March 9, 2009
By Robin Kaminski/The Daily Item
According to published reports, Lynn is reportedly in line to receive $4 million from the federal stimulus package to help fund the development of a commuter ferry, but James Cowdell, executive director of the Lynn Economic Development and Indu-strial Corp., said he isn’t counting his chickens before they’ve hatched.
“It was premature to say we got the money because it isn’t official,” he said. “We’re certainly hopeful we will get the money, but we’re also on the same list as a lot of other cities and towns that are waiting for the money.”
The potential funds are part of a state plan aimed at boosting the economy, and is lumped in with a slew of other projects vying for a chunk of the $787 billion federal stimulus package initiated by President Obama.
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization would allocate specific funds for the state.
The first phase of the ferryboat project has been completed with the help of $750,000 from the Massachusetts Seaport Advisory Council, but three phases still remain to complete a shuttle that would operate year round between Lynn and Boston.
An application for an additional $1.3 million was filed with the seaport council in December, but if the federal stimulus money comes through on top of the other funds, Cowdell said two years would be chopped off of the process and all phases could be done at once.
“We’re weeks away from finding out about the money, but the state has been very supportive of the project,” Cowdell said. “But we want to keep it as a priority project as well.”
In order to do so, Cowdell said he and James Marsh, community development director, would meet today with representatives of Undersecretary James Bialecki in Boston to continue talks.
The total cost of the project is $3.1 million and would ultimately create a pier large enough to hold three vessels and a commuter ferryboat ramp for easy access.
Ferry service is expected to begin in 2010.
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