The U.S. Department of Transportation will make $665 million in investments to modernize the ferry infrastructure.
The department announced it had selected 23 projects in 14 states and the United States Virgin Islands to receive grants that would help with inland waterway expansions to new passenger ferry purchases.
“From our populated metro areas to our rural communities, millions of Americans rely on ferry systems to stay connected,” FTA Acting Deputy Administrator Matthew Cahill said \. “This investment expands routes and delivers modern ferries to give commuters and families faster, safer, and more reliable options. Under Secretary Duffy, we are fully committed to supporting the inland waterways that keep millions of Americans and our economy moving.”
The projects included $153 million for the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities to replace a 50-year-old passenger vessel that connects smaller communities in Southeast Alaska; $7 million for Florida’s Jacksonville Transportation Authority to upgrade dock infrastructure for the St. Johns River Ferry that moves pedestrians and cars along Florida’s inland waterways; and $8 million for the Maine Department of Transportation to modernize aging mainland and island infrastructure and expand docking capacity in Maine’s rural communities.
The funding, part of the Federal Transit Administration’s ferry grant programs, will help modernize infrastructure, launch new ferry routes, and fund new ferries to connect Americans to their jobs and new communities. The FTA received 49 project proposals in 16 states and the Virgin Islands, totaling more than $1.1 billion in requests.