CONTENTS

BAY BULLETIN

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The latest Bay Bridge study report finds adding a third span near the existing two would be best. Photo: Maryland State Highway Administration

BAY BRIDGE STUDY REVEALS FRONTRUNNER IN NEW BRIDGE LOCATION

BY MEG WALBURN VIVIANO

Amulti-year study on building a new Bay Bridge crossing in Maryland has taken another step forward. All but three proposed locations have been officially eliminated, and one of the three remaining options rises to the top: building an additional span alongside the existing Bay Bridge.

Funded by toll dollars, the Bay Crossing study was ordered by Governor Larry Hogan to solve the frequent major congestion at the Bay Bridge, Maryland’s only Chesapeake Bay crossing. This is “Tier 1” of the study. It started in 2016 and is expected to be finished in 2021.

In the Chesapeake Bay Crossing Alternatives Report completed in July, a screening focused on “the level of demand for each corridor alternative” and whether each option would divert traffic away from the existing Bay Bridge. Using traffic metrics, the report found a “clear pattern” that the most effective locations for diverting traffic

away from the existing bridge are those closest to it. All three originate in Anne Arundel County on the western shore and in Queen Anne’s or Talbot counties on the Eastern shore, each within a few miles of the existing bridge. The report notes that the option known as “Corridor 7,” closest to the bridge, is the shortest overall distance that wouldn’t cause major effects on the Eastern shore and the environment.

The report says, “Corridor 7 has demonstrated the greatest overall ability to meet the Purpose and Need,” and that Corridor 7 has advantages over the other two crossings still under consideration, including better congestion relief and backup reduction at the existing bridge, best diversion route, and better compatibility with existing land-use patterns. However, all three Anne Arundel County corridors are recommended to be carried forward for further evaluation. A series of open houses hosted by the Maryland Transportation Authority in fall 2019 reinforced the emphasis on reducing congestion, the report states. Members of the public ranked “reducing congestion” as a high priority for identifying possible crossings.

Indeed, drivers crossing the Bay Bridge from the Eastern shore to the western shore faced 10-mile backups on the afternoon of Labor Day this Monday.

Even so, not everyone wants to see a new bridge crossing. The Eastern Shore Land Conservancy tells Bay Bulletin it “opposes a new span in any location which exclusively considers automobile traffic.”

Communications Manager Darius Johnson says, “the recommendations proposed are 20th-century solutions to a 21st-century management issue.” He cites the recently implemented cashless tolling as an example of solutions that minimize impact on the Eastern Shore’s communities, landscape, and “climate vulnerabilities.”

The leader of Anne Arundel County also opposes a new crossing. County Executive Steuart Pittman said in a statement last year, “Any of the three options will be severely disruptive to existing communities and sensitive environmental areas. All three options could destroy parks along the Chesapeake Bay, at a time when we are trying to expand public water access.”

Quiet Waters Park Commemorative Poster

Celebrate the anniversary of the beloved park and help fund the Friends of Quiet Water’s Park Nature Center by purchasing your poster today!

Quiet Waters Park opened in September of 1990. Now, three decades later the park attracts over one million visitors a year.  e crown jewel of our park system has been established as a beloved haven of sanctuary and sanity for its patrons, who praise its paths, forested groves, tucked-away gardens and spectacular water views.

In celebration of the park’s 30th anniversary, a commemorative poster that highlights the cherished features of the park was created by local artist Joe Barsin. Joe’s artistic work is prevalent throughout the Mid-Atlantic region to include his Maryland “Treasure the Chesapeake” license plate and art for Anne Arundel Medical Center’s Fish for a Cure, Annapolis Film Festival, Downtown Annapolis Partnership and more.

 e commemorative posters are on sale at the Quiet Water’s Park Visitors Center Monday thru Friday from 10 am - 3 pm. Additionally, on Saturdays September 12, 19, and 26, from 12 - 2 pm, the Visitors Center will be open for an anniversary historical display, videos, and featured art sales. September 12 will feature a ‘Meet the Artist’ session with Joe Barsin.

The commemorative poster is available for purchase in two sizes for $15.00 and $5.00. A limited amount of posters numbered and signed by the artist cost $30.00. All sales benefit the Friends of Quiet Waters Park Nature Center.

Above left: Photo posted on the Friends of Annapolis Facebook page, which spread on social media. Photo: Jason Vaughn/ Facebook. Above right: Photo: Maryland DNR

FLOATING”CASKET” MYSTERY SOLVED

BY MEG WALBURN VIVIANO

The photos looked almost fake as they spread on social media: the distinct shape of a burial casket floating partially above the surface of the South River, covered in barnacles as though it had been submerged awhile.

On the Friends of Annapolis Facebook page, some neighbors speculated the possible casket was very old, and had fallen victim to erosion eating away at a waterside cemetery. Others wondered if it could have come from Historic London Town.

Neither theory turned out to be true, much to the relief of many. The Mary

MD. APPROVES $1.8 MILLION FOR ADAPTIVE BOATING CENTER BY STEVE ADAMS

(CRAB) is one step closer to building its Adaptive Boating Center, a project more than three years in the making, and ground may be broken as soon as December.

The Maryland Board of Public Works approved $1.8 million in State of Maryland Program Open Space funding for the City of Annapolis to acquire a marina property on Back Creek in Annapolis last week.

Following the unanimous 3–0 vote and its anticipated approval by the Annapolis City Council later this month, the City land Department of Natural Resources (DNR) hydrographic operations team, which handles floating hazards and debris, and Natural Resources Police, responded to check out the coffin reports.

DNR found that it was actually part of a floating dock and pulled it out of the water off Church Creek. Arundel Rivers Federation posted photos of the mystery object’s removal, remarking in a Facebook post, “We are happy that this can be laid to rest. (Get it? )”.

South, West, and Rhode Riverkeeper Jesse Iliff tells Bay Bulletin, “While Arundel Rivers have experienced our fair share of river mysteries, this was a new one for us! We dismissed the early claims as a hoax, but then enough people had seen it, that we needed to take it seriously.” Sullivan goes on to point out, “We were glad to have it removed before someone hit it this Labor Day weekend

Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating

and got them or their boat injured!” will add a $450,000 State Capital Grant to the funding to purchase what is currently the Port Williams Marina, located at 7040 Bembe Beach Road, for $2.25 million. It will then lease the property to CRAB, which will be able to break ground on the Adaptive Boating Center.

“CRAB’s goal has always been to provide greater access to the Bay for people with disabilities,” says CRAB Executive Director Paul “Bo” Bollinger, who watched a live video of the much-awaited vote from a room inside City Hall, and immediately celebrated it with what he confirmed was his first high-five since March. “The ABC will allow us to continue and build upon our 29-year legacy, and this vote will allow us to hopefully break ground on what will be a premier ADA facility in December.”

It will also allow CRAB, which has op

CRAB hopes to break ground on its new Adaptive Boating Center in December, thanks to state approval of $1.8 million in funding. Photo: CRAB

erated out of a single slip at Sandy Point State Park since it began operating, to better meet its mission.

“The new location will give us direct access to the water, which is far less rough than Sandy Point’s, and allow us to provide what will truly be on-demand service to our guests for the first time, because our office will be right there,” said Bollinger.

Through its new location and facility, a floating marina with 16 slips, CRAB will expand not only the size of its sailing fleet but also the diversity of its inclusive water recreation options to include a wheelchair accessible pontoon boat, rowing, paddle boarding, wakeboarding, canoeing, and kayaking.

It will also broaden its educational programs, which will be offered year-round, and create employment and training opportunities for people with disabilities and local youth. Guests will even be able to earn state boating licenses and national sailing certifications, a long-held goal of CRAB, for the first time.

“We welcome CRAB to Ward 7,” said Alderman Rob Savidge. “This facility fits in perfectly in our ward and will be an incredible asset to the city and county, ensuring equal access to sailing on our beautiful waters.”

“This will be a tremendous amenity for Annapolis and another reason people call us the ‘Sailing Capital,’” echoed Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley. “I am happy that we can make adaptive sailing a priority.”

To learn more about CRAB and the ABC, visit www.crabsailing.org.

New Lacrosse League Debuts in Anne Arundel

BY STEVE ADAMS

Nearly five months after they saw their spring seasons canceled by COVID, lacrosse players in Anne Arundel County have a chance to get in some safe, serious competition in 2020 thanks to a brand new league: the Fall Anne Arundel Lacrosse League (FAALL).

Hosted in partnership with Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks, Legendary Sports Group (LSG), HoganLax and QuickStix, FAALL will allow boys and girls youth, club, and high school teams to face off in a seven-game season that will begin on Sept. 20 and culminate with championship games Nov. 8.

“I felt bad for the high school athletes who missed their spring seasons and, being a former coach, I knew how tough it was for the coaches to go into the next season without seeing the kids play at all,” said David Cottle, LSG’s senior lacrosse advisor and FAALL event director. “I wanted FAALL to provide an opportunity for high school athletes, along with younger kids, to get to play, grow, and develop their skills to be better prepared for their spring season.”

As for why Rec and Parks’ Athletics Division immediately agreed to support the league, which was already in the works before the pandemic struck, and offer four of its fields for the league’s Sunday morning games, County Rec and Parks Public Information Officer Colleen Joseph offers a number of reasons.

“For starters, we’ve worked with these organizations for many years and know from experience that they know what they’re doing and are very easy to work with,” she said. “They’re the leaders in hosting well-run lacrosse tournaments in Anne Arundel County.”

Above: Courtesy of Legendary Sport Group.

Crucially, added Joseph, this includes hosting events with strict safety protocols during the pandemic, most recently the Naptown National Challenge, Summer Exposure, and Border Battles, all of which took place in Annapolis in August.

FAALL will be self-run, neither interfering with nor diverting resources or focus from the many rec leagues that the county is committed to running, Abbreviated football, soccer, cheerleading, lacrosse, and baseball/softball seasons start in late September at a time when nearby organizations, from Baltimore City Recreation and Parks to Maryland Athletics, have canceled or paused activities.

Like Cottle, Joseph cites the clear interest from kids, parents, and coaches as the overarching impetus for helping make the league happen. Cottle reports that 14 out of 16 slots for boys varsity and six out of eight slots for JV boys had already been filled within three days of the league’s launch, with strong demand for girls and youth divisions as well.

Students at Dynard Elementary School (Chaptico) assist with the planting of native plants in the school’s rain garden. Project and funding was coordinated by St. Mary’s County Master Watershed Steward and president of Friends of St. Clements Bay, Liz Curtz. Photo: Nicole Basenback.

Stewards Set Sights on Calvert County

BY KRISTA PFUNDER

Calvert County is launching a program to teach community leaders to reduce pollution in waterways—and bring others along for the ride.

The Calvert County Watershed Stewards Academy holds its first class Oct. 6 and seeks to reduce polluted stormwater runoff and improve local water quality.

The Watersheds Stewards program, which will be run by the University of Maryland Extension in partnership with county agencies, is based on the model already in place in Anne Arundel and other Maryland counties.

“Anne Arundel County’s Academy was the first one in the state,” says Suzanne Etgen, executive director of the Anne Arundel County Watershed Stewards Academy. “We formed a partnership with the University of Maryland and created the curriculum together.”

Nicole Basenback, watershed restoration educator with the University of Maryland Extension was trained at the Anne Arundel academy and now serves as coordinator for the new Calvert program.

“There are a lot of waterfront properties in Calvert County,” Basenback says. “And there are many folks who are interested in preserving the natural resources that they enjoy who also may have experienced flooding or erosion issues on their property due to stormwater. Calvert County community partners have requested a local WSA program for several years now.”

A southern Maryland regional watershed restoration specialist worked with Extension administrators and Calvert County to secure funding for the WSA program. Over the course of 16 weeks, stewards in training will participate in

Volunteers in Leila MacCarthy’s neighborhood plant in their community to help preserve the health of their watershed. Photo: Leila MacCarthy.

classroom and hands-on fieldwork, as well as a class project and an individual project in their own community. An enrollment fee of $100 covers the cost of materials used in the course. Scholarships are available.

“Activities include a soil percolation test, designing a conservation landscape, conducting a desktop site analysis and identifying stormwater concerns,” Basenback says.

After program graduates earn the designation of Master Watershed Steward, they will work in their communities to identify sources of pollution, find restoration opportunities and create small-scale stormwater management practices like installing rain barrels or building rain gardens.

A 2018 graduate of the Anne Arundel County WSA is already making a difference in her community.

“I have done four projects in my neighborhood, including two erosion control gardens in areas that were once bare soil and ran directly to storm drains to the South River after every rain event,” says Leila MacCarthy, a member of the Anne Arundel Academy board. “I have created a large pollinator garden to attract butterflies and bees, and am working on invasive species removal including bamboo and English ivy.”

In her neighborhood of 545 homes and several sub-communities, MacCarthy serves on the landscape committee and keeps neighbors informed about efforts that they can undertake to keep the watershed healthy.

“We produce a newsletter monthly discussing these issues and educating our community on stormwater and pollution issues,” MacCarthy says. “We have a website where we post information and last year we would host Happy Hours with expert guest speakers to talk about managing storm water on homeowner property.”

MacCarthy is just the kind of volunteer the program hopes to attract.

“WSA is about two things: action and community engagement. So the perfect candidates are people who want to engage their communities in actions that reduce pollution,” Anne Arundel County’s Etgen says. “Stewards do not need to be formal community leaders; they can simply be that trusted neighbor people look to, someone who enjoys interacting with their neighbors and wants to help clean local waterways. Stewards come from many types of communities including neighborhoods, schools, congregations and businesses.”

For more information on the program, contact Basenback at 410-535-3662 or nicoleb@umd.edu. Class size is limited to 18. The program is open to all but priority will be given to Calvert County residents.

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Annapolis Celebrates Skipjack History

The historic skipjack Wilma Lee was officially welcomed back to the Bay with a ribbon-cutting at Annapolis City Dock on Friday, Sept. 4. Mayor Gavin Buckley, Annapolis Maritime Museum President/CEO Alice Estrada, and Sen. Sarah Elfreth celebrated the restored 1940 oyster boat now offering sails from City Dock.

“We are one of 22 skipjacks on the Bay. She is an iconic symbol of maritime heritage. And I remember them, growing up in Annapolis and they’ve all but disappeared,” says Estrada. The maritime museum received a donation that allowed it to buy the skipjack back in 2018.

Mayor Buckley echoes the importance of Wilma Lee’s history. “We need authenticity at City Dock, things for people to look at that represent the history of this city and the Chesapeake Bay. A skipjack, an oyster boat, is a big part of our identity. And so having people see what they look like, how they work is really, really going to be great.”

The skipjack stretches almost 75 feet long, from bowsprit to davit, and boasts 1,700 square feet of sail.  p

Scheduled sails leave Thursday through Sunday for the time being, with heritage tours in the afternoons and sunset sails in the evenings.