By Jim Larocco, Alexandria

To the editor:
While the notion of a commuter ferry pick- ing up and dropping off at or near King Street, where there is no parking, is almost as irrational as building a Metro station at Potomac Yard with no parking, there is an option that should be explored.

The Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge project produced more than 100 parking spaces, 54 clearly marked with their own cement curbs, under the bridge and in the shade. None of those 54 have ever been used. There is also a small docking area, also not used.

The Wilson Bridge project did what it promised to do, but once turned over to the National Park Service, they chose for their own reasons, which is their right, not to use all that was constructed.

The National Park Service is not limited in what it can do with its property, so why isn’t city council or the Northern Virginia Regional Commission talking to them about using their area for a commuter ferry service? It would be a perfect site for those com- muting to park without affecting Old Town.

It would provide a wonderful option for connecting to downtown. I’m sure the National Park Service would have no interest in putting a penny into this, but they may well be enticed if they saw some financial benefit from it.

There are indeed few sites for a commuter ferry service in Old Town. I hope that this idea is at least explored, as I think it is very regrettable that this ready-to-use parking sits unused.