State ferry projects land $1 million grant
Sen. Susan Collins and Rep. Chellie Pingree have announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation is investing $1 million in the Maine State Ferry Service to improve service to Maine islands.
The funding was provided by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act, which passed Congress with Collins’ support and was signed into law in 2005. Collins is the ranking member of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee.
“Maine's ferry services are essential not only for tourism, but also for maintaining year-round communities on our islands,” Collins said in a press release. “This investment will help provide critical upgrades to our ferry infrastructure and continue to promote economic development in our island communities.”
In a separate press release, Pingree identified the following projects as among those that will receive funding from the grant:
- A new, more efficient and reliable engine for one of the ferries that serves Vinalhaven, the Captain Charles Philbrook
- Rehabilitation of the transfer bridge at Swans Island
- Rehabilitation of the ferry dock on Matinicus
- An upgrade of lighting fixtures at all ferry facilities to new, LED lights that will pay for themselves in energy savings in less than two years.
In addition, Pingree’s release said the ferry service is exploring the construction of a layover berth on Vinalhaven, which would result in fewer trips canceled or delayed when an unscheduled emergency run involves one of the ferries that serve Vinalhaven.
The Maine State Ferry Service provides service to the islands of North Haven, Vinalhaven, Islesboro, Matinicus, Swan's Island and Frenchboro.
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