The proponents of removing the tolls from the Crescent City Connection could care less about the people who have depended on the ferry service since 1827. The people who live in Algiers Point or near by are the ones who have been affected most by the reduced ferry hours.
There are two good articles that were published in the Times Picayune of June 4 and 6 concerning the subject matter. One was a letter to the editors by an individual who used to cross the ferry upwards of 20 times a month under the old expanded schedule and now only 2 or 3 times a month is viable for him because of the reduced hours.
The ferry problems came about when the tolls were voted off the CCC. Those tolls were the financial engine that operated the ferry. I wrote a commentary at that time pointing out that the real story here is that those politicians who supported removing the tolls had no plans to keep the ferry running full time if the measure passed. Well it passed and almost a year later there is still no funding to operate the ferry full time.(By full time I mean the hours before the toll removal)
This writer was born in Old Algiers in the 1930's and the people always paid to cross the ferry be that on foot or in an auto. But unlike those who dislike paying the bridge tolls, the people of Algiers were always willing to pay their way. Ferry service is the ideal way to visit the CBD for those living in Algiers. It is no different than those who depend on the St. Charles street cars.
The Algiers ferry is vital to their community and elected officials should step up to the plate and fund the ferry back to its expanded schedule. Is that really asking too much from a state that doles out $8 billion a year in tax breaks and exemptions to business?
See my previous commentary dated 7/8/13 titled, TheAbandonment of The Algiers Ferry and The People of Algiers.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
