By Bryan Jaffe

ST. MARY’S TODAY

CALIFORNIA — St. Mary’s Commissioner Larry Jarboe (R. Golden Beach) responded to rumors that the proposed Piney Point ferry will be used to ship garbage from Maryland to Virginia on Friday March 5th.

"Why would a trucker who has to make his living drive 15 miles out of his way to wait an hour and a half to cross on the ferry, to then drive north again to get to the landfill," he asked. He described the notion as unthinkable and impractical.

"It would also be expensive," Jarboe added, explaining that the cost of each car is $20 for a one way trip and a garbage truck would displace about five cars and costing about $100.

"I can’t imagine why any trucker would cross the Potomac at that price," Jarboe said.

Currently, garbage in St. Mary’s is collected and shipped to a center in Appeal, near Lusby in Calvert County. From there the garbage is rounded up and loaded into trailers which carry it across the Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge, over St. Andrews Church Road to Rt.5.

The Trucks then travel North on Rt. 5 to 301, and cross into Virginia over the Governor Harry Nice Bridge in Morgantown which carries Rt. 301 south into Virginia. Rt. 301 meets up with Rt. 3, which goes directly to Sealston Virginia in King George’s County, the location of a large landfill where the waste is disposed of.

"If that’s the plan, I would love to see the evidence," said Jarboe, "If anyone knows that this is what’s going to happen, please bring it before the commissioners because we would be very interested to know that."

Jarboe said that the only reasons the St. Mary’s County Commissioners want the ferry is to support tourism in Maryland and to support local attractions and businesses.

The ferry will be run by Von Bergen Ltd. and will make six trips each way daily. The first trip will be from Virginia, where the ferry will be moored overnight, to Maryland.

The proposed cost right now is $20 per car for a one way trip or $30 for a round trip.

"It would be a shame if people were whispering innuendoes to stop what would be an excellent form of alternative transportation," Jarboe said.

He also said that he would hope to see more support for the ferry from local entities such as the St. Mary’s Chambers of Commerce and the Potomac River Association.

"The Potomac River Association defeated an oil refinery in Piney Point 30 years ago to promote tourism in St. Mary’s," said Jarboe, "This kind of thing is exactly what they were fighting for."

Jaffe@stmarystoday.com