Aug 10th 2020 | Posted in Public-Private Partnerships (P3) by Government Contracting Pipeline

Maryland – The Charles County Board of Commissioners voiced its support for the Northern Virginia Regional Commission’s application for a Marine Highway Grant to support a new ferry system.
The grant from the America’s Marine Highway Program through the Maritime Administration (MARAD) would help finance a transit alternative on the Occoquan, Potomac, and Anacostia rivers with potential public-private partnership (P3) opportunities.
Plans call for ferry service on a primary route on a marine highway known as the M-495 from Woodbridge, Virginia, to Joint Base Ancostia-Bolling and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C. Additional routes would travel to the National Airport, The Wharf, Old Town Alexandria, and other destinations.
A request for information in 2019, solicited information on commuter services and the feasibility of small package freight deliveries.
Infrastructure costs are estimated range from an initial $75 million to $100 million to build docks, parking lots or structures, and ferry vessels. The infrastructure upgrades needed to support ferry service could be publicly or privately financed and could require a P3 for ferry operators servicing the dock.