Potential agreement between village, Hampton Jitney could mean comeback for Peconic Jitney

Greenport Village and Hampton Jitney may come to an agreement on a docking area for the shuttle boat service to Sag Harbor first proposed more than a year ago.

At a work session last Thursday, company president Geoff Lynch pitched village trustees a plan to share costs and modify Greenport’s visitors dock to accommodate a ferry landing before the 2023 summer season. He did not yet have a cost estimate, but aside from requesting more details, village trustees seemed to favor the idea. 

“We have submitted, which I hope you have, a couple of design proposals that would modify the dock to accommodate a ferry landing,” Mr. Lynch said. “We believe it is a feasible location. There’s certainly enough water depth. The dock itself, though, would require some substantial reconfiguring.” He noted that the plan is still a work in progress and “needs some proper engineering.”

Mr. Lynch originally requested to use Mitchell Park Marina as a landing point for the revived Peconic Jitney, which originally ran as a pilot program in 2012. The Suffolk County Legislature approved a ferry license and rates for the ferry service this past spring, despite an ongoing disagreement with the Village Board over the proposed ferry’s landing site in Greenport. 

“We’re here tonight to, number one, see if the Village Board is potentially in favor of this concept, of the Peconic Jitney utilizing that existing dock and reconfiguring it, but also allowing Peconic Jitney to engage with the village to come up with agreements to share costs potentially in this capital investment as well as finalize a design for the dock and ultimately enter into a lease agreement with the Peconic Jitney,” Mr. Lynch said. 

The ferry would run on weekends in May and June, every day in July and August and weekends again in September and October, likely shutting down for the season around Columbus Day weekend. Mr. Lynch estimated that 300 to 400 people would use the service on peak days. Prices would remain the same as originally proposed, despite increased costs for fuel this past year. 

Mr. Lynch said the company needs to resubmit a proposal to Sag Harbor, where they hope to land on the north side of Long Wharf. He acknowledged, in response to a question from the mayor, that some Sag Harbor residents oppose the idea but he believes the Sag Harbor board favors the concept. 

Trustees asked for more details and expressed some concern about the shared costs, but otherwise seemed to support the idea.