Ferry on the Willamette River at Buena Vista, Oregon, 1939
(Salem Public Library)
Stimulus money keeps local commerce afloat
PORTLAND, Ore. - Marion County’s Buena Vista ferry will receive $3.2 million in federal stimulus money for a newer, bigger and electric ferry. (more)
Since 1851, we've had a ferry in Buena Vista to help us cross the river. Originally a private enterprise, the counties of Marion and Polk took over operations in the 1950s. Polk County later relinquished its role, and Marion County now runs the Buena Vista Ferry, with additional funding by the Oregon Department of Transportation and federal funding. The ferry used to run year-round, now only from April to November.
Marion County is looking for ways to save money, and the Buena Vista Ferry is a target. What began as a proposal to raise tolls may lead to an effort to close the ferry. For a large section of the river, the Buena Vista Ferry provides a needed crossing of the Willamette River, with the Independence bridge seven miles to the north and the Albany bridge more than eleven miles to the south.
The time is now to provide for the future of the Buena Vista Ferry. The existing ferry is in disrepair. The operations are seasonal and sporadic. We can do better, for now and the future.