Wahkiakum County ferry

Wahkiakum County ferry

The ferry Wahkiakum
Waterway Columbia River
Carries State Route 409
Terminals 2
Operator Wahkiakum County, Washington
Travel time 10 minutes
Frequency Hourly

The Wahkiakum County ferry is a ferry that crosses the lower Columbia River between the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon, and is the last regularly scheduled car ferry to cross the Columbia River between the two states.

The ferry is located at the terminus of State Route 409, and actually departs from Puget Island, Washington, which the Julia Butler Hansen Bridge links to the mainland. SR 409 is a spur from State Route 4, and the ferry thus connects that highway to U.S. Route 30 in Oregon. Its status as an extension of SR 409 is why the state of Washington since 1969 has provided financial support for operation of the ferry.[1]

The ferry runs hourly (on the hour from the Washington side and 15 minutes after the hour from the Oregon side) from 5 a.m.-10:15 p.m. 365 days a year. Lunch time service is sometimes interrupted.

A new Puget Island terminal was constructed in 2009–2010 after the state of Washington declared the existing structure deficient.[2] It was paid for in part with federal stimulus funds.

Old ferry

Passengers and cars on the Cathlamet–Westport (Wahkiakum County) ferry in 2013

The ferry Wahkiakum had been operated by Wahkiakum County, Washington since 1962,[3] between Cathlamet, Washington and Westport, Oregon. According to the Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce, the ferry held nine cars, and a ride across the Columbia took about ten minutes.[4]

Upgrade

In February, 2015, the route got a new ferry, the Oscar B, operating a minimum 18 runs per day, every day of the year.[5]

References

  1. ↑ The little ferry that could
  2. ↑ LaBoe, Barbara (June 5, 2009). "Wahkiakum County lands $590,000 for Puget Island ferry terminal project". The Daily News, Longview WA. Archived from the original on September 3, 2016.
  3. ↑ Wahkiakum County Public Works Department
  4. ↑ Discover the Northwest: Picture-perfect Cathlamet, Washington
  5. ↑ "Ferry ~ Ride the last Ferry on the Lower Columbia River". Wahkiakum County Public Works Department.
Cathlamet & Puget Island ferry sign

Coordinates: 46°8′12.3″N 123°22′40.9″W / 46.136750°N 123.378028°W / 46.136750; -123.378028


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