WEST OCEAN CITY, Md. - The Worcester County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a request from staff to authorize a local sponsor statement for a proposed dredging project between Harbor Road and Sunset Avenue. This project aims to improve navigability in the West Ocean City harbor channel, benefiting local fishermen and businesses alike.
Sonny Gwin, a regular user of the harbor, has long advocated for the dredging. "There are some low spots in here, and it would help out, especially in the wintertime when the big boats come in with fish," Gwin said.
The Worcester County procurement officer received the green light to solicit bids for the dredging project, which is slated to begin at Pier 23 and continue down to Atlantic Tackle.
However, the project could temporarily impact some harbor businesses. Kerry Harrington, who has worked around the harbor for over 20 years, remains optimistic about managing the disruptions. "What they do is start at one end of the channel, and we can jump around and get out of their way. That's always been the case in the past," Harrington explained.
Gwin is enthusiastic about the dredging plan and hopes it will facilitate smoother navigation for more boats. "There was an incident maybe a month or so ago where a big boat went out and ran aground and was stuck out there for hours before the tide got up where he could get off," he recounted.
The effort will be funded by a $275,000 grant from the Tri-County Council.