This site pokes fun at Rochester NY's Fast Ferry - The Breeze, a disaster created by Mayor William Johnson. Doomed from the start, The Breeze has thus far cost Rochesterians tens of millions of dollars.
Several years later it continues to bleed Monroe County taxpayers dry.
I won't bore you with tons of details. They can easily be searched Online. I'll provide a brief few.
Mayor Johnson needed a big ferry to prove his worth as mayor. The Breeze was built to his specifications. He gave no thought to the width of the locks it had to move through. They weren't wide enough. It took several hours for the Ferry to navigate through the locks, moving inch by agonizing inch.
When The Breeze finally arrived in Rochester, it slammed into the dock, promptly splitting open its hull. More tax money was collected to repair the damage.
On her maiden voyage, the Breeze suffered serious engine problems. All of her engines needed to be replaced. Once again, the taxpayers were presented with the bill.
After dropping off a load of Rochesterians in Canada, officials suddenly and without warning removed The Breeze from service, thus stranding all her passengers in Canada. They were forced to find alternative means for getting back home to the states.
No apologies were issued. No reasons given. No refunds were issued.
The Breeze never sailed again.
Mayor Johnson finally realized that the Breeze couldn't make a profit, not even with a full load of paying passengers. The fast ferry was too huge to operate and maintain without suffering a huge financial loss each trip.
Several years later Rochester stills owns and pays for a ferry that can't get from here to there without costing another mill or two. The Breeze has been sitting in dry dock for several years while the powers that be try to decide what to do with her.
