MANITOWOC (WTAQ-WLUK) – Where Manitowoc’s 70-year-old ferry parks itself for its trips back and forth to Michigan is getting an upgrade.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held today for the S.S. Badger Carferry’s new docking facilities.
When it comes to visiting her dad in southern Wisconsin, Breann Lefebvre of Michigan says driving isn’t always convenient.
“If I drove it would be a 14-hour-drive, a long long time,” she said.
Which is why Lefebvre says she uses the S.S. Badger Carferry often, “It’s a great way to transport.”
While the S.S. Badger has been around for decades, officials are ensuring it remains an option for people traveling across the lake well into the future.
The ground was broken Monday, on renovations of the S.S. Badger’s docking facilities both in Manitowoc and Ludington, Michigan.
“We’ve been working on this actually for three and a half years,” said Brian Hinrichs with Foth Engineering, the company behind the project.
He says much of the nearly $9-million project is covered by federal and state grants.
“$5-million from the U.S. Department of Transportation through the FASTLANE grant,” said Hinrichs. “And then $3-million, harbor assistance funds for the wall.”
Emergency repairs were made to the dock in April, the blizzard left damages to parts of the area.
But Hinrichs says these improvements will be different than the repairs already made, “The repairs that we did, is actually something that will last more than 100 years. So, that won’t happen again no matter what happens in a storm event.”
Hinrichs says sustaining the ferry’s service, especially for cargo will also benefit Wisconsin roadways.
“The night crossing that goes and arrives in Ludington early in the morning, it’s almost all semis,” he continued. “Commerce is as big of a deal, as the passenger element.”
And Lefebvre says, she’s glad the investment is being made, “I don’t think there are many ferries left anymore, and the Badger is kind of a special thing.”
Construction is expected to begin this fall. It will be after the S.S. Badger makes its last run of the season.
It’s expected to wrap up by May of next year.
