The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) offers the oldest continuously leading ferry service in the country a modern revision in order to improve security and accessibility.
[Above photo via the CTDOT]
The work is expected to begin in January 2026 at the landings of the Rocky Hill/Glastonbury Ferry, which has been wearing people over the Connecticut River since 1655.
The ferry consists of a load bar that can manage three cars and a handful of pedestrians and cyclists. A diesel tractor is attached to the load barge-a setup, which is known as “towing on the hip”-to make the four-minute journey across the river. A trip that was made necessary depending on the travel volume.
CTDOT noted that improvements will include Americans with conforming upgrades for sidewalks, ramps and railings to enable pedestrians and cyclists who make up a large part of their customers.
While both landing sites receive new security sites and decorative fences and lighting, most work will take place at the Rocky Hill location on the west side of the river, said the agency. New concrete ramps and sidewalks combine a neighboring park with the Ferry Lane in order to get a safer access to the pedestrian to the ferry.
CTDOT will also upgrade the lighting and install new benches on the Rocky Hill page so that fans of the historical ferry can see their operations from a safe place.
The benches enable people to “enjoy picturesque view of the River Connecticut all year round, be it the highlight of the summer or when the leaves change the colors in autumn”, noted Josh Morgan, CTDOT communication director.
[Editor’s note: Ferry systems operated by state departments of transportation across the U.S. provide a crucial link for a variety of mobility needs, including for students commuting to school, as this story from the North Carolina Department of Transportation illustrates.]
The Rocky Hill/Glastonbury ferry began 370 years ago as a family business to connect the then city of Wethersfield, a puritan settlement, divided by the Connecticut River. The ferry was originally only driven by a man with a paddle before it received a “PS” degree – literally over a horse that runs on a treadmill in the middle of the watercraft itself.
More than a century after its foundation, the settlement in East Westfield became a shooting powder factory in George Washington troops during the War of Independence. The woman of the factory owner, Eunice Strumpf, most likely used the ferry to deliver deliveries for troops that fight British regular guests in New York.
After the civil war, a steam-operated boat was put into operation-and then the state of Connecticut took over the operations of the ferry.
Morgan from Ctdot said [for] Ctdot. Our employees and crews love to be part of this story in the service. “
The agency added that the Ferry Rocky Hill/Glastonbury will be switched off for the season on December 1st and resumed the service on April 1st. Some of the upgrades planned for 2026 will continue to be under construction if the ferry is reopened in spring, but the agency emphasized that the work was not bothered by the operations and CTDOT was emphasized.
Related articles