US funds projects to improve passenger ferry service

The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced about $58.2 million in projects to improve the safety of America’s passenger ferries and enhance mobility for ferry users across the US. A total of 20 projects in 12 states will receive funding from FTA’s Passenger Ferry Grant Program.

The grants will fund projects to purchase, replace or rehabilitate passenger ferries, terminals and related infrastructure and equipment.

Among the projects selected to receive funding:

The Casco Bay Island Transit District in Portland, Maine will receive $6 million to replace a passenger ferry that has surpassed its useful life and will allow for safer and more reliable service.
The Chatham Area Transit Authority in Savannah, Georgia will receive $2.07 million to construct a ferry maintenance facility on Hutchinson Island and construct a new ferry dock on the west end of historic River Street.
The town of Bristol, Rhode Island will receive $1.17 million to rehabilitate the Prudence Island Ferry Dock Pier, which will improve ferry service to Prudence Island.

FTA received applications for 22 eligible projects totalling approximately $65.4 million in funding requests from 12 states. The selected projects will receive a combination of fiscal year 2017 and 2018 funds.