The objective of this project is to research the sociological and safety implications of the co-existence of multi-functional waterborne commerce on Narragansett Bay. This will be accomplished through the quantification of assets during peak usage of the waterways, correlation of impacts and disruptions caused by the co-usage and synthesis of the results into a utilization format for technology transfer.
Intermodal
In 2003, Maguire Group Inc., in association with URI and the Rhode Island Governor's office, among others, conducted a Tourism, Recreational Boating and Navigation Impact Evaluation in connection with the then proposed containerport at Quonset Davisville. The work was done under contract with the State of Rhode Island Governor's Office and under the direction of the US Army Corps of Engineers as the lead agency in the EIS scoping process. The containerport proposal has since been abandoned.
Included in that research was the conduct of asset density studies at selected locations in East Passage of Narragansett Bay and the correlation and normalization of the data to intermodal Bay activities.
The research encompassed recreational and commercial vessels and was conducted by URI graduate students at scheduled intervals on normal, peak weekend, and holidays in the summer. Per Corps directed protocol, the counts were validated by URI students and Maguire interns using aerial photography. Secondary research included collection of information from yacht clubs, sailing associations, freight forwarders, Coast Guard and other Bay users.
The impact on tourism, recreational boating and navigation has again surfaced due to the current proposals for intermodal shipment of LNG using these same waterways. This research proposal is to add two more seasons of research data in order to more accurately define the coexistence needs of maritime intermodal commerce and marine tourism and commercial industries on Narragansett Bay.
Application of Research:
The transfer of this technology is directly applicable to current and proposed activities on Narragansett Bay. It would provide accurate data for the evaluation of impacts of LNG shipments. It will provide validated data for Marine Safety International to correlate their ship safety simulation modules located at their facilities in Middletown, Rhode Island. The Coast Guard, Pilots, Navy, Statewide and Municipal Planning and Economic Development Agencies can use this data to supplement and enhance their deliberations and activities.
Multiple methods will be used to provide data sets that overlap in key areas of this project. Overlapping data will provide opportunities for cross-checking and verification of the research. The protocol to be used was established by Narragansett Bay Stakeholders during previous environmental research when mega containerships were an issue. As a result, validity and utility of the technology transfer has already been established by stakeholders.
Asset Surveys will be conducted at representative seasonal usage times using aerial photography and marine traffic counts. Representative times will include: A major summer holiday; a typical summer weekday afternoon, during a regatta; a typical summer day at a time of day when LNG traffic would likely occur (5:00-9:00am); and a typical summer weekday afternoon without regatta (3:00pm-dusk).
Aerial photographs will be taken of the navigation channel and surrounding areas at two times during the course of the summer. Photographs will be taken at sufficient resolution to reveal the number, size and types of assets navigating in or near the route which LNG vessels would take.
Graduate and undergraduate student observers will be stationed at predetermined points along the east passage shoreline to conduct actual counts of vessels. Counters will use range markers that encompass the Narragansett Bay reach which they are assigned to observe and will then count and classify all vessels contained within the ranges at fifteen-minute intervals. The range lines will resemble the approximate shape of triangles with landmarks in the distance for orientation. The use of counts at specific intervals over a defined area will enable quality assurance and correlation of traffic counts with the aerial photos. Counters will be stationed at the north end of Conanicut Island, the west end of Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge and at Fort Wetherill in Jamestown.
Contact will be made with Chambers of Commerce in each abutting community, with harbor masters for all harbors along the approach route, and with yacht clubs and other sail racing organizations which use the study waters to conduct yacht races or other marine sporting events. These groups will be asked to provide information velative to the frequency of their events, location of these events, and typical layout of racing areas and race courses which might be affected by LNG traffic. Chambers of Commerce will be contacted to provide data they may have available on tourism, visits to coastal recreational facilities, and related information. Other data sources will be investigated as appropriate.
Data collection will be accomplished during the summer seasons of 2006 and 2007. Analysis will be accomplished within two months thereafter with an interim and final report resulting by late fall. Technical reviewers will be asked to participate during the drafting of reports. Thechnology transfer is scheduled for the winter of '06 (interim results) then the winter of '07 (final results).
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By coincidence, two of Professor Oviatt's current PhD candidates, Chris Calabretta and Brooke Longval, served internships on the previous asset counts done for the Rhode Island Governor's office. They will be used as Maguire interns. In addition to continuation of their involvement in this specific research, their internship will assist in advance placement by introducing them to private practice. Counters for the selected summer days will be drawn from the ranks of undergraduate students. Maguire participates in Providence Times^2 Charter School program by summer employment of high school students. These students will also be used as counters.
This project is very timely to transfer technology for major transportation planning decisions. The value of this research is inherent in the validated protocol by federal, state and local stakeholders in various regional issues related to homeland security (toll bridges, LNG), economic issues (ferries, cruise ships, recreational boating, tourism and maritime commerce), transportation issues (delivery of petroleum products to the region and bridge traffic delay issues) and safety issues related to all of the above. Various research to date for the KeySpan and Weaver Cove EIS's, Newport Chamber Economic Impact Studies and RITBA Economic Impact Study (currently funded and underway) used empirical data and estimates. Our research will provide accurate and validated statistical data which will greatly improve analyses and conclusions related to these transportation planning issues.
The transfer of this technology is directly applicable to current and proposed activities on Narragansett Bay. It would provide accurate data for the evaluation of impacts of LNG shipments. It will provide validated data for Marine Safety International to correlate their ship safety simulation modules located at their facilities in Middletown, Rhode Island. The Coast Guard, Pilots, Navy, Statewide and Municipal Planning and Economic Development Agencies can use this data to supplement and enhance their deliberations and activities.
During preparation of this proposal, we have encountered numerous organizations and agencies in need of this research. As a result, we have committed to workshops with the following organizations: Quonset Development Corporation; Northeast Pilots; Save the Bay; Rhode Island Propeller Club; Newport Chamber of Commerce; and RI Turnpike and Bridge Authority.
During our research in preparation of this application, we have been in contact with Tracey dalton, Assistant Professor in the College of Life Sciences, Department of Marine Affairs. She, along with Assistant Professor Robert Thompson, is conducting similar research under the Sea Grant Program. Their study area is the upper Bay while ours is the lower Bay. We have agreed to exchange and coordinate our data.
A report will be prepared and distributed to these organizations as well as well as the US Coast Guard, US Army Corps, and Department of Homeland Security. The report will contain graphic presentation of asset density distributions using GIS overlays.
MSI also plans to incorporate the data from this research into their training models in order to define a more realistic encounter with actual asset activity in east passage.
Transportation Planning, Maritime Commerce, Recreational Boating, Boat Density, LNG Safety, Narragansett Bay