Valley View Ferry facts for kids
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| Waterway | Kentucky River |
|---|---|
| Transit type | Cable ferry |
| Owner | Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and Madison and Jessamine Counties |
| Operator | Same as owner |
| Began operation | 1785 |
| Travel time | 2-3 minutes |
| No. of vessels | One |
| No. of terminals | Two |
| Daily ridership | 350 passengers on average |
The Valley View Ferry is a special boat service that helps cars cross the Kentucky River in a quiet part of central Kentucky. It's located on Kentucky Route 169. This ferry connects car traffic between the towns of Richmond in Madison County, Nicholasville in Jessamine County, and Lexington. The ferry route leads directly to the downtown areas of these cities.
This ferry is very old! It started way back in 1780, even before Kentucky became a state in the Union in 1792. Many people believe it's the oldest business in Kentucky that has been running without stopping.
A Look at History
John Craig, a soldier from the American Revolutionary War, got land in this area in 1780. In 1785, the government of Virginia gave Craig special permission to run a ferry forever. Famous people like Daniel Boone, Henry Clay, and Ulysses S. Grant were among its passengers.
The ferry was owned by families for more than 200 years. Seven different families owned it one after another until 1991. Then, the local governments of Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, Madison County, and Jessamine County bought it together for $60,000.
The entire ferry area was updated in 1998. The four tall towers and their cables were replaced. Two years later, the ferry service received money from the government to make the boat better. The new boat was ten feet longer than the old one. This meant it could carry three cars instead of just two.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet helps pay for the ferry, so it's a free service for everyone. On average, about 250 cars use the ferry every day.
How the Ferry Works
The Valley View Ferry is a "cable ferry." This means it doesn't have a rudder to steer. Instead, it's guided by strong cables that stretch between four tall towers, each 55 feet high.
There are two main captains who operate the ferry. One is Clayton Embly, who has a lot of experience working on boats. The other is Shane Toomey, who started his career right here on the Valley View Ferry and worked his way up to become a captain. There are also four full-time deckhands and two more who help when needed. Before 2020, people from local jails used to work as deckhands, but now only paid deckhands are employed.
Two John Deere engines power the boat's generator, which then powers the ferry's moving parts. Only one engine is used at a time. The large paddle wheel is controlled by hydraulic motors. Thanks to updates in 2023, the boat can now cross the river in about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, even with a full load of cars. The ramps that cars drive on and off are controlled by compressed air. This system allows the engines to run at a low speed, which helps them last longer and use less fuel.
The ferry operates 12 hours a day, every day, except on Christmas. It also stops running if the weather is too bad. The schedule is from 6 AM to 6 PM from Monday to Friday, and from 8 AM to 8 PM on Saturdays and Sundays.
The Ferry Boats
The current boat that pushes the ferry is called the "John Craig II." It was named after the boat that came before it. This boat was put into the water in December 2014. The John Craig II is the biggest boat the ferry has ever had. It is 25.5 feet long and weighs about 48,000 pounds.
The John Craig II has two motors, while the older "John Craig" only had one. Having two motors means there's a backup if one has a problem. The crew uses a different motor each day, which helps them last longer.
The John Craig II cost $700,000 to build. Most of the money, $600,000, came from federal grants, and $100,000 came from local funding. In January 2023, the boat was taken out of the water for major repairs and updates. Captain Shane Toomey said that almost everything inside the boat is new, and the paint job is fresh. The main frame is the only part that isn't new, but it also received a lot of work. In June 2023, the ferry board and captains started talking about getting a new barge.
The boat named "John Craig" (the one before the "John Craig II") was built in 1996. The boat it replaced was badly damaged. It sank under heavy snowfall and then was damaged even more when people tried to pull it out of the water.
