Southport-Fort Fisher Ferry Closed Until April

BY Spectrum News Staff Coastal

UPDATED 5:57 AM ET Jan. 06, 2020 PUBLISHED 5:21 PM ET Jan. 03, 2020 PUBLISHED 5:21 PM EST Jan. 03, 2020

SOUTHPORT, N.C. – The Southport-Fort Fisher ferry will close Monday for three months.

The Southport-Fort Fisher ferry will be closed three months for repairs
The DOT will make repairs to the ramp systems at both terminals
Almost 200,000 vehicles use the ferry annually

According to the DOT, the closure is in order to update ramp equipment at both terminals.

The Southport-Ft. Fisher ferry is currently out of service while we replace our ferry ramps. We apologize for the inconvenience and we look forward to serving you again beginning April 6.
— NCFerrySouthport (@NCFerrySPort) January 6, 2020

The ferry, which takes passengers between the southern tips of New Hanover and Brunswick counties, will be out of commission until early April.

The DOT said the $3 million project will replace an aging cable-counterweight ramp system with a hydraulic one.

The ferry was shut down for five weeks in August and September due to a failure of the current ramp system.

Almost 200,000 vehicles use the ferry annually, according to the DOT. The department also said that commuter pass holders will be credited with extensions to their passes after the ferry reopens.