Maine will receive $7.1 million in federal funds for upgrades to the ferry terminals offering service between Lincolnville and Islesboro.
The funds will be awarded to the Maine Department of Transportation to expand docking space at the terminals — allowing for more efficient loading and unloading — and support the installation of electric charging stations for a hybrid electric ferry that’s scheduled for delivery in 2027, according to the offices of Sen. Susan Collins, Rep. Chellie Pingree and Rep. Jared Golden.
The terminals were first built in 1959 and, combined with the ferry Margaret Chase Smith, are a critical resource for the roughly 600 people who live on Islesboro year-round.
MaineDOT’s Islesboro ferry route is the agency’s most-used, carrying roughly 180,000 walk-on passengers and more than 80,000 vehicles every year, according to Collins’ office.
The funding is coming out of a $33 million grant to MaineDOT for ferry service improvements under the federal infrastructure package approved in 2021.
Correction: An earlier version of this article misspelled Islesboro.