Plaquemine ferry closing briefly on Wednesday for ramp movement
Tuesday, April 23, 2019 at 9:39:16 AM
Baton Rouge, LA – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announced today that the Plaquemine ferry is expected to close at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24 for approximately two hours. This closure is necessary for crews to move traffic to the uppermost loading ramp due to rising water in the Mississippi River. The ramp must be moved once the river reaches approximately 40’, and the river is forecast to crest at 41.5’ on May 9.

Once the ramp is moved and ferry service resumes, DOTD will enforce the following high-water restrictions:

  • No large trucks (e.g., dump trucks)
  • No buses
  • No trailers
As a reminder, the normal ferry hours are as follows:

  • Monday through Friday, the first boat runs from 4:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Monday through Friday, the second boat runs from 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
  • Saturday and Sunday, one boat runs from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
When two ferries are in operation, they are scheduled to depart every 15 minutes. When there is only one, it leaves every 30 minutes (departs Plaquemine at :00 and :30, Sunshine at :15 and :45).

Call 511 or visit 511la.org for additional travel information. Out-of-state travelers may call 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511). Motorists may also monitor the LA DOTD website at http://www.dotd.la.gov/, by selecting MYDOTD, or by visiting the DOTD Facebook and Twitter pages.