FTA Issues $665M for Ferry Infrastructure Improvements

August 28, 2026

The Federal Transit Administration recently issued $665 million worth of grants to support 23 ferry infrastructure modernization projects in 14 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

[Above photo by NCDOT]

“From our populated metro areas to our rural communities, millions of Americans rely on ferry systems to stay connected,” noted Matthew Cahill, FTA’s acting deputy administrator, in a statement. “This investment expands routes and delivers modern ferries to give commuters and families faster, safer, and more reliable options.”

Several of those grant awards made by the FTA support ferry projects overseen by state departments of transportation:

  • The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities received a total of seven grants worth roughly a combined $410 million to support rural ferry operations across the state.
  • The Connecticut Department of Transportation received a $6.4 million grant to cover the replacement cost for the current Chester-Hadlyme ferry with an all-electric model.
  • The Maine Department of Transportation received an $8 million grant to help fund a rural ferry terminal modernization project.
  • The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division received a $28.1 million grant to help fund infrastructure improvements to the Cherry Branch Ferry Terminal.
  • The Rhode Island Department of Transportation received a $13.5 million grant to purport Providence ferry terminal improvements.
  • The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation received a $698 million grant to cover the replacement cost of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Jamestown-Scotland ferry vessels with all-electric models.
  • The Washington State Department of Transportation’s Ferries Division received a $7.2 million grant to support improvements to the Anacortes-to-San Juan Islands and Port Townsend-to-Coupeville ferry routes.
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