Ferry(S) connecting Sections of US Highways

[mapman1071]

Besides US-9, what US Highways have ferry service connecting sections?

[Big John]

US 10 - Manitowoc WI to Lundsington MI.

[Molandfreak]

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?

[Henry]

US 10 - Manitowoc WI to Lundsington MI.

I think that a was a mistake, it should be Ludington, MI, not Lundsington.

[pderocco]

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?

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.

[Max Rockatansky]

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.

[usends]

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?

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.

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.

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.

[Big John]

US 10 - Manitowoc WI to Lundsington MI.

I think that a was a mistake, it should be Ludington, MI, not Lundsington.

my typo, sorry.

[Mapmikey]

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?

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.

[bassoon1986]

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?

[usends]

US 84/US 65 May have had a ferry historically too over the MS River at Natchez.

Yes, bridge was built in 1940.

Did 90 ever use a ferry in New Orleans before the Huey Long?

Yes, that bridge opened in 1935.

[gonealookin]

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 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, US 40 terminated in Oakland and wasn't signed to San Francisco until the Bay Bridge opened in 1936.

[usends]

Just came across another one: US 54 over the Mississippi used a ferry (briefly) until the bridge at Louisiana, MO, was built in 1928.

[Konza]

US 62 used a ferry to cross Norfork Lake in Arkansas until a bridge opened in 1983.

[usends]

The bridge from Cairo IL over the Mississippi to Birds Point MO opened in 1929, while the bridge from Cairo over the Ohio to Wickliffe KY opened in 1938.  So, prior to 1929, travelers on US 60 had to use two ferries in quick succession: one from Wickliffe to Cairo, and one from Cairo to Birds Point...

...unless there was a ferry that ran directly between Wickliffe and Birds Point (skipping a stop at Cairo).  Does anyone know?

[webny99]

US-9 and US-10 may be all there are.

Correct for active ferries on the US highway system, though North Carolina and Washington state have several on their state route systems.

[Rothman]

US-9 and US-10 may be all there are.

Correct for active ferries on the US highway system, though Washington state has several on their state route system.

Kind of a weird statement given the various other states have them on their state systems...

[webny99]

US-9 and US-10 may be all there are.

Correct for active ferries on the US highway system, though Washington state has several on their state route system.

Kind of a weird statement given the various other states have them on their state systems...

I added North Carolina. I know a few other states have one-offs but not aware of any others that have multiple or a "network".

[Rothman]

US-9 and US-10 may be all there are.

Correct for active ferries on the US highway system, though Washington state has several on their state route system.

Kind of a weird statement given the various other states have them on their state systems...

I added North Carolina. I know a few other states have one-offs but not aware of any others that have multiple or a "network".

Well, let's just say your list is incomplete and leave it at that.

[Max Rockatansky]

US-9 and US-10 may be all there are.

Correct for active ferries on the US highway system, though Washington state has several on their state route system.

Kind of a weird statement given the various other states have them on their state systems...

I added North Carolina. I know a few other states have one-offs but not aware of any others that have multiple or a "network".

Well, let's just say your list is incomplete and leave it at that.

The Real McCoy II and J-Mack never get any love.

[Mapmikey]

The bridge from Cairo IL over the Mississippi to Birds Point MO opened in 1929, while the bridge from Cairo over the Ohio to Wickliffe KY opened in 1938.  So, prior to 1929, travelers on US 60 had to use two ferries in quick succession: one from Wickliffe to Cairo, and one from Cairo to Birds Point...

...unless there was a ferry that ran directly between Wickliffe and Birds Point (skipping a stop at Cairo).  Does anyone know?

US 60 was not recognized as being in Illinois.  There is May 1930 correspondence in the AASHTO database between AASHO and Illinois that confirm this.  In 1938 there is correspondence with Kentucky showing AASHO with US 60 using Wickliffe Ferry and Kentucky requesting to change that as the bridge was opening soon.

1937 Ballard County map shows US 60-62 not following US 51 northwest out of Wickliffe but instead there is a ferry directly to Birds Point MO.

There is a photo on this page (word search: "route 60") that shows the Birds Point ferry had Route 60 labeled on it.  Note the photo itself was taken in Memphis.

However, the 1936 Mississippi County map shows US 60-62 using the bridge into Illinois, while showing a secondary road over to the ferry to Kentucky.

Unfortunately, the 1936 Alexander County map doesn't show route designations

Starting with the 1931 MO Official, a primary dirt road to the ferry to Kentucky is shown.  The next issue with the reverse available with route log is 1935 which suggests US 60 and US 62 go either way.  Maps through 1939 had this.

Internet searches seem to say direct ferry from MO to KY wasn't until the 1930s, so before there were any bridges, it required 2 ferry rides.  1927 Blue Book also suggests 2 ferries are the only option.

[usends]

According to the defunct us-highways.com, US 63 once had a ferry segment.  This is from the "Notes" column [my clarifications are in brackets]:

Since 1926 [Des Moines to Turrell AR]; Was ferry; extended north 1934 [Ashland WI]; extended south to Memphis, TN 1940; extension s to coastal Louisiana [actually Gulfport MS] denied 1940; north truncated 1990 [outside Ashland]; south truncated W. Memphis, AR 1999; current extended south 1999 [Ruston LA]

The position of the comment "was ferry" suggests to me that it was somewhere along the original Turrell - Des Moines segment, but the specific location of the ferry is not readily apparent.  Ottumwa and Jefferson City already had bridges before 1926.  The only possibility I've found is the original Black River crossing at Powhatan AR, although apparently a bridge was built there in 1926.  Any other ideas?

[Mapmikey]

The position of the comment "was ferry" suggests to me that it was somewhere along the original Turrell - Des Moines segment, but the specific location of the ferry is not readily apparent.  Ottumwa and Jefferson City already had bridges before 1926.  The only possibility I've found is the original Black River crossing at Powhatan AR, although apparently a bridge was built there in 1926.  Any other ideas?

I tried several avenues to find this.  Came up empty.  It is odd Droz put that there when he did not for what were almost certainly longer (and longer lasting) ferries for US 17, US 58, US 60, or US 64, for example.

[usends]

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?

I'm working on compiling a list.  I've currently identified 27, but so far that's just through haphazardly researching various sources.  I'm not sure if there's an authoritative source that would conclusively identify all US routes that ever had a ferry segment...?

[Molandfreak]

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?

I'm working on compiling a list.  I've currently identified 27, but so far that's just through haphazardly researching various sources.  I'm not sure if there's an authoritative source that would conclusively identify all US routes that ever had a ferry segment...?

It might be worth separately noting that the Bloomington Ferry Bridge did replace an eponymous ferry at the same location, but US 169 was never routed to cross the river there.