CRISFIELD, Md. - The "Gateway to the Chesapeake" is getting a $30 million upgrade, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Somers Cove Marina is the state's largest public marina. Officials say the project will create better service for Chesapeake Bay boaters and create economic and flood prevention benefits for Crisfield.
The project includes replacing the boat ramp, eight of the marina's 15 piers with floating pier system, and 2,000 feet of new bulkhead. DNR officials say it will also include improved stormwater management, Critical Area mitigation, landscaping, and invasive species eradication.
To address the flooding around the marina in Crisfield, officials say they will construct five tide gates within a new storm drain system to prevent tidal flooding.
They say they will be replacing upland utility systems as well, including storm drains, sewers, water and electric infrastructure, installing a new emergency generator, and improving ADA access with new sidewalks and access to multiple piers and slips.
“DGS is proud to assist our neighbors in all corners of the state...,” says Department of General Services Secretary Atif Chaudhry. “A marina of this size and importance needs infrastructure that can meet the demands of both today and tomorrow which is exactly what this project sets out to do. This project is not only about making the marina better for boaters. It is about making the surrounding community more resilient and preparing Crisfield for the challenges of tomorrow.”
(MD DNR)
Somers Cove Marina was built by the City of Crisfield in 1958 and has been owned by DNR since 1980. Not only is the marina a key economic driver for the lower Eastern Shore, it is also the hub for Smith and Tangier Islands with ferry services. It is also the home port for DNR’s icebreaker and buoy tender, the M/V Eddie Somers, which can be a literal lifeline to the islands during freezing winters, according to officials.
The project is funded in part by Waterway Improvement grants, collected from an about-5% excise tax on boat sales, according to DNR. Those grants are supplying about $15 million to the project. Additional funding is also coming from General Obligation Bonds and the Maryland Department of Transportation.
“The City of Crisfield is extremely grateful for this major investment in both the economic vitality and resilient infrastructure of our community,” says Crisfield Mayor Darlene Taylor. "These planned infrastructure upgrades will make a significant difference in the everyday lives of our citizens by reducing the duration and intensity of flooding in many areas of our community. This is truly a big deal for Crisfield. On behalf of our citizens, we thank the Moore-Miller Administration, the DNR, and all who worked to make these major, much-needed upgrades a reality."
