Rocky Hill - Glastonbury Ferry

Infobox Ferry route
name = The Rocky Hill - Glastonbury Ferry
nativename =

logosize =

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imagesize =
caption = The Hollister III (barge) and the Cumberland (tow boat)
crosses = Connecticut River
route =
line =
carries = pedestrians, bicycles, automobiles
locale = Rocky Hill to Glastonbury
coord|41.666363|N|72.629648|W to
coord|41.66565|N|72.626537|W
quays =
operator = Connecticut State Ferry Service
authority = Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT)
ferries = Cumberland tows Hollister III
ferrytype = towboat and barge
traveltime =
headway =
frequency = as needed
ridershipyear =
ridershipday = 400
vehiclesyear =
vehiclesday =
length =
opened = 1655
closed =
closes =
predecessor =
successor =

The Rocky Hill - Glastonbury Ferry is a seasonal ferry crossing the Connecticut River between the towns of Glastonbury, Connecticut and Rocky Hill, Connecticut and is part of Route 160. The river crossing has an annual average daily traffic of 400. [cite web | url = http://www.ct.gov/dot/LIB/dot/Documents/dpolicy/traflog/traflog.pdf#page=134 | title = 2005 Traffic Volumes State Maintained Highway Network (Traffic Log) | accessdate = 2007-01-11 | format = PDF | publisher = State of Connecticut Department of Transportation | pages = p.134]

History

The ferry is the oldest continuously running ferry in the United States,cite web |url=http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1380&Q=259738&dotPNavCtr= |title=Rocky Hill - Glastonbury Ferry |accessdate=2007-06-24 |date=2005-10-20 |work=Connecticut Department of Transportation |publisher=State of Connecticut] only shutting down in the winter when the river freezes over. [cite web |url=http://www.kurumi.com/roads/ct/ctx160.html |title=Routes 160-164 |accessdate=2007-06-24 |last=Oglesby |first=Scott |date=2006-10-22 |work=Connecticut Roads |publisher=Kurumi] Started in 1655 it actually began before the foundation of the towns of Glastonbury and Rocky Hill, both towns then being part of Wethersfield, Connecticut at that time.

Originally a raft that was poled across the Connecticut River, it was then for a while powered by a horse on a treadmill before being upgraded to a steamship in 1876. Today's ferry is a 3-car barge named the "Hollister III" towed by a diesel towboat named the "Cumberland".

Use

The ferry is the only river crossing accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists between Hartford and Middletown, preventing what would otherwise be a thirteen mile detour for them. [cite web |url=http://www.wethersfield.net/html/gov/ct/rhill/ferry/ferry-info.html |title=Rocky Hill Glastonbury Ferry Now 350 Years |accessdate=2007-06-24 |last=Sokolowski |first=Kenneth E. |year=2005 |work=Wethersfield.NET |publisher=Kenneth E. Sokolowski]

Operating between May 1 and October 31, the toll for cars is $3 and for cyclists & pedestrians is $1.

ee also

*List of crossings of the Connecticut River
*Chester - Hadlyme Ferry, the second oldest continuously running ferry in the U.S. operating just 25 miles downstream.

References

External links

* [http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1380&Q=259738&dotPNavCtr= The Ferry's page on the Conn-DOT's website]

Crossings navbox
structure = Crossings
place = Connecticut River
bridge = Rocky Hill - Glastonbury Ferry
bridge signs =

upstream = William H. Putnam Memorial Bridge
upstream signs =
downstream = Arrigoni Bridge
downstream signs =