Ticonderoga ferry service extended through December

The following comes from a spokesman for the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans):

VTrans and the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) today announced that an agreement has been reached with the owners of the Ticonderoga Ferry to keep the ferry in service until the end of December, weather permitting.

The deal keeps the ferry open and running 7 days a week from 6 AM to 8 PM, weather permitting, and will still be available free of charge for passengers.

Normally, the ferry service is seasonal and shuts down each fall. VTrans and NYSDOT have reached an agreement with the ferry company that will allow the ferry operator to install winterizing equipment designed to allow the ferry to operate in colder weather.

Lake Champlain is relatively shallow where the ferry operates, and eventually the lake is expected to freeze and prevent the service from continuing despite winterization efforts. Also, snow and ice conditions on specific days could cause the operator to cancel or curtail service on short notice for either safety or mechanical reasons.

The agreement with the ferry operator is designed to aid the ferry service and help provide the company the ability to run into December, as long as weather conditions allow. The agreement does not assure service until the end of December as Mother Nature may force the ferry service to close before then. VTrans, NYSDOT and the ferry company will make every effort to keep the Ticonderoga ferry service running as long as possible.

In addition, the States are finalizing plans for a charter bus service that will run from the Ticonderoga area and take people across the lake on the Essex ferry. This replacement option will be able to assure a reliable all-weather method of crossing the lake once winter weather sets in.