CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A year after Corpus Christi voters approved a bond proposal that included $1 million for designing a new public boat ramp at Philip Dimmitt Park & Pier, the project remains in the design phase with no construction timeline announced.
"If you go on a Saturday to any boat ramp here that's public, it is chaos," said Ruben Rodriguez, general manager of Fat Cat Boats in Flour Bluff.
Rodriguez supports the concept of additional public boat access but has concerns about the current proposal's location and infrastructure.
"It [could] help alleviate some of the boat congestion that we have now. There's not very many public boat ramps that the average Joe can go to," Rodriguez said.
The proposed ramp would be located about three miles from Fat Cat Boats and could provide an alternative for boaters who want to avoid crossing the causeway with trailers.
"A lot of time they don't want to cross that causeway. It's very steep, real hard on your truck or whatever you're pulling it with," Rodriguez said.
However, Rodriguez believes Jester Street, which leads to the proposed ramp site, is too narrow for the increased boat trailer traffic.
"We do need another boat ramp. Don't know where, but we need one. If they want to put one there by Philip Dimmitt, which would be a great idea as well, they just have to improve the infrastructure," Rodriguez said.
City officials confirmed that the $1 million bond allocation covers only the ramp design, not road infrastructure improvements that may be needed to support the facility.
In a statement the City's Engineering department says:
"Engineering has recommended that the Park and Recreation Department propose to the Public Works Department that Jester Street be widened."
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