Southport Approved; Water Taxis Coming To Delaware R.

Urban Engineers, Inc., reports the Philadelphia District, US Army Corps of Engineers has issued their Dept. of the Army Permit to the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority for the construction of the Southport Marine Terminal.

This project, which has been in the planning stages for over a decade, along with the deepening of the Delaware River to 45 feet, will be a key feature to allow the ports of Philadelphia to take advantage of the expansion of the Panama Canal, which is currently scheduled to be completed in 2015.

The initial steps in the development of Southport will be the construction of an access road and the final design and construction of a 35-acre mitigation area at the site of the former Jack’s Marina on the Neshaminy Creek in Croydon, Pa.

Urban Engineers confirmed dredging is now 60% completed.

UE’s vice president Roy E. Denmark, Jr., has indicated water taxis are coming to the Central Delaware River. The Delaware River Waterfront Corp. is in the process of constructing four Shorelink Shuttle Terminal sites which include water taxi docks, wharves and related infrastructure, along the waterfront.

The marina at the Penn’s Landing Basin will be the water taxis’ home port. The other three stops will be located upriver with one next to the current ferry landing dock at Walnut Street, one adjacent to Dave & Buster’s at Pier 19, and one at the Festival Pier near the foot of Spring Garden Street. It is anticipated that the water-taxi service will begin next spring.

   Send article as PDF