Deep-water berth proposal welcomed
MATT WICKENHEISER
- By
Staff Writer
PORTLAND - City officials welcomed the news Wednesday that Gov. John Baldacci had proposed $8 million for a deep-water cruise ship berth for Portland Harbor in his $79 million bond package.
If approved by the Legislature and then by voters in June, the $8 million would fund a "mega-berth" at the city's Ocean Gateway Terminal. It would allow large cruise ships and other vessels to dock.
Such a deep-water pier was originally part of the Ocean Gateway project, but it wasn't built because the the project ran out of money.
The state asked for federal stimulus money to build the pier, but didn't get it.
"This is something we have been working on for some time, looking at different funding options," said City Manager Joe Gray. "This has benefits not only for the city, but also for the entire southern Maine region -- even to some extent, the entire state."
Last year, 45 cruise ships visited Portland, said Gray. This year, 75 have scheduled stops.
Large cruise ships now dock at the Maine State Pier. With a deep-water pier, the city could host two at once.
The new pier would accommodate a 1,200-foot-long ship. It would be a floating dock anchored in a section of the harbor known as the "deep hole" because it is dredged to about 80 feet.
It would be attached to the two concrete "dolphins" that once secured the floating drydock owned by Bath Iron Works, and to the 600-foot-long Ocean Gateway pier.
Cruise ship passengers disembark in Portland and visit Kennebunkport, Freeport and other areas as well as the city, said Gray. And cruise ships that visit Portland often visit other ports, such as Bar Harbor, Eastport and Rockland, he said. The new pier would allow those visits to continue.
Mayor Nicholas Mavodones Jr. said a deep-water pier could also be used by Navy ships, cargo ships and other vessels that need short-period home ports.
Many fiscal conservatives disagree with bonding to pay for infrastructure investment.
"I'm going to vote against any bond," said Steven Scharf, president of the Portland Taxpayers' Association. "I don't think any bonding should go out, period."
Gray said 96 construction jobs will be created if the pier funding passes. All pier permitting has been approved.
More ships would mean more work for members of the International Longshoremen's Association Local 861, said Jack Humeniuk, business agent for the 45-member union.
More ships also would mean more work for harbor pilots, and more business for other maritime businesses, he said.
"I think (Baldacci) saw the great market potential," said Humeniuk. "Hopefully the Legislature and the public see the same thing."
So, you want some say on next Veterans Bridge? Well, here?s your chance
ANN S
A series of meetings beginning today will let the public weigh in on details of the $63 million span that will replace the Veterans Memorial Bridge.
FOR MORE about this project, go to
www.maine.gov/mdot/vmb/index.htm
The preliminary design was released last month. Input is being sought on the remaining details, including memorials to the military, landscaping around the approaches, the pedestrian-bicycle path and elements such as railings. The first meeting will be held in the South Portland City Council Chambers from 5 to 8 p.m. today.
Organizers plan to review the work done so far and distribute pictures of the bridge plan and options for elements such as lighting and concrete treatments to get the conversation under way, said Karen Gola, who will facilitate the meetings for T.Y. Lin International of Falmouth, the design firm on the project.
If there is time, the discussion of aesthetic treatments may begin.
The other meetings are scheduled for 5 to 8 p.m. March 23 and 24. The locations have not yet been determined.
The Veterans Memorial Bridge, built in 1954, will be removed after the new one is finished. The timeline calls for the new bridge to open in July 2012.
The new four-lane bridge will have five "pavilions" -- portions where the concrete swings out in small arcs. Those areas will have concrete finishes that can come in various colors or stamped patterns. Benches, lighting fixtures and memorials will also be considered.
The concrete forming the bridge will be subject to architectural treatments that create patterns and textures, said Jeff Folsom, the Maine Department of Transportation's resident engineer on the project. The rendering shows stars at the top of the piers, but that is just a suggestion, he said.
"Sometimes they can simulate packed granite, like a granite block. Sometimes they're like a fluted concrete finish, a different texture than smooth formed concrete," Folsom said.
Although the meetings are meant to deal with details of the bridge, some groups hope to influence the larger design. The organizations were on a committee that provided input before the contract was awarded to T.Y. Lin and Reed & Reed Inc. of Woolwich, the contractor.
Norm Nelson, a member of the Greater Portland Landmarks board of trustees, is disappointed that the design didn't take a more imaginative approach.
"It's just an extension of (Interstate) 295. It's an off-ramp," said Nelson, who was on the committee.
Hilary Bassett, the organization's executive director, said beautiful design can be accomplished with the same resources. "We're not trying to put an add-on here," she said.
Christine Cantwell, who represented the Portland Society of Architects, said the critical site represents a high-stakes opportunity for Portland.
"We feel this is a gateway to the city and we feel it has the opportunity to have a sculptural presence," she said.
