U.S. Wants Detroit-Windsor Ferry Service

**jpbollma** · July-19-12, 03:56 PM

The Detroit Port Authority wants a ferry up and running to and from Windsor by spring of 2013.The authority told CBC News it already has a new boat terminal waiting to be used by the Renaissance Center, located across the Detroit River from Windsor's downtown core.Deputy director Steven Olinek said there is even funding lined up from Washington to buy a ferry.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windso...y-service.html

**401don** · July-19-12, 04:02 PM

Maybe the U.S. can pay for a Canadian terminal and get paid back from the tolls?

**douglasm** · July-19-12, 04:51 PM

Wonder what they'll use for a boat. The GTW/CN carferry Huron is still around.......sunk at a slip at River Rouge, I'll grant you, but still around.

**Scottathew** · July-19-12, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

Maybe the U.S. can pay for a Canadian terminal and get paid back from the tolls?

That.... was too freaking funny!

**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.

**DetroitPlanner** · July-19-12, 09:37 PM

The gondola was not proposed by the Port Authority.
Here is the money:
http://www.semcog.org/Data/Apps/tran...password=guest

**rbdetsport** · July-20-12, 12:25 AM

Originally Posted by douglasm

Wonder what they'll use for a boat. The GTW/CN carferry Huron is still around.......sunk at a slip at River Rouge, I'll grant you, but still around.

This ferry would most likely be just a pedestrian ferry, not a car one. These little connections to the region are small, but major steps toward getting a real mass transit system. New York City had the ferries before the MTA and PATH trains...

**DetroitPlanner** · July-20-12, 06:05 AM

Originally Posted by rbdetsport

This ferry would most likely be just a pedestrian ferry, not a car one. These little connections to the region are small, but major steps toward getting a real mass transit system. New York City had the ferries before the MTA and PATH trains...

NYC Still has ferries.

**Chicago48** · July-20-12, 07:11 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

NYC Still has ferries.

The water taxi costs about$3 a ride up and down the river. Nice ride, but it doesn't travel in the winter months. It's used by working people.

**401don** · July-20-12, 07:29 AM

I really don't see a need for this. Sure it would be nice, but what's the reason to head over to downtown Windsor? There are casinos and a nice riverfront walk in Detroit. The stores and and most of the better restaurants in Windsor are long gone. The only big convention that utilizes Windsor's hotels is the Auto Show, which takes place in January. You could bus Windsor's nurses over to New Center that work in those hospitals but that would require buses or rail and people won't change their commute if it's not year round.
I guess you can always go over to look at the Detroit skyline.

**poobert** · July-20-12, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

I really don't see a need for this. Sure it would be nice, but what's the reason to head over to downtown Windsor? There are casinos and a nice riverfront walk in Detroit. The stores and and most of the better restaurants in Windsor are long gone. The only big convention that utilizes Windsor's hotels is the Auto Show, which takes place in January. You could bus Windsor's nurses over to New Center that work in those hospitals but that would require buses or rail and people won't change their commute if it's not year round.
I guess you can always go over to look at the Detroit skyline.

Uh...
I dunno, the pedestrian cross-traffic for both sides would help the economies? I'm not in the business of supporting the Canadian economy, but perhaps if more people could more easily visit Windsor it could bring some life into their downtown again [[and ours)?
Windsor is actually still a nice place. Of course everyone here is stuck in the "good old days" on both sides of the border, whenever the fuck that was.

**cman710** · July-20-12, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by Chicago48

The water taxi costs about$3 a ride up and down the river. Nice ride, but it doesn't travel in the winter months. It's used by working people.

NYC also has the Staten Island Ferry, which I once used to commute to Manhattan. It runs year-round, is free of charge, and is about a 30 minute ride that gives great views of the Statue of Liberty and the downtown skyline. For people living on Staten Island, it is a significant form of transportation, but it is predominantly used for commuting. It runs less frequently in off-times and is much less traveled.

The Staten Island ferry was originally a car ferry, but since 9-11, cars have not been allowed. In fact, three new ferries delivered for service after 9-11 were designed for cars and have car bays, but cars have never been allowed on them.

**Hermod** · July-20-12, 08:29 AM

SE Michigan still has the Harsen's Island ferry which runs until the ice totally clogs the North Channel.

**j to the jeremy** · July-20-12, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

I really don't see a need for this. Sure it would be nice, but what's the reason to head over to downtown Windsor? There are casinos and a nice riverfront walk in Detroit. The stores and and most of the better restaurants in Windsor are long gone. The only big convention that utilizes Windsor's hotels is the Auto Show, which takes place in January. You could bus Windsor's nurses over to New Center that work in those hospitals but that would require buses or rail and people won't change their commute if it's not year round.
I guess you can always go over to look at the Detroit skyline.

It is VERY important. We have two border crossings , both of which require that a person drives a car or takes a Windsor bus. This ferry proposal gives bikers, as well as people who do not want the hassle of waiting in traffic jams, the opportunity to use both downtowns as one. In the past, many more people would go back and forth to eat or drink or hang out on the Windsor side. Now it's such a pain to get back in the US that no one does.

Hopefully this is streamlined enough that there aren't too many delays for customs. etc

**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...

**antongast** · July-20-12, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

I really don't see a need for this. Sure it would be nice, but what's the reason to head over to downtown Windsor? There are casinos and a nice riverfront walk in Detroit. The stores and and most of the better restaurants in Windsor are long gone. The only big convention that utilizes Windsor's hotels is the Auto Show, which takes place in January. You could bus Windsor's nurses over to New Center that work in those hospitals but that would require buses or rail and people won't change their commute if it's not year round.
I guess you can always go over to look at the Detroit skyline.

It could also be used by Windsor residents who want to visit Detroit. Presumably the ferry would run in both directions.

**Detroitnerd** · July-20-12, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by cman710

NYC also has the Staten Island Ferry, which I once used to commute to Manhattan. It runs year-round, is free of charge, and is about a 30 minute ride that gives great views of the Statue of Liberty and the downtown skyline.

And for people living in New York in the summer without A/C, it's the best way to cool off for an hour...

**DetroitPlanner** · July-20-12, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by cman710

The Staten Island ferry was originally a car ferry, but since 9-11, cars have not been allowed. In fact, three new ferries delivered for service after 9-11 were designed for cars and have car bays, but cars have never been allowed on them.

An aside, I actually saw those ferries coming down the Detroit River on their way to be delivered! I had to do a double take. "What the heck.... that looks like the Staten Island Ferry! It is, it is, the Staten Island Ferry!"

**SWMAP** · July-20-12, 12:56 PM

Is the title of this thread mid-leading? It would be a big story if the Feds are advocating for ferry service Detroit/Canada. But if just the Detroit-Wayne County Port Authority behind this - well, lots of work would remain to be done!

**DetroitPlanner** · July-20-12, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

Is the title of this thread mid-leading? It would be a big story if the Feds are advocating for ferry service Detroit/Canada. But if just the Detroit-Wayne County Port Authority behind this - well, lots of work would remain to be done!

The feds are kicking in 80 percent of the capital costs to get this started. Would they be doing that if they were not sold on the project?