Looking for a less congested route from North Station to the Seaport?

Hoping to easily travel between Charlestown and Long Wharf?

Boston Harbor ferries may be the answer to some transportation needs.

Earlier this week, MassDOT and Boston Harbor Now met with the Seaport Economic Council to present the proposed short list for new or expanded ferry service.

Included in the final short list is an Inner Harbor circulator among and between combinations of: Logan Airport, Lewis Mall in East Boston, Navy Yard Pier 4 in Charlestown, Lovejoy Wharf (North Station), Long Wharf, Rowes Wharf, Fan Pier and Word Trade Center East.

The ferry short list, determined from the Boston Harbor Water Transportation Study, started with 3,689 ideas from stakeholder workshops, was narrowed down to 30 sites that were shared at the Water Transportation Open House in November, and now consists of twelve final sites. These twelve locations were chosen out of the 30 based on multi-modal access, existing infrastructure conditions, travel time savings, and demand from the surrounding market area.

A transportation demand model will now be run for the final sites to determine the top three routes most likely to have financially sustainable service.

“We look forward to continuing to explore increased and new ferry service in the Boston Harbor. Investing and enhancing maritime transport aligns with the Seaport Economic Council’s strategic objectives to leverage the assets of our coastal communities, create new opportunities for residents, and support the blue economy.” – Carolyn Kirk, Vice-Chair of the Seaport Economic Council

In addition to the inner harbor circulator, several North Shore and South Shore routes will be considered. South Shore sites include expanded services from Hingham and Hull, and new routes from Squantum Point / Marina Bay in Quincy and Fallon Pier on Columbia Point in Dorchester. North Shore sites include expanded Salem and Winthrop services, as well as a new ferry service from Blossom Street Pier in Lynn.

Once the top three sites are selected, business plans for these proposed routes will be completed next spring.

Read more NorthEndWaterfront.com coverage of the inner harbor ferry routes and Boston Harbor Now by searching the tags Ferries and Boston Harbor Now.