November 11, 2020 by Carol Britton Meyer
Many individuals and families rely on the Hingham/Hull ferry service, from seniors keeping doctor's appointments and students taking the boat to school in Boston to families on an outing to the Boston Harbor Islands, or essential workers who continue to travel by ferry to their jobs in the city.
They, and other ferry, riders are deeply concerned about the MBTA's announcement on Monday that among the proposed cuts are temporary—and possibly permanent—suspension of the Hingham/Hull ferry service based at the Hingham Shipyard, reductions in the frequency of the 220 Hingham bus and Greenbush commuter rail service (including elimination of weekend trains), and termination of the Hull 714 bus, which is sometimes used by Hingham residents.
Hingham Shipyard resident Maria O'Laughlin said she's passionate about keeping ferry service intact as a member of the citizens advisory board of the South Coastal Region of the Department of Developmental Services, which serves people with disabilities and works with group homes for the disabled in the region and as the mother of a daughter with disabilities.
O'Laughlin's daughter, Hannah, 23, and her friends love to take the ferry to Boston and other locations accessible by boat. "The ferries are fully accessible, and they are safe and clean," O'Laughlin said. "They go to either Rowe's or Long Wharf, where it's not as chaotic when they disembark as it is at South Station and at some other stops. If ferry service is eliminated, my daughter's and everyone's access will be cut off."
Easy Access to Many Venues
The ferry also provides easy access to recreational sites, dining, museum, and other places: "The ferry gives Hannah and her friends access to the whole of downtown Boston, with its many cultural, employment, and recreational opportunities," O'Laughlin said.
Another point, according to O'Laughlin, is that "a lot of people moved to the South Shore because of the access to the commuter boat. Cutting off ferry service could affect property values and cause economic difficulties [for those who rely on ferry service to get to work and other locations]."
Hingham resident and ferry expert Martha Bewick said she believes there are some flaws in the information presented yesterday during a virtual public meeting at which the MBTA announced the proposed service cuts; a final decision is expected on December 7.
"I think there's an assumption [by the MBTA] that everyone [on the South Shore who uses the ferry] is well-to-do," Bewick said. "I think we need to make a better case that the ferry provides core essential services [the MBTA's term]. I think we need to think about making the argument that ferries and commuter rail are an integral part of the regional transportation mix," Reardon said. "If these services are cut, there will be many more cars on the highway."
Bewick also wondered if there are any legal implications related to stopping ferry and other services that are part of transit-oriented developments, such as the Shipyard, that could negatively impact the hundreds of millions of dollars-worth of commercial and residential property investment in that area.
Shipyard Owner Opposes Cuts
Leslie Cohen, Principal and Chief Operating Officer of Samuels & Associates, which owns the Shipyard, wrote a letter to the MBTA, which reads in part:
"Nearly two decades ago, the decommissioned Hingham Shipyard was identified as a site for transit-oriented, mixed-use development. In collaboration with our development partners, the Hingham community, and the Town of Hingham, Samuels & Associates created a master plan that offered new housing, economic opportunity (for retail, jobs, and commercial tenants), and public gathering places. The key anchor to the project was the stable, efficient, and cost-sensitive MBTA ferry service to Boston."
Cohen notes that the Shipyard is now home to 700 residents, nearly 300,000-square-feet of retail and office space, as well as public spaces "that celebrate the unique history of this important site," and that ferry service is a critical element of that development.
Cohen urged the MBTA to maintain its commitment to full service on the Hull/Hingham commuter ferry at the current level, or if that's not feasible to commit to the elimination of ferry service as temporary: "The small- and mid-sized businesses of the Hingham Shipyard cannot suffer another dangerous blow to their success during this challenging time," Cohen wrote.
Four New Ferries
Bewick also mentioned that the MBTA recently bought four new ferries, and wondered if the T would consider selling those to another ferry operator.
In an update to fellow board members last night, Selectman Joseph Fisher said that on Monday the MBTA "made preliminary but pretty-close-to-final decisions."
There's widespread concern that if the ferry service is halted, even temporarily, it may never be restored, although T officials say it could be resumed if ridership warrants it. But, ferry advocates wonder, how can that be gauged if there are no opportunities for people to ride it?
In comments provided to the Hingham Anchor on Monday gauging his reaction to the proposed cuts, Fisher said he is disappointed that the MBTA is taking action to terminate ferry service and to drastically reduce the Greenbush train schedule: "The MBTA is planning to cut the 'transit lifelines' between Boston and the South Shore. These actions will adversely affect Hingham residents and businesses, will hurt economic development throughout the South Shore, and will slow the state’s recovery from the pandemic," Fisher said.
"It also sends a signal that Massachusetts is no longer committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change."
How to Speak Out
Fisher, the Selectmen's liaison to MBTA affairs, said the board will continue working with state legislators and neighboring communities to vigorously oppose the MBTA’s proposed cuts in ferry and train services. "I urge residents to stay informed and to take action," he said. Go to www.hingham-ma.gov/889/MBTA-Proposed-Service-Cuts for further details and https://www.savetheferry.org/.
Both websites post information about planned virtual public meetings, how to sign up for them, and how to make comments before the final cuts are announced. In the meantime, those opposed to the cuts are encouraged to make their voices heard. See the above websites for ways to do that.