Ferry News

On 26 MAY 26 the Valley View Ferry will close until 31 MAY 26 for a VR period of Voyage Repair period to do necessary repairs. We perform this maintenance every 2 1/2 years in between our mandatory dry dock service.

We will be addressing the following issues:

• Replacing BOTH shaft couplings

• Replacing ALL paddle wheel blades

• Major engine/hydraulic system maintenance

• Perform concrete ramp maintenance

• Repainting the towboat

• Repainting the ferry barge deck

• Replacing ALL bilge pumps in the ferry barge

• Inspection of ALL areas inside the ferry barge

• Installing new barge outboard motor

• Inspection and replacement of safety gear

• Perform maintenance on the safety boat

• Perform in the water crew safety training

WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS AN INCONVENIENCE, BUT A POUND OF MAINTENANCE IS WORTH A TON OF REPAIRS.

The ferry is different in that we only have one ferry. If a dump truck in Madison County needs maintenance it can be pulled out of service and there’s a backup. If a trash truck in Fayette County needs maintenance there’s a backup. If a front end loader needs maintenance in Jessamine County there’s a backup. We only have one ferry and she runs every day for 12 hours a day, by far the most used asset in the three counties.

Basically it will be a “can’t to can’t” schedule for the crew, we will be working from when we can’t see till we can’t see. We will be posting pictures and updates every day to keep everyone updated on the progress.

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The Valley View Authority Board currently has 2 board member positions available. in Fayette County. The Board meets once per month on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. You must live in Fayette County to apply for these positions. To apply please Click Here.

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We had a meeting today with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service in Jessamine County along with the Emergency Management Teams from Jessamine, Fayette and Madison counties to discuss the impact and predictions of flooding on the Valley View Ferry and the Valley View Community.

Andrea Schoettmer from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been a tremendous help to the ferry. A few of the highlights are:

• The Valley View Ferry is now a designated Weather Spotter, because of our location in the valley we were basically in a RADAR blind spot and now we have the ability to report weather for the local community that they can access via radio and online.
• NOAA is establishing a flood prediction gauge AT the Valley View Ferry so that our passengers can go online and see what the river is expected to do during periods of flooding. THIS WILL INCLUDE, what local roads will be subject to flooding giving residents more time to prepare OR evacuate.
• The meeting included time for the local emergency management teams and the ferry to communicate on how best to support each other to best serve the communities AND Valley View. Part of this plan is to allow the local emergency management team to use our backup rescue boats, particularly when Carvers Ferry Road is cut off by water.

THIS WAS A MAJOR STEP FORWARD FOR SAFETY AND WE APPRECIATE THE LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND Andrea Shoettmer OF NOAA FOR HELPING US MAKE THIS POSSIBLE !!!!!