Going Off The Deep End: A Possible Ban On East End Ferry Service

One of the great things about living on Long Island is its proximity to other areas. In just about an hour or a little over, most of us can be in The City. We are only a “stone’s throw” from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, and if we don’t feel like driving we can catch a ferry, and from various points on Long Island, that will quickly and easily transport us to Fire Island and across The Sound.

But, now, one of these water transportation “trolleys” is up for trial with regard to its ability to operate out of East Hampton.

According to officials, the Cross Sound Ferry company transports 480,000 vehicles and 1.3 million individuals annually between its North Fork terminal at Orient Point and New London Connecticut, asserting that up to 30 percent of the yearly traffic is making its way to the Hamptons.

And, in fact, the company has been trying for quite a while to establish a South Fork terminal out of East Hampton, a measure that has gotten the thumbs up from local officials in Southold and shelter Island, especially in response to dealing with the increasing influx of traffic making its way into the Hamptons.

However, back in 1997, East Hampton’s town board passed a law prohibiting the size, power and speed of ferries that could operate out of the area, making it virtually impossible for a new auto ferry or high-speed passenger ferry to make its way across the Sound.

That law, upheld in the U.S. District court up until a year age, was recently challenged , noting that the measure did not account for the impact on interstate commerce and its effects on those traveling exclusively in East Hampton.

The case is being revisited based on claims that the ferry company serves a valid town purpose.

However, it’s now up to the ferry company to prove that benefits of operation outweigh the effects of the previous ban. And, the ferry suggest that a new ruling would send a clear message about impeding on people’s right to travel

The ferry company suggests that allowing for ferry travel would cut back on thousand of miles people put on their cars, due to auto travel each year, and some town officials note that the added traffic pollution, especially by those heading to the Connecticut casinos would make (traffic) and (pollution) matters worse. Plus, they fear that one ferry (service) will lead to others, a lesson they say, they learned from the North Shore.

Still, the case probably won’t get to court for the next 9 months to a year.