Plaquemine ferry to run with 17-car vessel, White Castle ferry out of service until next week
Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 8:07:56 AM

BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announced today that the 35-car M/V Ascension ferry was taken out of service at the Plaquemine ferry landing yesterday to allow crews to begin making mechanical repairs to the vessel's engine.

DOTD moved the 17-car M/V St. Charles ferry from the White Castle landing to replace the M/V Ascension ferry at the Plaquemine landing due to higher ridership demand. Service at the Plaquemine landing resumed this morning.

Service at the White Castle location has been suspended until the M/V Ascension's engine is repaired. DOTD estimates that service will resume on Monday, Nov. 19.

Vehicle restrictions for the smaller vessel at the Plaquemine landing include no trailers, no more than two axles, and no more than six wheels. Large trucks and trailers should use the Interstate 10 Mississippi River Bridge.

The operating hours for the Plaquemine ferry are 5 a.m. - 9 p.m., seven days a week.

The White Castle ferry’s regular hours are from 4:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Before traveling, drivers should call the Ferry Toll-Free Information line at 1-888-613-3779 for the status of DOTD ferries, or visit the "Ferry Status" page on the right-hand side of the DOTD Web site.

Drivers can also access updates on the Plaquemine and White Castle ferries through Twitter by visiting http://twitter.com/PlaquemineFerry or http://twitter.com/WhCastle_Ferry.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is committed to delivering transportation and public works systems that enhance the quality of life. In addition to more than 16,600 miles of roadway, including over 890 miles of interstate, DOTD supports the development of the state’s aviation, marine and rail infrastructures. Through this work, we are able to facilitate economic development, create job opportunities, improve vital evacuation routes, and make critical freight corridors safer and more efficient.

For more information, please visit www.dotd.la.gov, email dotdcs@la.gov, or call DOTD’s Customer Service Center at (225) 379-1232 or 1-877-4LADOTD (1-877-452-3683). Business hours are 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.