Thursday, March 28, 2024

Update: Pocahontas ferry returns to service Thursday

The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry runs across the lower James River. (Steve Roberts, Jr./WYDaily)
The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry runs across the lower James River. (WYDaily/File photo)

Update 4:20 p.m. Thursday:

The Pocahontas has returned to service, VDOT said. The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry is now back to full capacity.

The boat had been sidelined since Tuesday for emergency repairs.

Update 10 p.m. Wednesday:

Repairs to an emergency generator aboard the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry, the Pocahontas, are keeping the boat out of service for several days.

Shipment of a necessary part for the repair has been delayed, VDOT said in a Facebook post Wednesday.

VDOT is still waiting on shipment, and the Pocahontas will not resume operations Wednesday.

“Please know that we are doing everything we can to expedite repairs and maintain service,” the post read.

Crews found multiple fuel leaks during a test of the emergency generator Monday morning, VDOT spokeswoman Nina Napolitano said.

It’s too early to say whether the warranty will cover the parts requiring repairs, but the equipment itself is under warranty, Napolitano said.

The emergency generator is needed to safely run the Pocahontas, she added.

The ferry has been out of service since Monday, reducing the fleet’s capacity by about 20 cars per hour.

Original story:

The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry is running at reduced capacity because the Pocahontas, the fleet’s largest boat, has been sidelined for emergency repairs, the Virginia Department of Transportation said Tuesday.

The Williamsburg and Surry will continue to carry motorists across the James River. The loss of the Pocahontas will reduce the fleet’s capacity by about 20 vehicles per hour, VDOT said.

Motorists who use the ferry are encouraged to allow extra time for their commutes or consider using the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel or the James River Bridge as an alternate route.

Motorists can call get information about the ferry around the clock by calling 1-800-VAFERRY or by visiting www.511virginia.org or dialing 511 from a cellphone.

Bryan DeVasher
Bryan DeVasherhttp://wydaily.com
Bryan DeVasher is the managing editor-digital of WYDaily. A resident of Hampton Roads for more than two decades, he has worked for news organizations in Virginia, Illinois, Missouri and Indiana. He most recently was a member of the public relations staff for Virginia State Police.

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