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Potholes plague Shelter Island ferry line in Greenport

Drivers boarding North Ferry boats in Greenport for the trip to Shelter Island have been plagued in recent weeks by expanding potholes in the area where vehicles line up to await ferries. The entire area has gaping holes and uneven surfaces lining the turnaround. 

Stella Lagudis, general manager of Shelter Island Heights Property Owners Corporation — which owns North Ferry — uses the turnaround daily to make the trip from her East Marion home to Shelter Island. She said her crews have been filling in holes with what materials they have on hand, but the job of properly repairing the area has been put out to bid.

She described the problem “like playing Whack-A-Mole” with rain seeping into the ground, freezing and expanding the holes as quickly as they get filled.

Greenport Mayor George Hubbard, who also commutes from the village to his business on Shelter Island, said the holes have been filled with sand that quickly washes away. He said he’ll ask his road crew to help fill in the holes with cold patch.

But in the past, that’s something that’s been done by both Greenport and property owners corporation crews until recently, the mayor said. He’s hoping Ms. Lagudis will ask one of her truck crews to also come in with cold patch to assist until the proper repair work can be done.

As for who’s responsible for maintaining property, Ms. Lagudis said she’s not currently focusing on that question, but simply trying to get the roadway fixed.

Mr. Hubbard called it “a gray area” about who is responsible for maintenance on the land that is leased by North Ferry from the Metropolitan Transit Authority.

Photo caption: A large hole on the North Ferry line recently filled with sand, dirt and gravel. (Credit: Ambrose Clancy) 

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