CHALMETTE, La. — UPDATE: The Chalmette Ferry returned to service at 6 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14.
For many area residents, the ferry between Chalmette and Lower Coast Algiers is a popular way to cross the Mississippi River.
“There’s school buses, there’s trash trucks, there’s service people, everybody comes back and forth,” said ferry user Natalie Lester. “It’s usually crowded in the mornings and late in the evening when they’re getting off.”
The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority is suspending the Chalmette Ferry operation for a minimum of 90 days beginning this Saturday, June 1.
The boat will be drydocked for Coast Guard inspection and maintenance on various vessel components including the propellers, hydraulics and steering system.
Ferry users say not having the boat available will make river crossings more difficult.
“I think it’s very inconvenient for people who have to use this for work and travel and stuff,” Michaela Brown said. “It’s probably going to be hard to find another route. It’s probably going to take longer.”
“I do understand the safety precautions,” Eric Simmons said. “I’d rather for travelers to be safe going across on this boat and make sure everything is straight than to have people on this boat and something goes wrong.”
Ferry riders are not looking forward to fighting New Orleans traffic and backups on the Crescent City Connection to get to the other side of the Mississippi.
The far-right lanes of the bridge in both directions are now closed as workers rehab the decorative lighting system on the spans.
“This is much easier for us traveling back and forth, but I’m going to hate dealing with that bridge, I’m going to be honest with you,” Simmons said.
They should already have more than one boat just in case things like this happen.
The RTA did look into bringing in another ferry, temporarily, but in a statement said, "The agency has researched cost-effective alternatives; however, based on the limited revenues from the State, this was not feasible."
According to the RTA, the U.S. Coast Guard mandates drydock inspections of ferries operating in freshwater environments every five years.
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