Maryland hopes to open public access to waterways

Published On: August 25, 2014Categories: Industry News

Citing survey results showing boaters’ No. 1 complaints are over-crowded public ramps and limited access at some waterways, the state of Maryland is working to improve both situations.

According to the Baltimore Sun, a 2013 state law set up a task force to look into improving such access for personal craft around Maryland. The task force looks at the existing ramps and makes recommendations for how they might be improved or repaired.

The Maryland House also passed a bill requiring the state’s Department of Transportation, when constructing or improving a waterway crossing, to review how that crossing could be improved for water access.

In the study, the main problems boaters had with public access ramps included inadequate space, insufficient parking near the ramps and too-shallow water.