Pensacola Bay Ferry Service

Transportation SymposiumNovember 13, 2015

Gulf Islands National SeashoreNational Park ServiceU.S. Department of the Interior

Birth of a Ferry Service

Ferry service to Fort Pickens was first proposed in 1978, envisioned to provide alternative access to Fort Pickens, offer a water excursion experience, and reduce traffic congestion to island beaches.

Alternative transportation studies concluded a ferry service would be economically viable and had strong local support

Hurricanes Ivan in 2004 and Dennis in 2005 destroyed much of the Ft. Pickens Road, emphasizing the need for this service.

The Fort Pickens Road was reopened in 2009, but remains at risk. Routine weather events – often only a south wind and high tide – can cover the road with water and sand making it impassible.

Dark Clouds & Silver LiningsFerry service had been hindered by lack of a suitable pier at Fort Pickens. Studies also revealed that to keep ticket prices affordable, it was important to minimize initial capital costs, i.e. provide boats.

The impacts of the 2004-2005 hurricane season led to Gulf Islands receiving $2.8 million transportation grant to build a new ferry pier, and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 resulted in $4 million in NRDA funding for ferry boats.

Mid-March through October

Daily during peak season; weekends in shoulder seasons

35 – 45 minute trips each leg

2 boats; clockwise and counterclockwise routes

Minimum 6 departures and 6 arrivals for each destination

Scheduling flexibilityto best serve customers

Boats berthed overnight in Pensacola

Ferry service route and schedule

MS - West Ship Island Ferry FL - Pensacola Bay Ferry

The ferry to West Ship Island in Gulf Islands National Seashore has operated under an NPS concessions contract since 1971. The Pensacola Bay ferry will operate under a similar NPS concessions contract.

Ferry Service Contract

Operator provides:• Ferry operation• Optional ferry excursions with 3rd boat - sunset cruises,

dolphin watching, dinner cruises, fireworks cruises• Food service (on boat and at Fort Pickens)• Retail and rental at Ft. Pickens (food & beverage, souvenirs,

campground store, bikes, beach chairs, umbrellas, kayaks, paddle boards, water toys)

• Operation of Fort Pickens shuttle service

Ferry fleet Service based on a 2 boat fleet (provided by NPS) Back-up 3rd boat (provided by operator) 149 passenger (class T) ferries Design/build contract: award Sept. 2015, delivery Jan. 2017

Connect ferry to beaches, historic sites, and campground Service integrated with ferry schedule

Fort Pickens shuttle service

Solar powered electric trams - provided by NPS Battery Langdon retrofitted for tram storage & charging station

(5 kw solar inverter system)

Fort Pickens shuttle

Fort Pickens arrival/departure area

Existing new ferry pier and shaded seating pavilion Adaptive reuse of historic for buildings for ticket

sales, concessions & exhibits New restrooms, picnic shelter, bike storage/rental

Pensacola landing site

Floating Breakwater

Floating Dock

Gangway

Ferry Ticketing- Concession Sales- Rest Rooms BuildingFerry Ticketing- Concession Sales- Rest Rooms Building

Sheltered Passenger Waiting AreaSheltered Passenger Waiting Area

Drop-off Drop-off

Pensacola concepts and costs

Ticketing and Restroom Facility Concept Drawing

Development Cost at Pensacola Departure Site

Design & permitting Waterside - docks & breakwater Landside - site workLandside – Ticketing/BuildingTotal

$190,000 $896,000 $222,000

$589,000$1,897,000

Pensacola concepts & funding

• City awarded $1,326,000 FLAP grant July 2014 for docks, breakwater, site work• City awarded $589,000 FLAP grant July 2015 for landside facilities

Ticketing and Restroom Facility Concept Drawing

Pensacola Beach departure site

• Escambia County awarded $784,000 FLAP grant for pier extension, ADA, ticket kiosk

• 2016 FLAP grant application Widen existing pier, $699,000 Shaded seating area, $1,160,000

Financial Modeling

Projected financial viability for concession contract

Revenue sources: ticket fares, sales and rentals 60,000 passengers (range 36,000 – 95,000) Ticketing range: $18/adults, $12/child Local resident discount rate: $12/adult, $8/child Potential for commuter pass: $7.50 (Mon. – Fri.) Hop-on, hop-off privileges

Partnering for Success

Partnership Agreements Development of Memorandums of Agreement between NPS, City of

Pensacola and Escambia County to address departure site operational responsibilities

Marketing Collaboration Ferry operator, Visit Pensacola, hoteliers others:

Assistance with marketing, way finding, orientation Promote strong NPS branding and quality Opportunities for ticket packages, off-site & advance sales

Schedule

BP/NRDA Settlement Funding Dec. 2014

Ferry Design/Build Contract Award Sept. 2015

Memorandums of Agreement- City and SRIA Nov. 2015

Ferry/Landside Concession Contract Dec. 2016

Departure Sites Construction Completed Dec. 2016

Ferry Vessel and Shuttle Vehicle Delivery Jan. 2017

Transportation Startup March 2017

National Park Service U.S. Dept. of the Interior

Dan Brown – SuperintendentGulf Islands National Seashore

Thank You

Questions?

Island Access – A Brief History

Santa Rosa Island National Monument established in 1939. NPS planners stated in 1938 that a road would be built.

1940 NPS Director Newton Drury rejects road: “It would be an extremely expensive road to build and maintain and it would seriously affect the natural values of the dunes and dunes vegetation.”

You Do the Math WWII => No facilities + no road = County officials requested

return of island to county ownership. Santa Rosa Island National Monument abolished by Congress in 1946.

Army accessed Fort Pickens exclusively by boat for 120 years. Fort Pickens decommissioned in 1947 and became a state park in 1949.

State built first road in 1949 – one lane oyster shell. Local officials lobbied for improvements. First 2 lane asphalt road built in 1954.

Gulf Islands National Seashore established in 1971; inherits Fort Pickens Road.

I see a pattern here…

Since 1954 Fort Pickens Road damaged or destroyed repeatedly by storms:

1965 Hurricane Betsy, 1979 Hurricane Frederic, 1995 Hurricanes Erin & Opal, 2004 Hurricane Ivan, 2005 Hurricane Dennis

Hurricanes Ivan in 2004 and Dennis in 2005 destroyed much of the Ft. Pickens Road, emphasizing the need for this service.

Best Laid Plans… and Other Options

“The NPS intends to continue access via Fort Pickens Road to Fort Pickens, but there are situations that may arise in the future where conditions become so altered that it is no longer feasible to build or maintain the road. Other options to provide access would be considered…”

General Management Plan, Sept. 2014

Buying some Time

Q. At what point is it no longer a viable option to maintain this stretch of road?

Ft. Pickens Road- Count the Cost

$25 million to rebuild road twice following Hurricanes Ivan (2004) and Dennis (2005) in successive years

Island littered with asphalt and road base material. Spending $11 million in BP NRDA funds to remove road debris

Hindsight: NPS Director Drury’s assessment in 1940 was correct