Next Steps to Save the Ferries

Following a with Connecticut River Ferry crew members and union leaders on Tuesday, volunteers gathered at the Hadlyme Public Hall to review the status of plans to shutter the historic Connecticut River ferries and to discuss their next step to oppose the the proposed closures.

Humphrey Tyler, a "Save the Ferries" organizer, opened the meeting with an update on the developments in the ongoing battle to save the Chester-Hadlyme and Rocky Hill-Glastonbury ferries. Tyler described the recent Department of Transportation (DOT)  that details the proposed plan to discontinue both ferry services.

The notice, issued Aug. 3, states that "ferry service will no longer be provided at the terminus of scenic road Route 160 at the Connecticut River in Glastonbury" and the "discontinuance would alter a portion of Route 148 that has been designated as a scenic road."

Under state law, alterations to a scenic road require that "the Commissioner of Transportation shall cause to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality or municipalities in which such scenic road is located, a notice describing the alteration or improvement."

The statute also states that "there shall be a comment period following the public notice during which interested persons may submit written comments."

The purpose of the meeting on Tuesday was to organize the grass roots effort to submit public comment on the issue. 

"We hope that the result of the union vote will be available next week. If it passes, we hope that the state recinds the pink slips it issued, but there is no guarantee," Tyler said.

Susan Tyler, another organizer of the effort, created lists of area businesses to contact in an effort to help garner support. Other volunteer opportunities presented at the meeting included handing out flyers and postcards at various area farmers markets and events. On the list are the Lyme Farmers Market, the Hamburg Fair, the , the Chester Fair, the and the state ferries. A sign up table drew lines of volunteers to help.

Rob Smith, a Democrat running for first selectman in East Haddam also attended the meeting. 

"I'm here to support the ferry effort because I am a direct decendent of Jonathan Warner, who started the ferry," he said. "I used to take the ferry daily when I was living in Killingowrth and commuting to my job at Gillette Castle. There is no better way to start and end the day (than) with a beautiful view from a historic landmark. 

"When I was the Lyme Ambulance Coordinator, we even used the ferry to transport patients from this area to both Essex and Middletown," he added. "The ferry is an important link between the Hopyard, the Essex Railroad, Route 9, the castle and the whole river valley area. It is imperative that we do something to save the state's historic ferry services," he said.

The discontinuation of the state's ferries was originally part of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's broader effort to close a $1.6 billion shortfall in his two-year budget after the state unions rejected a wage and benefits concession plan. That agreement has gone back to the unions for another vote.