The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has officially launched a new ferry boat, "The Summitt,” dedicated to the iconic Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt. This vessel provides a critical link, ferrying cars and pedestrians across the Tennessee River and connecting Benton and Houston Counties. According to a Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) announcement, the new boat began service recently, smoothly sliding across the river to assist in daily commutes and travels.
The vessel's inauguration took place last Friday, with local and state dignitaries, including Deputy Governor & TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley, gracing the event. Morgan Vance represented the Summitt Foundation at the christening ceremony, an affair also attended by former UT Knoxville Athletics Director Joan Cronan and the Henry County High School Madrigals, as was reported on the TDOT website. The event highlighted bridges—not just the literal ones made by ferries, but those of legacy and memory that connect the banks of the Tennessee River and the communities entwined with Pat Summitt's storied life.
TDOT's ferry operation is not limited to just "The Summitt." They also manage another one on the Cumberland River in Stewart County. Offering year-round service, these ferries boast affordability, with prices standing at a modest dollar for a car including occupants or half a dollar for those journeying on foot. Heavier vehicles and motorcycles will find rates vary slightly, but no journey will set a traveler back more than five bucks.
By the numbers, "The Summitt," costing approximately $3.298 million of combined federal and state funding, was constructed by McGinnis Inc., based in South Point, Ohio. Replacing a ferry boat that had been in service for 67 years, it's expected to follow the typical lifespan of a ferry boat, which stands at about 30 years. With the introduction of this modern ferry, TDOT aims to continue efficiently shouldering the annual burden of approximately 14,500 vehicles that the Benton-Houston Ferry carried in 2023.
