After officially being opened for the season on May 15, the Riverhurst Ferry is down for repairs. The crossing typically runs from mid-May, until December, and was right on track until the latest repairs announced late Saturday night.
While no timeline was given on the current work, plans are in place to improve the ferry after it was closed throughout parts of the 2024 season for repairs. The Ministry of Highways are planning to shut the crossing down earlier than usual this year, likely early November, as they install a new engine for the ferry.
The decision towards a safe and efficient timeline was made after a conversation with stakeholders, and more details are expected in the fall.
"The ministry appreciates in advance the patience and understanding of the short-term inconvenience, as the long-term benefit of the engine replacement will support ferry service well into the future for area travelers, businesses and tourists." stated a Ministry of Highways release. "The existing engines (a primary and a spare) have reached the end of their lifecycle with parts no longer available, which require long lead times and custom fabrication, sometimes resulting in service outages."
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The ongoing work at Riverhurst leaves the Lemsford Ferry (light loads only/5000 KG) as the only currently open crossing around West Central, with others set to follow shortly as we move through the spring.
Across the river to Lemsford's east sits the Lancer Ferry, and then further to the west sits the Estuary Ferry. The three crossings join Riverhurst, the Highway #21 south bridge just north of Leader, and Highway #4 south of Kyle as the only ways to cross the river locally around West Central.
Reaching out to the Ministry of Highways, spokesperson Dan Palmer wanted to remind folks that the Highway Hotline is more than just a tool for the roads. People can keep up to date with the status of ferry crossings, one of the many functionalities joining construction, incident, weather radar, and other great overlays available on the Highway Hotline website HERE.