August 28, 2026

A Week of Progress at City Dock

Recapping the Past Week’s News and Updates on the City Dock Construction

Over the past week, the City of Annapolis has given multiple updates on the City Dock project. The good news started on Tuesday, when we held a press conference to announce that the City Dock project is proceeding on budget and ahead of schedule! Here is the current projected timeline:

• December 2026: US Naval Academy expected to reopen Barry Gate, restoring foot traffic to Dock Street
  
• March 2027: Ego Alley reopens to pedestrians and large blue dewatering tanks removed from the construction site
  
• July 2027: Opening of City Dock Park and the Maritime Welcome Center
  
• Summer 2027 to Spring 2028: Revised Phase Two plan that limits closures along Upper Dock Street, the top of Ego Alley, and on Compromise Street

We also reiterated that the project is on budget. Funding from FEMA, along with previously announced grant and bond allocations, ensures all necessary financing is in place to complete the project.

As Mayor Jared Littmann said during the press conference, businesses in the corridor have been hampered by nuisance flooding for years. He pointed to a 2018 Stanford University study that estimated that flooding cost businesses on Dock Street an average of $1.3 million per year in lost revenue and expenditures related to repairs from tidal and stormwater flooding events.

"Doing nothing cost downtown merchants about $1.3 million in 2018," Mayor Littmann said. "And that was not a particularly bad flooding year. When there are more days of flooding, or flooding causes damage and disrupts operations for weeks at a time, that is unexpected and very costly, with no end in sight. We have an end in sight."

The spring and summer seasons have represented the peak of heavy construction at the site, and now relief is on the horizon. By next summer, City Dock Park will reopen to the public, drawing thousands of residents and visitors even as localized Phase 2 work continues. 

While the full flood protection benefits will not be realized until every phase is finished, construction is far enough along that tidal flooding events have already been significantly reduced. The remaining work to protect downtown will build on that progress and, when complete, fully address stormwater flooding from rain events.

For more information, read the City's press release or view the full press conference on the City's YouTube channel:

We also updated progress with businesses in a Trending Topics feed titled: “Supporting Dock Street Businesses During Construction.” Here’s a short section:

“The City Dock project is an investment in a more resilient future for downtown Annapolis. Once it is complete, we’ll have a new and improved City Dock, protected from the impacts of both tidal and stormwater flooding events. It will be a place that is welcoming to residents and visitors alike. 

“But we all know that the promise of a better future doesn’t make today’s challenges any easier. For business owners on Dock Street, construction hasn’t just meant changes on a map. Behind every storefront is a livelihood and a deeply rooted piece of our local business community. 

“While the construction piece is undeniably disruptive, it is a necessary step toward a world-class waterfront. In this Trending Topic, we’ll provide specifics of what the City has done to assist the business community.”

The full Trending Topic can be found here.

Earlier this year, AND Creative and the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra (ASO) approached the City to hang banners on the City Dock construction fence to celebrate local artists and preview the ASO's 2026 season at Maryland Hall. They made their offer very difficult to turn down since it came at no cost to the City (thanks to printing from Minute Man Press!). 

On Wednesday, the organizers invited the City to a celebration of the outdoor art installation, "An Exhibition of Sight and Sound," featuring naturescapes of the Chesapeake Bay as captured by Maryland photographers with a series of portraits by local visual artists. 

The display will be up until the Boat Show in early October, so come down to Ego Alley, grab a bite to eat, and take a stroll past the artwork of amazing local artists!

And! there are even more exciting things on the horizon at City Dock, including the October Boat Shows! Get your tickets now to see the Powerboat Show from Oct. 8-11 and the Sailboat Show from Oct. 15-18. Boats, accessories, and like-minded Sperry wearers will be converging on Annapolis for two weekends of boats, food and drinks, and maritime trends and merch.