On Monday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced it had awarded nearly $300 million in grants to help 14 states to modernize and expand the nation’s ferry system.
Part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the money would support 18 projects in 14 states, helping to invest in infrastructure like replacing old vessels with electric ships to reduce greenhouse gas pollution, expanding fleets, and building new terminals and docks.
“Ferries serve Americans who depend heavily on this form of transit because of where they live—and the Biden-Harris Administration is making sure people have access to more reliable, cleaner ferry service,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “These funds will make it easier for Americans to move about their day while also protecting the rivers and waterways they depend on economically.”
The funding comes from three different programs – the Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program, the Passenger Ferry Grant Program and the Electric or Low Emitting Ferry Program. The FTA awarded $194 million to four project in two states as part of the Rural Communities Program, while awarding $56.3 million to eight projects in seven states for the Passenger Ferry program, and $49 million to six projects in five states for the Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry program.
As part of the awards, the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities will receive $106.4 million to replace a 60-year-old vessel with a new ferry. The Maine Department of Transportation will receive $16.6 million to modernize rural ferry terminals in Lincolnville and Islesboro in northeast main. And the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority will receive $11.5 million to build two new electric ferries to support the ferries between San Francisco, Treasure Island and Mission Bay.
“This historic funding for FTA’s Ferry Programs will enhance ways for people to travel by water,” FTA Acting Administrator Veronica Vanterpool said. “We applaud ferry agencies for taking the big step toward electrification, increasing reliability, and bringing their aging ferry systems into a state of good repair.”