Ferry Delays Expected; Pocahontas Needs More Repairs

By WYDaily Staff Monday, May 23, 2011

The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry fleet is hobbled once again, as the Pocahontas has been taken out of service for more emergency repairs.

The Pocahontas was removed from service early Sunday for repairs on "an unexpected mechanical issue," according to a press release from the Virginia Department of Transportation, which runs the ferry service.

It's the third time since May 5 the ferry has been disabled by mechanical issues. A VDOT spokesman projected the first round of emergency maintenance to put the Pocahontas out of commission until mid-May; the ferry made it back into service a few days ahead of schedule, on May 15. On the evening of May 17, the Pocahontas was pulled again for emergency maintenance, then returned to service the next day.

Crews expect the Pocahontas to be back in service by Wednesday, May 25.

Motorists who rely on the ferry to cross the James River should expect delays and are encouraged to use an alternate route: either the I-664 Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel, the James River Bridge (Route 17), or the Benjamin Harrison Memorial Bridge (Route 106/156).


The Williamsburg and Virginia vessels will continue to ferry motorists across the James River using the normal ferry schedule, but capacity is diminished by about 50 vehicles per hour.

Motorists are encouraged to call the ferry hotline, 1-800-VAFERRY - 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for updates.