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Bike Ferry
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Yes, it's true. After 545 people and businesses raised $1.5M for The Big Fix, the trail has been repaired from the record 2011 flooding and now we've finalized the Bike Ferry schedule after a two year hiatus. Read press release. Like the Bike Ferry on Facebook for updates!
Summer Ferry Schedule: 10 AM to 6 PM Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays (June 14 - September 2)
Fall Ferry Schedule: 10 AM to 6 PM Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays (September 7 - October 14)
Can you volunteer? We need to fill over 350 volunteer shifts to work as deckhands and greeters to make this  service possible. Click here to sign up for a volunteer shift!
Thank you to VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations for being the Bike Ferry's premier sponsor for the past 5 years! |
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With significant flood damage to the Colchester - South Hero causeway section of the Island Line Trail, Local Motion is cancelling the entire 2011 & 2012 Bike Ferry seasons. Both the southern causeway section owned by the Town of Colchester and the northern causeway section owned by VT Fish & Wildlife Department sustained extensive erosion damage. Click here for photos of the damage.
While it is a set back and financial challenge to cancel our 10th and 11th year of demonstration ferry service across the cut in the causeway, it is giving Local Motion and trail managers the opportunity to focus on comprehensive repairs and improvements that will enable full-season ferry service in the future. Thank you to VBT Bicycling & Walking Vacations for underwriting Local Motion’s continued ferry development.
STAKEHOLDERS SET UP FUND FOR TRAIL REPAIR
To help trail managers fund the upcoming repairs to the Burlington Bike Path and the Colchester - South Hero Causeway, stakeholders have launched a ‘Friends of the Island Line Trail’ committee and a related charitable fund. While FEMA funding for trail repairs looks likely, FEMA funding requires a 25% local match and host communities do not have this funding in their current budgets. As a result, residents and local businesses are continuing to step up to raise critical matching funds. 2011 fundraising events included:
Help repair the trail by visitng Friends of the Island Line.
REGION STILL OPEN FOR BIKING & WALKING
While parts of the Island Line Trail are closed, significant sections of the trail remain open. Local Motion can help steer residents and visitors around closed sections and find other great trails to enjoy in the region. Check out homepage for current trail status. Other trails can be found on our Trail Finder or by calling our Trailside Center (802-652-2453). |
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On the last crossing of the season, Captains Scudder and Ed take passengers from Brattleboro and Montreal across the cut.
Both locals and visitors were thrilled to have the Bill and Carole Hauke Bike Ferry available every weekend between July 4th and Labor Day to shuttle them across the missing link in the Colchester/South Hero causeway. See our 2010 pictures!
 Although ridership was below what was hoped for, almost 3,500 riders generously gave an average of more than $8. Contributing to the financial sustainability of the ferry are generous individual donors and business sponsors, including our 2010 Underwriting Sponsor: VBT Bicycling Vacations. Other sponsors include: Earl's Cyclery & Fitness, Switchback, Old Spokes Home, Twincraft Soap, Paw Print & Mail, Marble Island Marina, Specialized, Skirack, Saba Marine, Fox Marine, the City of Burlington, and of course, the ongoing support of Bill and Carole Hauke. The enthusiastic support and dedication of time by the 120 volunteers, (including 31 City Market member workers) was also critical as it has been since the first ferry across the Winooski River in 1999. This ferry, and the development of the entire Island Line trail, is truly a community effort!
Special recognition goes out to the owners and stewards of the causeway and its' approaches - the Town of Colchester, and the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife. Without their support, partnership, and on-going investment in the maintenance and improvement of this truly unique linear park, the Bike Ferry would not be possible. Their efforts ensure that the Island Line Trail is a safe and enjoyable experience for all local users, as well as for visitors from around the state and around the world! We would also like to recognize the Town of South Hero for their support over the years, most recently, for taking action to make South Street safer for cyclists by lowering speed limits, installing share-the-road signage, and increasing shoulder widths by narrowing vehicle lanes, a proven traffic-calming measure.
This was a transition year between the past – years of limited schedules demonstrating the feasibility of offering this unique service on a regular basis, and the future – a vision of dependable, daily service. Predictably, the prevailing southerly winds presented a challenge again this year, shutting down operations for three of the scheduled 22 days. Next year, we expect to launch a capital campaign to help fund improvements that will enable us to overcome the constant threat of closure by high wind and waves. Those improvements include floating breakwaters to allow us to operate safely in the frequent strong southerly winds; a larger, commercial-grade vessel; and a public fishing platform. We are very close to completing the process of securing all permits right-of-way agreements. This next stage in the Bike Ferry's development will finally establish the Island Line Trail as a dependable route across the lake, connecting the Islands, Colchester, and Burlington. Stay tuned. |
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Bike ferry volunteers are an essential part of this service which transports cyclists, walkers, anglers, and runners across the 200-foot "cut" in the Colchester - South Hero Causeway -- a critical link in the Island Line Trail.
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Volunteer for the bike ferry!
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WINOOSKI RIVER BIKE FERRY :: 1998 - 2003
Local Motion's first bike ferry ran across the mouth of the Winooski River between Delta Park in Colchester and the Auer Family Boat House in Burlington. It all started when Brian Costello stopped Chapin Spencer on Burlington's College Street in 1997. Brian told Chapin of his vision to connect the Colchester Causeway Park with the Burlington Bike Path. Brian donated a motor and Chapin donated a boat. Charlie and Christine at Auer's Boat House agreed to host the ferry service. Governor Dean and community leader Bill Hauke were a couple of our first passengers in 1998.
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Read more...
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Spring 2013
COLCHESTER: The major repairs have been completed. The trail re-opened to public use in October 2012. Thank you to the Town of Colchester, the State of Vermont, FEMA and all the donors to The Big Fix!
SOUTH HERO: Repairs are underway. VT Fish & Wildlife and Munson Earth Moving are repairing the 1/2 mile section that is part of the Allen Pt Access Area. The corridor will be closed during construction. This section is projected to open in late May 2013.
BURLINGTON: Repair work completed on the five areas damaged by the record 2011 flooding. Final repaving will be done in April or May 2013. The path may be closed during these periods.
THE CAUSEWAY BIKE FERRY: Thanks to a successful Big Fix fundraising campaign, we're relaunching ferry service in 2013. The ferry will operate 51 days starting June 14th. Through Labor Day, the ferry will operate Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays. For the fall (through Columbus Day), the ferry will operate on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays. Details here. |
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Bike Ferry Photo -- two boats
Bike Ferry Photo - aerial horizontal (must credit Shirley Chevalier)
Bike Ferry Photo - aerial horizontal (must credit Shirley Chevalier)
Bike Ferry Photo - with passengers
