CT River Ferries

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Some photos of the two Connecticut River Ferries which are slated to close on August 25. Believed to be the oldest continuous operating ferries, they met the budget ax this week.

Chester-Hadlyme Ferry: established 1769

more photos: SOUNDBOUNDER: Chester Hadlyme Ferry

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Chester-Hadlyme Ferry: viewed from Gillette Castle

more photos: SOUNDBOUNDER: Chester Hadlyme Ferry

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Rocky Hill-Glastonbury Ferry: established 1655

more photos: SOUNDBOUNDER: Restless Farewell

[TropicCat]

I grew up in Connecticut and used the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry often. I have some very fond memories of those times.

Why are they closing them? Have they built bridges in their stead?

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Originally Posted by TropicCat

I grew up in Connecticut and used the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry often. I have some very fond memories of those times.

Why are they closing them? Have they built bridges in their stead?

Budget cuts

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Towns Consider Court Injunction To Maintain Ferry Service

The towns of Lyme, Chester and East Haddam have agreed to explore whether to seek a court injunction to bar the state Department of Transportation (DOT) from closing the Connecticut River ferries.

CT Towns Consider Court Injuction to Maintain Ferry Service | BoatingLocal.com

[Brezzin]

I have been on both of these ferries many times. The bottom line is that the State cannot continue to subsidize these ferries and their time has come and gone. They serve no useful purpose other than a historical curiosity.

Unless the ferries can support themselves (they can't) then they go the way of the buggy whip. I don't like it but then I don't want to pay for it either. Everybody wants the state to cut spending until it's their pet project or program that they feast on that gets cut. Can't have it both ways.

If its history that got your goat then remember that CT also has the country's oldest continually run amusement park in Lake Compounds (1846) and the oldest continually published Newspaper in the Hartford Courant (1764).

Side note: Looks like our Governor has sucked up to the state workers again and the ferries may be saved after all.

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Originally Posted by Brezzin

I have been on both of these ferries many times. The bottom line is that the State cannot continue to subsidize these ferries and their time has come and gone. They serve no useful purpose other than a historical curiosity.

Unless the ferries can support themselves (they can't) then they go the way of the buggy whip. I don't like it but then I don't want to pay for it either. Everybody wants the state to cut spending until it's their pet project or program that they feast on that gets cut. Can't have it both ways.

If its history that got your goat then remember that CT also has the country's oldest continually run amusement park in Lake Compounds (1846) and the oldest continually published Newspaper in the Hartford Courant (1764).

Side note: Looks like our Governor has sucked up to the state workers again and the ferries may be saved after all.

No form of transportation pays for itself without gov't subsidies.
Bridges, airports, highways, shipping terminals, rails etc all require taxpayer money. Even the private ferries receive money and aid.

The road you live on doesn't make money either

The state is going to save maybe $300-400k. Cutting the ferries will harm the local tourist economies more than the few hundred thousand dollars saved.

[Dumah]

I must take exception to your claim of having the longest, continual ferry service. No disrespect intended but we, in Halifax, can claim the honour as ferry service in this harbour was started shortly after the founding in 1756. I believe this makes us the oldest in North America.

By the way, our ferries actually help subsidize the rest of our transit system.

Cheers, Dumah,
Halifax, NS

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Originally Posted by Dumah

I must take exception to your claim of having the longest, continual ferry service. No disrespect intended but we, in Halifax, can claim the honour as ferry service in this harbour was started shortly after the founding in 1756. I believe this makes us the oldest in North America.

Cheers, Dumah,
Halifax, NS

They are the oldest continuous operating ferries in the US.

SOUNDBOUNDER: Restless Farewell