North Ferry getting higher, longer ramp

North Ferry officials are making good on a promise made to the Suffolk County Legislature when the company applied for a rate hike last year.

Work began Monday on a project to raise the North ramp at the Greenport landing to address issues that occur at high and low tides.

Heights Property Owners Corporation General Manager Stella Lagudis announced the project, explaining it has been on the agenda for four or five years to deal with sea level rises. The ramp that existed might be too short to get to the boat at times, she said. The new ramp will be two feet longer and 18 inches higher.

This is the best time to deal with construction, which is expected to be completed on or about April 1, before the seasonal increase in vehicles using the ferry, Ms. Lagudis added. The timetable coincides with North Ferry’s maintenance schedule, which rotates its boats out of use for servicing. Three boats are used during the off season. That increases in response to the larger demand for boats during the spring, summer and fall.

The work is being done by Costello Marine and North Fork Welding and another company will be hired for some concrete work.