New Penobscot River Boat Launch to Offer 24-Hour Access

The plan shows the ramp and parking lot, with a future trail and playground. Plan coutesy Jacobs Solutions

Construction has officially commenced on a multi-million dollar public boat landing on the Penobscot River estuary in Orrington, ME. Designed to provide 24-hour recreational and emergency access, according to a recent report by Mainebiz, the new facility will be named in honor of the late Alan Baker, a former Maine State Representative, the publication’s inaugural 2001 Business Leader of the Year, and the longtime publisher of the weekly community newspapers Ellsworth American and Mount Desert Islander.

The 10-acre waterfront project at the end of McGinn Road has been decades in the making. Mainebiz reports that the town originally acquired the property in 1991, with the Orrington Landing Committee forming in 2020 to spearhead development. The project secured a $2.55 million grant in 2024 from the Greenfield Environmental Trust Group, using settlement funds paid by Mallinckrodt US LLC to remediate historical mercury pollution in the estuary.

Engineering the launch requires overcoming a 14-foot tidal variation and severe winter river ice. Committee Chair Keith Bowden told Mainebiz that the project team—which includes engineering firm Jacobs Solutions and contractor Sargent Corp.—is partnering with Custom Float Services to build an innovative, removable pile and float system. This specialized design will allow the town to pull the dock piles out ahead of winter to prevent seasonal ice damage.

Local officials note that the current ramp in South Orrington is restricted to mid- and high-tide launches. In contrast, the new facility’s 24-foot-wide ramp is engineered to remain fully operational through all tide cycles and withstand projected sea level rise for the next 50 to 100 years.

Fueled by a regional surge in recreational boating, the finished complex—which will also feature hiking trails, picnic areas, and a playground—is projected to serve more than 50,000 residents and visitors between Bangor and Bucksport.

Written by Tom Schlichter