MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) — The SS Badger is sailing again.
The last remaining coal-powered lake ferry has resumed service between Manitowoc and Ludington, Michigan after a lengthy Coronavirus delay. Manitowoc Area Visitor and Convention Bureau Executive Director Jason Ring says it brings a lot of traffic to Manitowoc.
“The car ferry supports upwards of 500 passengers each crossing and between 100 and 200 cars with each crossing,” Ring told WTAQ. “The car ferry is essentially a highway, highway 10, directly into our state and with the car ferry operating, that is an additional road opening up bringing traffic into our state.”
There will be fewer daily crossings this season as the COVID-19 Pandemic continues.
“They don’t have a midnight crossing,” Ring said. “They’re only crossing the lake one time a day, and they’re using that the downtime in port to clean and sanitize the ship.”
It sails from Manitowoc at 2:00pm each day.
The SS Badger has been in service since 1953. The 63-mile trip between Manitowoc and Ludington, Michigan takes around four hours.
