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By launching Bike Ferries across two gaps in the old Rutland Railroad "Island Line," we could have a Burlington to South Hero bikepath with the longest water crossing of any rail trail in the world - 3.5 miles! This rail trail initiative can be traced all the way back to Governor Phil Hoff's "String of Pearls" proposal in 1963.
We're close! Under development since 1998, the Winooski River Bike Ferry will connect the Burlington bikepath with the Colchester Causeway path. The ferry will shuttle up to 6 passengers and their bicycles across the river delta. The round trip takes only 15 minutes.
We've bought the ferry. We have insurance. We've been awarded a grant from VTrans to launch the ferry. We've passed all the local planning boards in Burlington and Colchester. The FINAL hurdle is to overcome an environmental court appeal that a few Colchester neighbors have filed. We fully expect to be operating this summer.
In its exploratory phase, a Causeway Bike Ferry would connect across "the cut" - a 200 foot gap left by the 1960's removal of a turntable bridge in the railroad causeway. Town officials, residents, and regional planners are meeting regularly to evaluate the feasibility of this important link. With a little creativity, we know this ferry can work! Contact us to get involved in this effort!
Bikepath advocates formed Burlington Bikeways, a non-profit, in 1999 to expand cycling routes in the Queen City region. This Burlington to South Hero linkage is our top priority.
Help us float these boats! Get involved. Support the effort. Contributions are welcome and are tax deductible.
click on map for oversized image!
For three fall weekends, local volunteers came together to launch a ferry service linking the Colchester and Burlington bike paths across the Winooski River.
The response was fantastic! Cyclists, joggers, fishermen, tourists and naturalists raved about the improved access to the natural and recreational areas along Lake Champlain. Making its round trip every 12 minutes, the donated four-passenger ferry was a fun addition to travel along the bike paths.
The ferry demonstrated the magnificent potential of linking existing bikeways around, and across, the lake. Ultimately, this Winooski River linkage could be the first connection in Burlington to Montreal bikeway through the Champlain Islands.
Additional pictures of the experimental bike ferry are on Scott Hamlin's Malletts Bay Web Site.
