Milwaukee-Muskegon High-Speed Ferry

[Markitect]

Lake Michigan ferry service between Milwaukee and Muskegon is expected to make a triumphant return in just two weeks. The Lake Express high-speed catamaran-style vessel was greeted with much fanfare as it arrived in Milwaukee yesterday.

The vessel is designed to reach speeds of 40 mph, making a one-way trip in about 2 hours and 40 minutes (cutting in half the time needed to make the same trip via driving around the southern end of Lake Michigan through Chicago). The ferry will carry up to 250 passengers and 46 cars. Lake Express plans to run the ferry eight mounths out of the year, with 3 round trips per day in summer and 2 round trips per day in spring and fall.

Crews will spend the next two weeks contuinuing their training. Regular service between Milwaukee and Muskegon is set to begin June 1, having already attracted several reservations. It is expected to be a major tourist draw for both sides of the lake.

Previous ferry service between Milwaukee and Muskegon was handled by the massive SS Milwaukee (a.k.a. the "Milwaukee Clipper") from 1941 to 1970. The steamship is now on display in Muskegon.

More info about the ferry service can be found in today's Journal Sentinel: Ferry tale begins at new home - Swift and sleek Lake Express welcomed to Milwaukee harbor with honor guard escort

And be sure to check out the Lake Express website for schedule/price info, more photos, and drawings.

 

[Repo Man]

I was kind of excited about this...I had thought about how fun it would be to ride my bike down to the ferry and cruise across the lake and bike around in Michigan. Then I found out about the prices and my excitement disappeared. Round-trip fares will be $85 for each adult and $118 for each car or $15 for a bike. So it will cost me 100 bucks to take myself and a bike across the lake. I can see the high cost for cars, but I think they should cut regular passengers and bicyclists a better deal, like 40-50 bucks round trip.

 

[Chet]

I was going to try it for my upcoming Cleveland trip, but by the time 2 blokes + car go round trip, then drive the rest of the way, its cleaper to fly. Oh well...