CALHOUN COUNTY and City of Grafton receive funding for ferry projects
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By Steven Spencer
Calhoun County and the City of Grafton are both one step closer to a ferry purchase with the recent approval of Illinois Department of Transportation funding.
Calhoun County Engineer Kyle Godar told the County Commissioners on Monday, Oct. 6, that funding in the amount of $650,000 was approved through IDOT’s FY 24 Local Program Funding, and will be used as the 20% match required for the $3,200,000 project funding for the Golden Eagle Ferry.
Calhoun County, as well as the City of Grafton, started discussing purchasing multiple vessels from the Calhoun Ferry Company earlier this year, so the boats would be owned by a public entity and qualify for additional funding through the Federal Ferry Boat Program.
It was explained at prior meetings that the county and city would purchase the vessels from the Calhoun Ferry Company and then enter into an operating agreement with the ferry company.
Godar said Monday that three boats would be purchased from the ferry company, so that two can run during commute times and one will be a backup in case of a breakdown or when one is dry-docked for inspection.
Grafton was also approved for FY 24 Local Program Funding for the Grafton Ferry in the amount of $1,458,000.
“Both were awarded, and we are working together with them in the fact that our backup boat could also serve as their backup boat, and we could have an intergovernmental agreement where they pay by the hour or something to utilize it,” Godar said.
Godar said this is good for the county in multiple ways—sustainability for commuters, and funding for equipment.
“We were getting half a million dollars a year, approximately, allocated to us the last couple of years from the Ferry Boat Program based on the traffic that goes through that ferry,” he said. “It expires if you don’t spend it after three years. We’ve been letting it expire.”
He said the county can’t spend the money on something they don’t own.
“By owning the boats we can bear all the burden of the equipment expense with this federal money, so that it will keep rates down,” Godar said. “Long-term, it makes ownership transitions easier in the fact that you don’t have to find somebody to come in and buy the ferry company to operate the ferries when the current operators retire or what have you. The boats are owned by the county, so all you’re looking at is getting somebody to enter into an operating agreement.”
Godar said he’ll be moving forward with things and will meet with IDOT for more information about procurement. He also noted that they’ll need to follow federal requirements to make sure everything meets federal highway standards, and said the overall project will be $3,200,000 with 80% federal funding and 20% state. The $650,000 will be used as the 20% match required.
Grafton Mayor Mike Morrow said this will open the door to more federal funding and long-term sustainability for ferry operations that won’t just benefit Grafton and Calhoun but the entire region.
Plans for the Grafton Ferry include expanding services to seven days a week to increase consistency and accommodate more traffic.
Mayor Morrow also recognized the tireless work of the Ferry Task Force Committee, led by George Andres, for helping bring the plan to fruition.
