The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has been awarded $10,000,000 in federal funding to build a new passenger ferry between Charlevoix and Beaver Island.
The grant funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program, established by the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
Two ferries currently service Beaver Island, one of which is more than 60-years-old. A replacement vessel was designed in 2012, but did not have the funding to move forward.
This new funding, along with a $6,628,285 grant Sen. Gary Peters and Sen. Debbie Stabenow helped secure in January, planning can now move forward for construction of an efficient, reliable, and environmentally-friendly ferry.
The Beaver Island Transportation Authority is currently conducting a propulsion study to determine the best fuel source for the vessel. Once the study is completed, the 2012 design will be modified and the construction process can begin.
