Fishing Pier Project On West Island Scrapped For Now

There won't be any fishing piers off of West Island's causeway, and many Fairhaven residents are happy to hear it.

After hearing opposition from locals on Monday, the Fairhaven Board of Selectmen voted to withdraw their support for the state-run project to build fishing piers on both sides of the causeway.

With many factors going against the project, the Board decided to scrap the project for now.

A number of residents voiced concerns for traffic and pedestrian safety on the narrow road, saying speeding is a constant problem as it is.

Since major construction on the causeway itself is also needed in the near future, the fishing piers that started out as a good idea quickly became a doomed project.

"All the cards seemed to be in line that this is not the time or the current location for [the fishing piers]," said Board member Charlie Murphy.

Officials estimate the causeway reconstruction to take 3 to 4 years to complete. After that, they say an alternate fishing pier project could be considered.

$25,000 in state money has already been spent on the fishing piers in feasibility studies and other similar expenses.