b'MEMBER NEWSMEMBER NEWS Casco Bay Island Transit DistrictCelebrates Completion of Terminal Renovationsin Portland, Maine on Aug. 16. Following an extensiveplanningprocess,andmorethan 18 months of construction, a ribbon cutting ceremonywasheldtocelebratesignificant renovations to the terminal building, site, and marine infrastructure.The impressive renovation and expansion of this terminal complement the beauty of the region it serves, said Senator Collins. When-ever I advocate for federal funding for Maine projects, I know that our state will produce a strong return on investment. Upgrades to the ferry service are investments that will benefit all who live, work, and visit in the Casco Bay region for many years to come. The existing ferry terminal, built in 1988, was designedforanannualcapacityof500,000 passengers. Prior to the pandemic, the facility handled over 1.1 million passengers annually From left: Michelle Muhlanger, Deputy Regional Administrator, FTA; U.S. Senator Susan Collins; Hank Berg,and similar growth is forecasted in the years General Manager, Casco Bay Lines; Sarah Lawrence, Staff Representative, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree ahead. The terminal renovations were critical to accommodating this growth and enhancing C ascoBayIslandTransitDistrictministrator of the Federal Transit Administra- the overall long-term operational capabilities of the transit operator.(CBITD) welcomed U.S. Senator Su- tion (FTA), and other project and community san Collins, the Deputy Regional Ad- stakeholders, to the Casco Bay Lines terminalTheneedforterminalrenovationswasac-knowledged formally by Casco Bay Lines in 2006. With support from Senator Collins and other federal, state, and local stakeholders, Cas-co Bay Lines celebrated the completion of the first of the three-phase renovation projecta new ticket office and waiting areain 2014. In 2016, again with support from Senator Col-lins, Casco Bay Lines was awarded $2.5 million in funding through the FTAs Passenger Ferry Grantprogramwhichprovidescompetitive funding for ferry systems in urbanized areas, for the second phase to expand the building. An additional $3.44 million was awarded in 2019 for the third phase of renovations to repair and enhance existing marine infrastructure.PHOTOS COURTESY OF CASCO BAY LINES The renovations to the terminal will improve service and safety for our customers and pre-pare us for the next 20 to 30 years, said Hank Berg, General Manager of Casco Bay Lines. Wereextremelygratefulforthesteadfast support of Senator Susan Collins, the Federal TransitAdministration,theStateofMaine and our partners in the region who enthusiasti-cally supported this renovation.FOGHORN 28'