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National Boards => General Highway Talk => Topic started by: mapman1071 on June 04, 2025, 07:27:03 PM

Title: Ferry(S) connecting Sections of US Highways
Post by: mapman1071 on June 04, 2025, 07:27:03 PM
Besides US-9, what US Highways have ferry service connecting sections?
Title: Re: Ferry(S) connecting Sections of US Highways
Post by: Big John on June 04, 2025, 07:28:39 PM
US 10 - Manitowoc WI to Lundsington MI.
Title: Re: Ferry(S) connecting Sections of US Highways
Post by: Molandfreak on June 04, 2025, 07:52:45 PM
Also formerly US 16 from Milwaukee to Muskegon, and US 23, 27, and 31 before the Mackinac Bridge was built. I've heard there were ferry crossings across larger rivers in the early days of the system, but has anyone compiled a list of these?

Also, not a complete connection of a US highway, but was there ever an endpoint for US 1 that was the dock for a ferry connection to Cuba? Or a similar ferry endpoint for US 98 or US 41 at a dock for a ferry connection to the Bahamas?
Title: Re: Ferry(S) connecting Sections of US Highways
Post by: Henry on June 04, 2025, 09:55:25 PM
Quote from: Big John on June 04, 2025, 07:28:39 PMUS 10 - Manitowoc WI to Lundsington MI.
I think that a was a mistake, it should be Ludington, MI, not Lundsington.
Title: Re: Ferry(S) connecting Sections of US Highways
Post by: pderocco on June 04, 2025, 10:13:13 PM
Quote from: Molandfreak on June 04, 2025, 07:52:45 PMAlso formerly US 16 from Milwaukee to Muskegon, and US 23, 27, and 31 before the Mackinac Bridge was built. I've heard there were ferry crossings across larger rivers in the early days of the system, but has anyone compiled a list of these?

Also, not a complete connection of a US highway, but was there ever an endpoint for US 1 that was the dock for a ferry connection to Cuba? Or a similar ferry endpoint for US 98 or US 41 at a dock for a ferry connection to the Bahamas?
I think US-89 was established in 1926 while Lees Ferry was still used to cross the Colorado. The Navajo Bridge wasn't opened for a couple more years.

And of course US-101 took a ferry from San Francisco (Hyde St?) over to Sausalito.

I suspect historic US route ferries may turn out to be more interesting than current ones, because US-9 and US-10 may be all there are.
Title: Re: Ferry(S) connecting Sections of US Highways
Post by: Max Rockatansky on June 04, 2025, 10:35:06 PM
There used to be a ferry at the terminus of US 395 in San Diego which connected to CA 75 in Coronado.

Generally, AASHO by the early 1930s was pretty averse to adding ferry routes unless there was some sort of plan to bypass them with bridges.
Title: Re: Ferry(S) connecting Sections of US Highways
Post by: usends on June 04, 2025, 11:15:04 PM
Quote from: Molandfreak on June 04, 2025, 07:52:45 PMI've heard there were ferry crossings across larger rivers in the early days of the system, but has anyone compiled a list of these?
That's true, there were tons of ferries in the early years.  I have not compiled a list, but the bigger the river, the more likely there was a ferry.  US 40 across the Delaware, US 50 across the Chesapeake, US 190 across the Mississippi, US 101 across the Columbia, etc.

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 04, 2025, 10:35:06 PMGenerally, AASHO by the early 1930s was pretty averse to adding ferry routes unless there was some sort of plan to bypass them with bridges.
I would qualify that by saying AASHO quickly became averse to adding privately-owned toll ferries (and toll bridges) when the state DOT had no plans to purchase and convert to a toll-free facility.
Title: Re: Ferry(S) connecting Sections of US Highways
Post by: Big John on June 05, 2025, 12:49:24 AM
Quote from: Henry on June 04, 2025, 09:55:25 PM
Quote from: Big John on June 04, 2025, 07:28:39 PMUS 10 - Manitowoc WI to Lundsington MI.
I think that a was a mistake, it should be Ludington, MI, not Lundsington.
my typo, sorry.
Title: Re: Ferry(S) connecting Sections of US Highways
Post by: Mapmikey on June 05, 2025, 08:25:47 PM
Quote from: Molandfreak on June 04, 2025, 07:52:45 PMAlso formerly US 16 from Milwaukee to Muskegon, and US 23, 27, and 31 before the Mackinac Bridge was built. I've heard there were ferry crossings across larger rivers in the early days of the system, but has anyone compiled a list of these?

Also, not a complete connection of a US highway, but was there ever an endpoint for US 1 that was the dock for a ferry connection to Cuba? Or a similar ferry endpoint for US 98 or US 41 at a dock for a ferry connection to the Bahamas?


The Havana auto ferry departed at Stock Island and not Key West itself.

Other US routes that did end at a ferry include US 13, US 2 (w), US 2(e), US 130, US 258, US 64?, US 71-190 from opposite directions

Also US 2 had a land ferry using railcars around the south of Glacier NP in its early years.
Title: Re: Ferry(S) connecting Sections of US Highways
Post by: bassoon1986 on June 05, 2025, 09:24:56 PM
US 84/US 65 May have had a ferry historically too over the MS River at Natchez.

Did 90 ever use a ferry in New Orleans before the Huey Long?
Title: Re: Ferry(S) connecting Sections of US Highways
Post by: usends on June 05, 2025, 11:04:29 PM
Quote from: bassoon1986 on June 05, 2025, 09:24:56 PMUS 84/US 65 May have had a ferry historically too over the MS River at Natchez.
Yes, bridge was built in 1940.

Quote from: bassoon1986 on June 05, 2025, 09:24:56 PMDid 90 ever use a ferry in New Orleans before the Huey Long?
Yes, that bridge opened in 1935.
Title: Re: Ferry(S) connecting Sections of US Highways
Post by: gonealookin on June 05, 2025, 11:12:39 PM
In the East Bay, the initial routing of US 40 ran from Crockett along the south side of the Carquinez Strait to Martinez, where the traveler headed to Sacramento had to board a ferry crossing the strait to Benicia.  Tom/Max has a discussion about that (https://www.gribblenation.org/2019/11/the-original-alignment-of-us-route-40.html) and the re-routing of US 40 across the Carquinez Bridge from Crockett to and through Vallejo in 1932.

I was thinking US 40 might have used two ferries in the Bay Area, but the way I interpret the discussion at US Ends, (https://www.usends.com/bay-area.html) US 40 terminated in Oakland and wasn't signed to San Francisco until the Bay Bridge opened in 1936.
Title: Re: Ferry(S) connecting Sections of US Highways
Post by: usends on June 08, 2025, 03:19:55 PM
Just came across another one: US 54 over the Mississippi used a ferry (briefly) until the bridge at Louisiana, MO, was built in 1928.
Title: Re: Ferry(S) connecting Sections of US Highways
Post by: Konza on June 09, 2025, 07:18:45 PM
US 62 used a ferry to cross Norfork Lake in Arkansas until a bridge opened in 1983.