NORFOLK, Va. — If you’re from the area, you know it as a rite of passage: taking the trip from Norfolk to Portsmouth -- or the other way around -- on the Elizabeth River Ferry.
This past week the double-decker, paddle-wheel ferry celebrated 40 years on the water.
July 14, 1983, was the day it all started. Granted, ferry service on the river dates back hundreds of years. But this was when the ferry we know today started operating on the Elizabeth River.
The ferry service saw early success, and public interest grew within the first few years of operation. So much so, what was then Tidewater Regional Transit added another stop on the Portsmouth side.
Since then, more than 16.5 million riders have taken a trip on the ferry, which now includes a fleet of three vessels.
“Ferry service has been an essential part of getting around Hampton Roads for hundreds of years,” said HRT President and CEO William Harrell. “HRT is proud to play such a crucial role in continuing this time-honored tradition. Over the last 40 years, we have moved more than 16.5 million riders back and forth across the Elizabeth River. These trips were made to travel to work, entertainment, shopping, and other critical destinations.”
Hampton Roads Transit, which now maintains and operates the service, announced two more ferries will join the fleet by the end of the year.
According to HRT, the ferry service wouldn’t be possible without the stewardship of Norfolk by Boat’s David Jordan. A Portsmouth native, Jordan helped secure the purchase of the first Elizabeth River Ferry in 1983.