CRISFIELD, Md. — A $30 million project is underway to upgrade Somers Cove Marina in Crisfield, the state's largest public marina.
The project includes replacing the marina's boat ramp, eight of its 15 piers with floating pier systems and about 2,000 feet of bulkhead. The work will also include upgrades to stormwater, utilities, parking and ADA access.
Somers Cove Marina serves more than 5,000 boaters each year and is an important connection to Smith and Tangier Islands, with ferry and tour boat service operating through the marina.
Jacob Young, a project manager with Dvorak LLC, the general contractor for the project, says crews are preparing for the work to get underway.
“We had the safety representatives from all the contractors here, and we are just discussing, you know, our first steps with safety, what they're looking forward to,” Young said.
Young says the project will also bring new infrastructure throughout the marina.
“There's going to be new site lighting. There's going to be, just basically new utility infrastructure throughout the facility,” Young said.
Sam Marsh, a waterman from Westover who keeps a boat at the marina, says some of the docks are in need of repairs.
“I think it's necessary,” Marsh said. “A lot of the docks are old and the nails are coming up and screws, and I think it's going to be a lot safer.”
Missy Evans, who lives on Smith Island, says some of the docks have become difficult to use.
“Some of the boards will pop loose if you step on the edges. They pop. They'd fix them when you told them, but overall, it needed to be fixed,” Evans said.
Evans says the new floating docks should also make it easier for boaters to access their vessels.
“What they're doing here is they put more floating docks in, it’s going to be easier for people to get on and off to,” Evans said.
The project also addresses flooding around the marina. Eric Luedtke with the Maryland Department of the Environment says new tide gates will help reduce flooding in nearby areas.
“There's significant issues with rising sea level and flooding in Crisfield, and part of this project is doing some repairs and installation of tide gates that will actually help reduce flooding off of Somers Cove property, so off of DNR property in neighboring parts of Crisfield,” Luedtke told WBOC.
Luedtke says some portions of the marina will be off limits while construction is underway, but marina staff will work to move boaters to other areas of the facility.
“Parts of the Marina that are actively being worked on are going to be off limits to the public,” Luedtke said. “But our Marina operations crew is going to be working to move boaters to other parts of the Marina so that they can continue to dock and get the services they need while the construction is ongoing.”
The project is funded primarily through $15.82 million in Waterway Improvement grants, along with $8.73 million in General Obligation Bonds and $5.95 million in Maryland Department of Transportation funding.
Construction is expected to begin Monday and is anticipated to take 18 to 24 months to complete.
