U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced the North Carolina Ferry System (NCFS) would be designated a Marine Highway Project – the first for North Carolina.
Waterways that can be used as alternate options to traditional transportation methods, the designation as a Marine Highway will enable the NCFS to apply for federal funding to modernize its vessels and improve infrastructure at terminals, which will, in turn, help the state provide for more efficient transportation of freight and vehicles.
“This historic designation will enhance the ability of the North Carolina Ferry System to connect communities and promote economic growth with an efficient, effective, and sustainable water-based transportation option,” Chao said in a statement.
The NCFS, located on the M-95 Marine Highway route, is underutilized, Chao’s office said, and could be expanded to connect eastern mainland North Carolina to rural communities along the Outer Banks’ barrier islands. The ferry system currently serves as a lifeline to the Outer Banks, carrying supplies, equipment, and other consumable goods to communities there.
The more than 100-years-old, state-run ferry system is the second-largest in the nation and transports an estimated 800,000 vehicles along seven regular routes every year. The NCFS runs 22 ferries that transport 9,000 trailer trucks per year, reducing landside traffic by 200,000 miles. The system generates $18.1 million in vehicle cost savings, $13.9 million travel time savings, and $8.3 million in safety benefits.