State ferry system named Marine Highway Project
The M/V Stanford White on a run between Hatteras and Ocracoke. (Photo provided by North Carolina Department of Transportation)
MANNS HARBOR, Dare County — The North Carolina Ferry System has been designated a Federal Marine Highway Project, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced this week.
The designation, coming from the federal Maritime Administration, means the ferry system is eligible for the Marine Highway Grant Program, which awards federal funding for vessel modernization and terminal infrastructure. Officials say this year's program awarded $9.7 million nationwide.
“We are delighted to be included in the Maritime Administration’s Marine Highway Program,” said Ferry Division Director Harold Thomas. “This designation will allow us to potentially acquire funding for much-needed projects throughout our system that would otherwise require state assistance.”
The program involves 35 other projects throughout the county and the North Carolina Department of Transportation says projects are chosen for their importance to local economies, travel times and public safety.