, AICP, PMP
 202-366-5527
• Seneca Sok
 202-366-6639
 Federal Highway Administration
• Tony DeSimone
 317-226-5307
 Federal Transit Administration
• Jeffrey Spencer
 202-366-0550
• Charlene Wilder
 202-366-1077