PIERMONT – Village trustees, the harbor master and others generally supported a plan to allow Hudson River cruises to dock at the pier about a dozen times in October. But the old pier, in its current state, can’t support it, the village’s engineering consultant reported Wednesday.
Mayor Bruce Tucker said that Blueshore Engineering in New Jersey, which had completed a survey of the pier a few years ago for the village, said significant work would be needed to accommodate the ships, which are up to 270 feet long.
Mooring dolphins – freestanding structures 50 feet north and 50 feet south of the pier – would need to be built. “Mooring lines alone aren’t enough to hold ships that size,” Tucker said.
The cost was estimated at $350,000, Tucker said. That is not an expense the village would undertake.
“I’m extremely disappointed, to say the least,” Tucker said.
Dan Goswick, the village’s harbor master and former fire chief, had requested the engineering review during Tuesday’s Village Board meeting.
The river can get pretty rough during storms, Goswick said, and it was imperative to ensure the pier could withstand any contact with a ship.
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Several merchants pointed out that residents’ concerns about vehicle traffic on Piermont’s narrow roads were ameliorated because cruise visitors would be walking around the village.
Tucker and several speakers had requested that the seven-day cruises stop in Piermont mid-week, when foot traffic in the tiny riverfront village is low, rather than on bustling fall weekends.
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The cruise line would have provided shuttle or trolley transportation for passenger trips into the village’s eclectic downtown, and buses would be used to take people on longer day trips.
The end of the pier is about a mile from Flywheel Park, village eateries and shops.
Dussault said their passengers enjoy historic tours during Hudson River excursions, including the U.S. Military Academy atWest Point and Olana State Historic Site, the home of famed landscape artist Frederic Church.
Dussault expected day trips from Piermont would include Sleepy Hollow, which he had said was popular with history buffs.
The Piermont pier has its own historic significance. The village, known as “Last Stop USA,” was the embarkation point for troops heading to fight in Europe during World War II.
Recalling the Hudson’s history and a “working river” and Piermont’s connection to the river, Barbara Grace of Piermont expressed support. “I like the idea myself that people get on the river, have the experience and learn to love and care for the river.”
Nancy Cutler writes about People & Policy. Click here for her latest stories. Follow her on Twitter at @nancyrockland.
https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/rockland/2021/09/29/hudson-cruise-operator-wants-dock-piermont-pier/5902143001/
