Ferry on Illinois River at Hennepin, IL

(Satellite)

We can see part of the cable that was strung between the two shores. We can also see the sheaves on the raft through which that cable is strung. The cable keeps the ferry from going downstream in the current. But I can't figure out how they pushed the ferry across the river.

Lisa Ruble posted

Ferry Boat on the Illinois River at Hennepin

Putnam County

1997 8-mile (13km) Confederation Bridge and Ferry to Prince Edward Island, CA

Bridge: (Satellite)

Ferry: (Satellite)

A view from Prince Edward Island.

Street View, Sep 2024

This view catches the "hump" for the navigation channel.

Kristy McCoy, Jul 2019

A good view of the box-girder construction.

Hélène Blais, Aug 2022

Janey Anderson posted

Here's the Confederation Bridge - opened on May 31, 1997, the 12.9-kilometre (8.0 mi) bridge is Canada's longest bridge and the world's longest bridge over ice-covered water. It's a box girder bridge carrying the Trans-Canada Highway across the Abegweit Passage of the Northumberland Strait, linking the province of Prince Edward Island with the mainland province of New Brunswick.

And it's a LONG drive across!! 😂

This means that it is a segmented concrete girder bridge.

Mark Crenna commented on Janey's post

The company that I worked for , manufactured the electrical cable that runs the length of the bridge.

On windy days the bridge is closed to ship traffic because of the danger of a ship hitting the bridge. We crossed the bridge in May 2025.

Photo is of example of bridge construction at visitors center in PEI

Cars driving onto the ferry at the beginning of the ride.

Mahonnath K, Aug 2025

Cars waiting to drive off at the end of the ride. Note the 18-wheeler in the background.

Yoginath Poreddy, Jul 2025

This shows the ferry is symmetrical and that both ends can open up as we see in the above photos.

Joe Scanlan, Aug 2023

This shows the gate closed to keep the waves out when underway. It also shows a couple more big trucks using the ferry.

David Townsend, Jun 2025

At least one of the ferries has two decks. It also shows that some of the loads can be pretty full.

Jetlover X, Jun 2022

The second deck getting loaded.

Bill McBay, Aug 2019

In this view of an incoming ferry, we see how the cars are lined up in a parking lot so that they can quickly load onto the ferry after it empties. We also get a good view of the double-deck loading ramp.

Harri, Aug 2022

Cassville Car Ferry across the Mississippi River at Cassville, WI

WI Side: (Satellite)

IA Side: (Satellite)

Gustavo Melges, Oct 2025

I most of the photos I saw, it was pretty full. But maybe being full is rare and that is why the photo was taken.

S.S.K, Jul 2023

They pile gravel on a boat ramp, and then place a metal platform across the gravel for the ramp to rest on.

Jennifer Hagen, Jun 2018

A photo taken from the LST 325.

Tracy Fishnick, Jun 2024

I've seen groups of motorcycles and old cars in some photos. I guess even tractors go cruising the scenic byways.

Photo, May 2025

Sometimes it is far from full.

Gustavo Melges, Oct 2025

This gives new meaning to the phrase "travelling band."

Photo, May 2025

The ferry was docked when the satellite flew over.

Satellite

A sign bolted on the side of the ferry.

Troy Johnson, Sep 2020

Charles Sade, Jul 2025

Another sign had the words "CASH ONLY."

While they are closed during the winter, they must be helping with ferry service at Lansing, IA. Those are the new and old Black Hawk Bridges. The original plan was to close the old bridge after then new one was built. But they discovered that constructing the piles for the new bridge was disturbing the foundation of the old bridge. So they closed and removed the old bridge a year or so before the new one would open. Thus the need for a ferry service at Lansing, IA. I wonder what ferry they are going to use when the Cassville should open in May 2026.

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IC Ferry over Ohio River between Evansville and Henderson

(Satellite)

Brian Wiggins posted two images with the comment: "The IC car ferry where the twin bridges now sit."

1

2

When I studied the PD&E that connected the IC to Evansville, IN, I noticed that IC had a branch on the other side of the Ohio River. I wondered if they were connected. 

Bill Molony posted via Dennis DeBruler
From the March 30, 1969 timetable.

Thanks to Brian's map above, I now know they were connected first by ferry and then by trackage rights on L&N's bridge.

Brian's map also shows that the ferry was shared with traction lines in Indiana and Kentucky. They traction lines were still using the ferry in 1914.

1914/14 Henderson @ 48,000

Ferry Service across the Mississippii River between Grafton, IL, & St. Charles, MO, and Lighthouse

Grafton: (Satellite)

St. Charles: (Satellite)

Lighhouse: (Satellite)

On the Illinois side: the lighthouse is on the left and the ferry is leaving on the right.

Street View, Apr 2025

Max Wawrzyniak posted
Grafton ferry today [Jun 20, 2025]

Eric Rice: Does anyone know when Grafton got a Ferry ? I don't ever remember one there when I was working on the river 29yrs ago .

Max Wawrzyniak: Eric Rice Grafton had a ferry way back in the '50s and '60s, and then did not have a ferry for a few decades, and then got a ferry again about 20 years or so ago, atlhough it is privately run, has been through at least a couple of ownership groups, has had periods of time when it did not run, and has always been kinda on the ragged edge of not making a financial go of it. Currently only runs weekends and only during the summer.

Eric Rice: Max Wawrzyniak Ok thank you for the info. that explains why I never saw one there we use to go by there gosh a gazillion times LOL. I worked mostly the Upper Mississippi river and Illinois river but also worked on the Ohio , The Lower , The Tenn. Missouri , Arkansas, nd Yahzoo. I just never remembered a ferry there now at Kampsville I remember that one up river a little ways. I probably worked my 20yrs. out there that they didn't have it . I remember Grafton before the flood of 1993 and it was a rip roaring little river town had the pleasure of tying up over on the Upper side of that Island waiting lock turn at old Lock & dam 26 there were like 160 some tows to come N/b. and about the same S/b. so we had 3 company boats and their tows tied together . We all loaded up in the yawl and went to the Rubles St. Bar and went down into the basement we kept hearing music and asked the bartender upstairs and she told us they had a live band downstairs down we went what a night that was LMAO... I also enjoyed when I got off the boats usually my homeport was Wood River , Illinois so I'd get off at Economy Boat Store and park my car there stop at the many fish stands before the flood of 1993 and have fish and beer or a coke . I miss that a lot !

Hayden Bland, Nov 2017

This shows that it can hold three lanes of traffic. I'm surprised that they let people out of their cars while they are still loading the ferry.

Laura Reagan, Jun 2024

It is a big enough ferry that it can handle heavy vehicles.

Gabriel Pope, Jul 2020

And of course, it can handle a bunch of small things.

Michael Shattuck, Jul 2020

L Grabb, Sep 2023

Valley View Ferry on Kentucky River uses a paddle wheel tug

(Satellite)

This ferry is a little upstream from Lock and Dam #9.

All things Kentucky posted
The oldest still working Ferry service in the USA..Lexington, Ky
Lloyd Scott Hardin shared

David Calvert: Valley View ferry on the Kentucky River between Nicholasville and Richmond, Ky

Dennis DeBruler: David Calvert Thanks for the information. I was able to find it: https://maps.app.goo.gl/rEHjkvuyXVVqRQ1R9

Ed Jenssen: Is that an actual, working paddle wheeler?

Shane Toomey: Ed Jenssen yes. In ~2014 the tug boat was replaced. The one from the picture and the current tug are true paddle wheelers.

Janet Conn: So how old is it?

Eric C: Apr 2022

 

Charles R Smith, Oct 2022

Dennis DeBruler commented on Janet's comment
It was established in 1785. Credit David Hammon, https://maps.app.goo.gl/uvn928M1oVLxVyGAA

2025 Changtai Bridge over Yangtze River between Changzhou and Taizhou, Jiangsu, China

(Satellite, construction started in late 2019, and the bridge has yet to show up on Google Maps.)

The total cost is US $3b. [instagram video]   

I don't care for the host-based format for a video, but there is enough scenes and info to make it worth watching him being dramatic on a tower. He keeps mentioning that there were a lot of innovations, but he never gives even one example.

16:01 video @ 1:10

@ 9:13

Plan:

seetaoe

The arch is near (at?) closure in this drone video.

1:46 video @ 0:52

Huanqiu,com posted
The main tower of the Changtai Yangtze River Bridge is 350 metres high, making it the world’s tallest bridge tower. The world’s largest horizontal arm self-elevating tower crane helps with construction difficulties and ensures the safety and efficiency of the construction.

ResearchGate, License: Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY)

Mar 2023:

sasac
"The world's largest horizontal arm self-elevating tower crane started operation at the construction of the Changtai Yangtze River Bridge, the world's longest-span railway-highway cable-stayed bridge, on Feb 28."
[At first, I thought the Yangtze delta had a lot of fog. But now I think I'm seeing smog in most of these photos.]

This is a better view of the heavy lift barge crane.

sasac
"The tower crane is capable of hoisting steel components as heavy as 300 metric tons or more to the height of 370 meters. As a mini building hoist is installed inside the machine, it's easy for workers to move up and down during construction."

May 2023:

ecns, 1 of 5 photos
"The Changtai Yangtze River Bridge, which connects the cities of Changzhou and Taixing, is 10.03 kilometers long in Jiangsu Province. The complex is the world's first cross-river facility combining highway, intercity railway and ordinary roads,"
[According to the video at the top of these notes, the upper level is a 6-lane highway and the lower layer is a 2-track railroad and a 4-lane road.]
people has the same five photos, but the webpage is a lot slower

Oct 2023:

CCCC
The bridge deck "crane boasts a maximum lifting capacity of 2,000 tons and a maximum lifting height of 80 meters, integrating 33 critical technologies, including 28 patent applications."

Dec 2023:

cgtn
"World's largest steel-trussed arch bridge combining highway, railway completes closure."
The 727m channel bridge has a main span of 388m (1,273'). [0:49 video @ 0:17]

Mar 2024:

igihe, this webpage has a lot more construction photos

Mar 2024:

Civil Engineering Discoveries
"The Changtai Yangtze River Bridge connects Changzhou City and Taizhou City, with a main span of 1,208 meters. It is the world's largest cable-stayed bridge for both highway and railway use."
Rituparna Saikia posted the same photo and description.

I do not understand why I can't find any evidence of the bridge in this Nov 2023 image.

Global Earth, Nov 2023

16:01 video @ 2:06

Bonus

South ferry port:

Satellite

North ferry port and some significant river pollution:

Satellite

A drydock that holds four fairly large ships:

Satellite

May 31, 2024:

TorqueNews posted
Chinese engineers are placing the final girder of the main channel bridge of the Changtai Yangtze river bridge. It is the world's longest span cable-stayed bridge with a main span of 388 meters. [quarter mile]

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