U.S. Wants Detroit-Windsor Ferry Service

**Detroitnerd** · July-19-12, 05:45 PM

Ferries aren't perfect, though. They are a relatively pollution-heavy form of travel due to the specs on marine engines. Maybe the EPA can kick in on pollution controls...

**corktownyuppie** · July-19-12, 06:06 PM

This would be a game changer for the Riverfront!

**Meddle** · July-19-12, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

This would be a game changer for the Riverfront!

Whatever happened to the aerial tram idea that was floating round for a while?

**dtowncitylover** · July-19-12, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

Whatever happened to the aerial tram idea that was floating round for a while?

Wasn't that mostly a pipe dream anyways? And then 9/11 happened also. With this news about a ferry, it seems like the "9/11 hypersecurity" mantra is slowing down, perhaps? I mean, we might get a new bridge and this ferry.

**Detroitej72** · July-19-12, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

Whatever happened to the aerial tram idea that was floating round for a while?

Is that the same idea where they proposed having a gondola carrying people across the river? I thought it sounded cool, but don't see it happening in this post 911 world.

**Hermod** · July-19-12, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Ferries aren't perfect, though. They are a relatively pollution-heavy form of travel due to the specs on marine engines. Maybe the EPA can kick in on pollution controls...

Use a sailboat for the ferry. Completely green.

**Detroitnerd** · July-20-12, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by Hermod

Use a sailboat for the ferry. Completely green.

Heh. Carbon footprint was zero, but we had to tack down to Sandwich...

**JBMcB** · July-21-12, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Ferries aren't perfect, though. They are a relatively pollution-heavy form of travel due to the specs on marine engines. Maybe the EPA can kick in on pollution controls...

Depends on the ferry. Smaller, slower ferries [[~100 people) only use a few gallons of diesel per hour of running time - very efficient on a per-passenger basis. The larger, high speed ferries are much less efficient. I don't think you'd need to carry more than 100, though, and the slowest ferry could probably make the crossing in around ten minutes.

**Detroitnerd** · July-22-12, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

Depends on the ferry. Smaller, slower ferries [[~100 people) only use a few gallons of diesel per hour of running time - very efficient on a per-passenger basis. The larger, high speed ferries are much less efficient. I don't think you'd need to carry more than 100, though, and the slowest ferry could probably make the crossing in around ten minutes.

Thanks for the clarification, JBMcB.