The Wye Landing public boat ramp in Talbot County was reopened on August 26th with a ribbon cutting ceremony following major reconstruction and expansion to improve public access to the waterway and incorporate sustainable solar and wind power devices. Funding for the $428,000 project was provided by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Waterway Improvement Fund, Talbot County, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
The project included replacing a two-lane boat ramp with a new four-lane, concrete ramp, adding two fixed piers and a floating, ADA-accessible dock, and creating four slips along the existing loading/unloading dock. Solar down-lighting was installed on the pilings at the end of the docks and a hybrid solar/wind powered light pole was installed to light the wharf and ramp area.
Wye Landing is one of the Eastern Shore’s most heavily-used boat ramps. The additional lane and boarding piers will allow for more efficient launching and reduce wait times and congestion. In addition to the new ADA-accessible floating dock, ADA parking spaces were also designated.
Of the $428,000 total project cost, DNR’s Waterway Improvement Fund provided $96,649. The Waterway Improvement Fund is funded by the 5 percent excise tax that boaters pay when they register a boat in Maryland. Remaining costs were funded by Talbot County and a $288,317 Sportfish Restoration Program grant from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
source: DNR
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