American Sternwheel Association Newsletter
January 2006
By Capt. Wally Venable
It appears that we are about to actually see significant improvements on the Upper Mon. If no further delays take place, construction on three BIG (Boating Infrastructure Grant Program) boat docks should begin this winter.
One will be a new boat dock at Morgantown's Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park. This dock will give good access to the Park, the City's downtown area, and via the Monongalia County bus system to all major shopping.
The second will be an expansion of Star City's boat dock to provide true public access. This expansion will include a sewage pump-out, which may be West Virginia's first.
The third will be at the Point Marion, PA riverfront park.
The BIG program uses money from Federal takes on fuel paid by recreational boats to build facilities for "non-trailerable, transient boats." All will meet handicapped accessibility requirements for docks, and probably have shore power. Each should be capable of hosting a couple of large ASA boats without advance notice. In theory, these projects were approved as much as two years ago, but the governmental agencies involved had no previous experience in administering river (as opposed to BIG sea coast) projects, and the schedule slipped.
We have heard that the West Virginia Port Authority, the WV state agency administering the program, is discussing other BIG projects with Huntington and Sistersville.
Working on their own, the town of Rivesville, WV has constructed docks for visiting boats. These have been open for use for over a year.
We have also just had a lease-signing which will allow the WV-DNR to build a boat launch facility between Morgantown and the PA-WV state line. It will be at about Mon River Mile 95 Left Descending Bank. This is to have parking for about 50 trailers and tow vehicles. Construction may begin in the spring with a Fall 2006 opening possible.
Pre-bid meetings have also been held for a "marina" in Morgantown's "Wharf District." (The so-called wharf district never had a wharf, and the facility will not have fuel, or repair services, boat supplies, etc.) This is supposed to combine a public 300 foot boat dock and crew rowing facility. Mostly it will provide convenient access to restaurants and the Radisson Hotel. Construction should begin this winter with opening expected by Spring 2007.
UMRA's (the Upper Monongahela River Association) campaign to improve lock operating hours is still under way. Our Board members are part of CERRUS, a new discussion panel established by the Corps' Pittsburgh District to improve communications with recreational boaters. The District management team is listening to us, but also explaining why there is little they can do, in light of the budget, the situation in New Orleans, etc. It is only a small first step, but it is in the right direction.
I urge you to check www.UpperMon.Org, the website of the Upper Monongahela River Association, if you are contemplating a Mon River cruise or want additional information on any of these items. We will have updates on the construction as they are available. We also have Lock Hours information, etc.
Check out http://www.americansternwheel.org