It turns out the Mayport ferry has fans, lots of them, and they’re vocal.
Ever since JaxPort’s chief executive officer, Paul Anderson, announced his attention to recommend pulling the plug
on the ferry as a money-loser, there has been a growing clamor to keep it running.
It’s easy to understand why.
Without the ferry, which has operated since 1950, A1A would have a rather large hole in it, sending motorists using the
state road on a long, time-consuming detour to continue on that route.
And as ecotourism grows, many of those motorists are going to be people visiting our great parks along A1A on both sides
of the St. Johns River.
Those tourists will bring money and needed jobs to our economy.
Gov. Rick Scott wants to create jobs in Florida. Mayor Alvin Brown wants to create jobs in Jacksonville.
Shutting down the ferry would do just the opposite.
Speaking of a rather large hole, there’s the East Coast Greenway, a trail that’s being built that will stretch
from Maine to Key West.
Much of the Greenway planned in Florida will be a separate wide path beside A1A. One-third of the trail’s 584 miles
in Florida is already complete.
Where does that trail cross the St. Johns River? That’s right, the Mayport ferry.
So what’s the big deal about the East Coast Greenway? See above about eco-tourism and jobs.
There’s also the matter of Mayport Naval Station, which will grow with the addition of a nuclear aircraft carrier.
The ferry is a vital access point.
Anderson says that revenue from fares — $5 for cars, $1 for bicyclists and pedestrians — doesn’t cover
the cost of operating the ferry and that JaxPort has to spend about $750,000 a year to subsidize it.
That money, Anderson says, could be better spent on other JaxPort projects.
I could make a snide remark about the salaries, bonuses and raises JaxPort hands out while everyone else is cutting back
in this tough economy, but I’ll be nice.
The bigger point is the state, not JaxPort, should be paying to operate the ferry since it connects a state road.
If the state doesn’t fulfill that responsibility, then another way must be found to keep the ferry running.
For those who argue that taxpayers shouldn’t have to subsidize a money-losing operation, here’s a gentle reminder:
Taxpayers subsidize the heck out of money-losing roads and bridges.
They do it every time they buy something in Jacksonville and pay a half-cent sales tax that supports the Better Jacksonville
Plan road construction projects and another half-cent that replaced the bridge tolls.
They pay it even if they don’t use the roads or bridges that are funded with their tax dollars.
For the reasons above, keep the Mayport ferry running. There are other reasons as well, including that it’s just
a neat ride.
