PORTLAND, Maine — The city of Portland completed a project this summer that's been years in the making.
A new public access waterfront landing is now open in Amethyst Park.
The 300-foot Mavodones Landing is named after one of the city's longest-serving council members, Nicholas Mavodones Jr., who also has a deep connection to Portland's waterfront.
Similar to parking on the street, the landing has areas with designated tie-up times. Those times range from a few minutes to a few hours.
Taxis, tour groups, and people coming from the islands who own their own boats can use the landing to visit the city or the islands.
While the project started a few years ago, Ethan Hipple with the city of Portland said this is the first public waterfront access point in decades.
"People can come in, do their shopping, run errands in town, and then hop back on their boat and head out or just make a quick stop as well," Hipple said. "So, it will really be a big benefit to the island communities, which are essentially neighborhoods of Portland separated by water. And now they have a direct link if they have their own boat to be able to get in here."
Hipple said tie-up times will be enforced on the landing to make space for others who want to use the area.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Wednesday.