Champlain Bridge ferry experiencing traffic delays

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) is alerting motorists who use the temporary ferry at the Lake Champlain Bridge in Addison to expect delays on Thursday and Friday afternoons through foliage.
For the past few weeks, traffic boarding the ferry service has experienced delays on Thursdays and Fridays between 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The delays are not unexpected as historic traffic volumes using the bridge peak between August and October. The delays are a result of traffic volumes exceeding the capacity of the two ferries during these hours.
Average traffic volumes using the bridge went from a low of 2,900 vehicles per day in the dead of the winter to more than 4,000 vehicles per day during the peak of summer and foliage. This year’s numbers are down, but the trend is similar as traffic volumes have grown from an average of about 1,800 vehicles per day when the ferry first opened in February to about 3,000 vehicles per day in early August, with peak travel days exceeding 3,300.
‘Although our overall numbers are down from when the bridge was operational, we are experiencing an anticipated uptick in seasonal ferry volume, so it is no surprise that mid-summer travel is taxing the ferry system during peak travel times,’ said VTrans Secretary David Dill. ‘We continue to monitor the situation, and will take whatever measures we can to move traffic across the lake as expeditiously as possible. But the ferry service has limited capacity, and motorists should expect occasional delays.’
To ensure traffic queues along Routes 17 and 125 are safe and orderly, Addison County Sheriff’s are on hand each Thursday and Friday late afternoon and early evening. But motorists seeking to use the free ferry service from Vermont at these times should anticipate delays and build additional time into their travel plans. Motorists with flexible travel schedules are encouraged to avoid using the ferry at these times if possible.
The ferry service is operational 24 hours per day, seven days per week, including holidays.
‘Construction of the new Lake Champlain Bridge is progressing smoothly, and the ferry service is experiencing no operational issues,’ Dill said. ‘The new bridge is on schedule to open in October of 2011, and motorists can expect free ferry service until then. It’s just that seasonal traffic volumes peak between August and October, which occasional present a challenge. We appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation during those times.’