The Grafton Ferry reopened Friday under new city ownership and is now set to run year‑round, with longer hours aimed squarely at commuters and tourists. The new setup replaces the old seasonal schedule and promises daily crossings between Grafton and St. Charles County, weather permitting.
State grant made the purchase possible
City officials pulled off the purchase with a $1.458 million grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation, using the money to buy the ferry and help cover early operating costs. Great Rivers & Routes published the announcement outlining the funding details and the planned ribbon cutting.
What the deal covers and who will run it
Under a city-approved agreement, Grafton paid roughly $878,577 to the Calhoun Ferry Company and signed a 20‑year operations deal that keeps the company running the boat while the city owns the asset. The reopening will feature a ribbon cutting and a celebration for early riders, according to the local paper.
As reported by The Telegraph, the contract puts the city in charge of maintaining the ferry landings and lets the operator focus on day‑to‑day service on the water.
New hours, fares and limits
The ferry is scheduled to run Monday through Thursday from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Each Mississippi River crossing is expected to take about five to ten minutes. Fares are posted at $10 one way for passenger cars, $19 round trip, and a 10‑trip commuter pass remains $70. The operator notes that service is year‑round but still “weather permitting.”
Those hours, prices and basic rules are listed by the region’s tourism bureau and visitor site. Great Rivers & Routes lays out the schedule, vehicle rates and passenger guidelines for the crossing.
Local businesses and tourism officials welcome weekday traffic
Tourism officials and local business owners say weekday crossings should help shore up the city’s slower Monday through Thursday stretch and bring more visitors during what is already shaping up to be a busy event year. Regional coverage quotes Cory Jobe, president of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau, calling the expanded weekday schedule an asset for the area.
Regional celebration plans tied to the 100th anniversary of Route 66 are expected to boost visitor numbers through 2026, according to the Illinois Route 66 program and local event calendars. RiverBender includes additional local reaction, while broader centennial programming appears on Illinois Route 66 listings.
What residents should watch for
Officials caution that the ferry can still be sidelined by heavy ice or strong winds and that rider demand will ebb and flow with the seasons. Local reporting also notes that a busy weekend in past years has drawn roughly 400 riders, a benchmark the city considered while planning year‑round service.
Those ridership figures and weather caveats appeared in regional coverage and in public notices about the sale and reopening. For more background and the city’s full statements, see St. Louis Public Radio and the local reporting linked above.
