A new TDOT ferry boat, named after legendary Lady Vols basketball coach and Tennessean Pat Summit, is in service. The ferry boat named “The Summitt” connects Benton and Houston Counties. It pushes the barge, “The Volunteer”, across the Tennessee River providing essential ferry service.
Local, state, and federal officials joined Deputy Governor & TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley on Friday, December 13th, for a christening ceremony of the new ferry boat. Special guests included Morgan Vance from the Summitt Foundation, UT Knoxville Athletics Director (1983-2012) Joan Cronan, and the Henry County High School Madrigals.
TDOT is responsible for the operation of two ferries: the Benton-Houston Ferry on the Tennessee River and the Cumberland City Ferry located on the Cumberland River in Stewart County. Ferry service runs 365 days a year. It’s only a dollar per car (including driver/passenger) or 50 cents per person on foot. Trucks weighing more than one ton and motorcycles have slightly different fees, but no ride is over $5.
By the Numbers:
- Cost $3,298,000 (federal and state dollars)
- Constructed by McGinnis Inc. in South Point, Ohio
- The Benton-Houston Ferry carried roughly 14,500 vehicles in 2023
- The Summitt replaces 67-year-old ferry boat
- Typical lifespan of a ferry boat is 30 years
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