PORT ARANSAS, Texas — TxDOT is warning drivers to expect elevated wait times at the Port Aransas Ferry this summer, citing three factors: seasonal demand, increased ship channel traffic, and an ongoing $64 million infrastructure project that is currently limiting the number of available ramps.
Port Aransas City Manager David Parsons said the project represents a meaningful upgrade over previous maintenance efforts.
"In the years past they've done things more like band-aids to, you know, to keep the, to keep the bulkheads and the ferries running, but I think this, this is a really substantial fix," Parsons said.
The project has been underway for about a year, with work continuing on the Port Aransas side.
The delays are being felt beyond the ferry line. Tiffany Bang, an employee at Deep Sea Headquarters who makes the crossing daily from her home in Ingleside, said her commute has grown significantly longer.
"I'm in the line anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 hours. Like I said, it depends on the day. Summers it can be anywhere from 2.5 to 3 hours," Bang said.
Bang said the backup is also affecting business along the strip.
"Our, our customers, they can't get in, they can't see the building. Like I said, I can't I don't have customers that can pull into the parking lot because it's so backed up, not only that, but people trying to get out, uh, between us, Finns, and the pirate ship," Bang said.
Three ferries are currently running, but with one ramp still under construction, every crossing counts. On a busy summer weekend, the math doesn't always add up.
TxDOT says updated wait times are posted on electronic signs on highways leading into Port Aransas. The project is expected to take 2 to 3 years to complete.
Besides the traffic and wait times, the ferry is still running and Port Aransas is still open. Taking the ferry may be part of the experience, but drivers who want to avoid it entirely can take the Highway 361 route.
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