Loudoun County Government: Loudoun County Completes Potomac River Ferry Service Study

Press release from the Loudoun County Government:

November 10, 2021

During its Tuesday, November 16, 2021 meeting, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors will receive a presentation on the completed White’s Ferry study. Board of Supervisors Meeting The meeting is scheduled to begin on November 16 at 5:00 p.m. in the Board Room at Loudoun County Government Center, located at 1 Harrison Street SE, Leesburg. The meeting will be televised on Comcast Government Channel 23 and Verizon FiOS Channel 40 and livestreamed at loudoun.gov/meetings. Read the staff report and study (PDF). Study Scope & Background The study of White’s Ferry operations was commissioned by the Board earlier this year and was conducted jointly with Montgomery County, Maryland. The study evaluated the short-term options for resuming ferry service between the two counties, long-term benefits, and issues and opportunities for operating the ferry. Ferry service across the Potomac River is recognized as an important part of the region’s transportation network. Prior to closing, White’s Ferry transported approximately 600 to 800 vehicles per day across the river and connected bicyclists and pedestrians between the two counties. White’s Ferry ceased operations on December 28, 2020, following a broken ferry cable and a Circuit Court opinion in a private lawsuit over the use of private land for the ferry landing in Virginia. Summary of Study Findings Among the study’s findings include issues associated with facilities and properties needed to operate a ferry, such as limited road widths and the lack of shoulders on the access roads leading to White’s Ferry. In addition, space for parking and vehicles that are waiting for the ferry is limited. While not required for immediately restarting ferry service, the study also identified a number of improvements that could be considered for the sustainability of the ferry in the future. These include operational challenges where the previous ferry service delivered two round trips per hour (15-minute overall trip time one way), which the study indicated would be insufficient to meet projected future demand from commuters. Additionally, the study indicated that the existing ferry would need to be replaced in the next decade.

This press release was produced by the Loudoun County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.