FTA awards ferry grants totaling more than $220 million
Written by Nick Blenkey
FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez. “The grants help transit agencies make investments to increase reliability, improve connections to other modes of transportation, and bring older ferry systems into a state of good repair.” [Photo: FTA]
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today announced the award of ferry grants totaling $220.2 million. The availability of the grants was announced back in May.
“Today’s announcement represents our continued record support under the Biden-Harris Administration for passenger ferry service,” said FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez. “The grants help transit agencies make investments to increase reliability, improve connections to other modes of transportation, and bring older ferry systems into a state of good repair.”
The grants were made available through two FTA competitive grant programs.
Grants totaling approximately $170 million were made to six projects in four states and the territory of American Samoa under the FTA’s Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program, which provides competitive funding to states for ferry service in rural areas.
Grants totaling $50.1 million to seven projects in four states were awarded under the FTA’s Passenger Ferry Grant Program, which supports capital projects to establish new ferry service and repair and modernize ferry vessels, terminals, and facilities in urban areas.
Here’s what projects got how much:
| State | Project Sponsor | FTA Ferry Program | Project Description | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) | Rural Ferry | The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities will receive funding to improve operations on the Alaska Marine Highway System, which runs 3,500 miles and serves more than 30 communities with limited transportation options and high costs. The funding will improve the condition and quality of passenger ferry service — including vessels and workforce — as well as add service to remote communities. | $38,511,041 |
| AK | Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) | Rural Ferry | The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities will receive funding to build a new ferry to replace a nearly 60-year-old vessel. The new vessel, which will feature a diesel-electric propulsion system, will serve rural southwest Alaska, improving service, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and preserving a vital transit lifeline. | $92,786,400 |
| AS | American Samoa Government Department of Public Works | Rural Ferry | The American Samoa Department of Public Works will receive funding to build two new low-emission ferries that will operate from Tutuila to the islands of Manu’a. This project will expand service, enhance reliability and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change. | $21,250,000 |
| CA | Golden Gate Bridge, Highway & Transportation District | Passenger Ferry | The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway & Transportation District will receive funding to replace the Sausalito Ferry Landing in Marin County, built to reduce traffic congestion across the Golden Gate Bridge. The new landing will replace an aging float and improve safety and service. | $6,000,000 |
| CA | San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Agency | Passenger Ferry | The San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Agency will receive funding to retrofit two ferry floats with battery energy storage systems. The upgrades will improve service, reduce emissions, improve air quality and reduce electrical demand in downtown San Francisco and two terminals in the City of Alameda (Seaplane Lagoon and Main Street). | $15,900,000 |
| ME | Maine Department of Transportation | Rural Ferry | The Maine Department of Transportation will receive funding to modernize two rural ferry terminals originally built in 1959. This project will provide the infrastructure needed to support the safe and efficient operation of a new hybrid electric vessel scheduled for delivery in 2027. The improvements will include expanded docking space for safe and efficient boarding and charging equipment. | $7,100,000 |
| MI | Michigan Department of Transportation | Rural Ferry | The Michigan Department of Transportation, on behalf of the Beaver Island Transportation Authority, will receive funding to build a passenger ferry and repair the Beaver Island dock. BITA, which provides ferry service and freight transportation between Charlevoix, Michigan and Beaver Island 32 miles away, will analyze potential “green” propulsion systems to power the new vessel and evaluate the dock infrastructure to accommodate it. | $10,000,000 |
| NJ | New Jersey Transit Corporation | Passenger Ferry | New Jersey Transit on behalf of New York Waterway, will receive funding to convert two vessels from diesel power to battery electric propulsion systems and buy charging equipment to support them. The project will improve service reliability, state of good repair and improve air quality in the community. | $6,944,032 |
| NJ | South Amboy, City of (Inc.) | Passenger Ferry | The city of South Amboy, N.J., will receive funding to build a new floating dock, critical infrastructure needed to complete a new passenger ferry facility designed to add regional service between Central New Jersey and Manhattan, NY. | $6,018,000 |
| NY | New York City Department of Transportation | Passenger Ferry | The New York City Department of Transportation will receive funding to rehabilitate a storage facility that supports the Staten Island Ferry. This project will improve reliability as well as resiliency, helping ensure continued operations during weather events or other service disruptions. | $3,000,000 |
| NY | New York City Department of Transportation | Passenger Ferry | The New York City Department of Transportation, on behalf of the Trust for Governors Island, will receive funding to build charging equipment to support future rapid charging for vessels serving Governors Island, which is solely accessible by ferry. A battery energy storage system will stabilize the demand on the island’s power grid and support rapid charging of vessels and allow them to operate in zero-emissions mode, significantly reducing emissions, decreasing maintenance costs, and improving reliability. | $7,480,000 |
| NC | North Carolina Department of Transportation – Ferry Division | Rural Ferry | The North Carolina Department of Transportation Ferry Division will receive funding to conduct a study analyzing a new depot maintenance facility at its Cherry Branch Ferry Terminal. The facility would provide a larger, better equipped building and docking area to perform in-water maintenance and promote timely maintenance and continued rehabilitation of the fleet, boosting resiliency. | $400,000 |
| WA | Washington State Department of Transportation, Ferries Division | Passenger Ferry | The Washington State Department of Transportation, Ferries Division will receive funding to refurbish six ferry vessels built between 1979 and 1982. The project will extend the useful life of the vessels, maintaining the reliability and efficiency of WSF service as ridership continues to rebound and grow into the future. | $4,800,000 |
