Grafton holds public hearing for ferry

By Editor | January 20, 2026 |

By STEVEN SPENCER

The City of Grafton held a public hearing last week to discuss the purchase of the “Eagle II” from the Calhoun Ferry Company.
“We’re very excited about this,” Mayor Mike Morrow said. “This has been a wonderful move forward. We’re looking at operating the ferry seven days a week, 365 days a year. So that’s going to be a big boom for the region for tourism.”
Mayor Morrow said full-time ferry service will help local businesses via tourism and will also provide a reliable route for commuters getting to and from work.
The purchase agreement lists the purchase price at $878,577 for the Eagle II towboat with all its tackle, fittings, and navigation equipment and deck barge GR 1, complete with ramps, fittings and life safety equipment.
The purchase agreement also includes a contingency upon the seller and buyer entering into an operations agreement.
The operations agreement says the city will maintain the ferry landings, set fares for service, and pay an operator’s fee to the Calhoun Ferry Company who will provide ferry service and operations.
The operation agreement also includes a list of the Calhoun Ferry Company’s responsibilities, as well as the cities, includes details establishing the city’s “Ferry Fund,” and sets the hours of operation for the Grafton Ferry.
Hours of operation and fares are listed as:
Monday – Thursday: 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Passenger vehicle:
$10 one way
$19 round trip
Dual over one ton: $11
Tandem: $12
Semi-: $15
Motorcycle: $7 one way
$13 round trip
Bicycle: $6 one way
Pedestrian: $5 one way
Trailers: $2 per axle
Daily Commuter Pass (10 -one-way trips): $70
The agreement also states that fares will be reviewed annually and includes an annual reconciliation.
One question that was asked was about what would happen should funding from IDOT dry up.
George Andre with the Grafton Ferry Task Force said IDOT funding for operational subsidies is for a two-year period, and during that two-year period the hope is to build traffic and generate additional dollars through the Federal Ferry Boat Program funds.
At the time of print, the Grafton City Council is scheduled to vote on the matter at their regular meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 20.