South Portland Landowners Explore Options for Ferry to Portland

Ever had to wait on the bridge for a ship to pass through, all the while your car clock ticking down the minutes until you'll be late for work?

You're not alone. South Portland residents may love living there, but there's one major drawback to getting into Portland; driving here. That may all change though, as Richard Packer, the new owner of 30 acres of SoPo waterfront is seriously exploring options to create a ferry link to carry passengers across the bay, according to the Press Herald.

Situated in a soon-to-be-developed neighborhood near the eastern end of Broadway, the area has raised concerns about heightened traffic around Bug Light park. Whether the land is used for a concert venue, hotels, parking, or something else, the ferry to the Old Port would be a huge relief on the bridge bottleneck the current commuters grapple with.

“In order for something like this to happen, there has to be an economic reason for it to happen,” Packard told the Press Herald. “But how much fun could it be to jump on a boat for a five-minute ride across the water?”