SMITHVILLE, Md. - Across Dorchester County, boat ramps are getting an upgrade.
Crews have been working most of the summer to complete the jobs.
The Hoopersville boat ramp is freshly finished. County crews replaced the pilings, concrete ramp, bulkheads, and the parking lot. People who used this ramp say it was needed. "Well a lot of the poles were rotten, the bulkheading was rotten, and the parking lot was full of holes. It was a mess and just in dire need of repair," says Robbie Walker. And, Walker says he's already taken advantage of the grand opening. "Now that it's fixed I'm going to use it a lot. I just put the boat over Sunday to go crabbing and the repairs that they made were very nice. It was very smooth and easy."
Currently, crews are working on the Smithville Bridge Boat Ramp. They'll be putting in new bulkheads, a parking lot, and a concrete ramp. Then, the Crocheron boat ramp will be next.
Dorchester County Council President Lenny Pfeffer says the Hoopersville, Smithville, and Crocheron boat ramps are the three main projects. But there could be more in the future.
"At this time we continue to apply for more funding through the DNR Waterway Improvement Grants so I can't tell you right now which ones will be improved or not."
But people who use the Trenton boat ramp, in Cambridge, say they'd like to be next in line.
"It just got a lot of deterioration on the concrete. It has a drop off that should have a warning on it to not to back up too far when the tides roll out," says Danny Cannon.
Dorchester County says tens of thousands of dollars are going into the repairs, and they will continue to apply for grants to the boat ramps and marinas.
County leaders making the waterways a priority.