Plaquemine ferry service to change because of necessary maintenance

BATON ROUGE, La. – Ferry service at the Plaquemine/Sunshine crossing will change tomorrow when the 45-car ferry M/V Ascension goes to the shipyard for a mandatory five-year hull examination and is expected to be out of service for four months. The Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) will continue service using the 17-car ferry M/V Iberville.

DOTD expects a second 17-car ferry, the M/V Feliciana, to return to service later next week. Once this second ferry returns to service, DOTD will run both 17-car ferries during peak travel hours at the Plaquemine/Sunshine crossing.  The peak travel hours will be 5:15 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Vehicle restrictions for the 17-car ferries are no trailers, no more than two axles, and no more than six wheels.

DOTD expects the larger 35-car ferry M/V Acadia to replace the 17-car ferries at the Plaquemine/Sunshine crossing in mid-July once repairs to its propeller are complete.