Beaufort County’s plan for a new boating-access area in the Pamlico Beach area got a boost when the county was awarded a grant to help it buy land for the facility.

Good. The more public access to the public waters of Beaufort County, the better for boaters, fishermen and others. This will be taxpayers’ money well spent. Once built, the new boating-access facility should bring benefits to the county, including financial benefits.

The Town of Bath supports the project that includes boat ramps and an area for the fishing.

“Prior to Hurricane Irene the ramp at Wright’s (C)reek was a very busy facility. Due to the extreme damage to the fish house, the facility has not been repaired nor reopened. The ramp remains, however many visitors choose not to use the ramp due to no lights and concerns about safety around the ramp area. Some fishermen actually choose to travel to another county to launch,” wrote Bubs Carson, Bath’s town administrator in a letter to Beaufort County Manager Randell Woodruff. “Should this site be upgraded to other NC Wildlife ramps, I expect a great deal of tourists as well as local people would once again travel to this area of our county.”

Carson said he’s spoken with countless fishermen in the area who support the proposed project.

The project means the county will be working with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. In the past, that relationship has paid off for the county, boaters and fishermen.

Woodruff recognizes the value of that partnership.

“The NC Wildlife Commission has successfully partnered with us in some very good projects in the County, with five current boat ramps within the County that are maintained by the Wildlife Commission in providing free access to our citizens,” reads a statement by Woodruff in an email about the latest project.

We concur wholeheartedly with Carson and Woodruff.

This new boating-access facility cannot be completed soon enough.