New ferry schedules are announced

 State officials announced new ferry schedules Tuesday with four fewer cuts to the Cherry Branch-Minnesott Beach Ferry than originally proposed.

"The Ferry Division sought input from riders on proposed schedule changes for both the Cherry Branch-Minnesott Beach and Bayview-Aurora routes to minimize inconvenience to commuters," said Lucy Wallace, public information officer with the state Department of Transportation Ferry Division.

"This input was taken into consideration when finalizing the new schedules," she said. "At Cherry Branch-Minnesott Beach some runs have been deleted and some have been added in."

The new schedule, which begins April 14, includes 25 trips a day instead of the current 28 trips with boats carrying 38 to 40 vehicles on each 20-minute run.

The Ferry Division made cuts to five of its seven routes.

Wallace said the changes were required because of budget constraints and U.S. Coast Guard staffing requirements.

The new morning departures from Cherry Branch will be 5:05 a.m., 5:55 a.m., 6:35 a.m., 7:15 a.m., 7:55 a.m., 8:45 a.m., 9:45 a.m., 11:45 a.m.  That changes many departure times and essentially eliminates the 8:15 a.m., 9:15 a.m., and 10:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. runs.

Afternoon Cherry Branch departures will be 12:15 p.m., 1:15 p.m., 1:45 p.m., 2:45 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 3:45 p.m., 4:05 p.m., 4:25 p.m., 4:45 p.m., 5:05 p.m., 5:25 p.m., 6:05 p.m., 6:45 p.m., 7:45 p.m., 8:45 p.m., 9:45 p.m. and 11 p.m. The new schedule changes several departure times, eliminates a 2:15 p.m. run but adds a 6:05 p.m. run.

Morning departure times from Minnesott Beach will be: 5:25 a.m., 6:15 a.m., 6:55 a.m., 7:35 a.m., 8:15 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 10:15 a.m. That changes most departure times and cuts present 10:45 a.m., 11:15 a.m., and 11:45 a.m. runs.

Afternoon Minnesott Beach departures will be 12:15 p.m., 12:45 p.m., 1:45 p.m., 2:15 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 3:45 p.m., 4:05 p.m., 4:25 p.m., 4:45 p.m., 5:05 p.m., 5:25 p.m., 5:45 p.m., 6:25 p.m., 7:15 p.m., 8:15 p.m., 9:15 p.m., 10:15 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. The new schedule changes several departure times and eliminates the 12:15 a.m. run.

The Bayview-Aurora route also has some deletions of runs, but all efforts were made to meet the needs of workers commuting to the PCS facility, Wallace said.

Departure times from Bayview will be: 5:30 a.m., 7a.m., 8:30 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Departing from Aurora, the times will be: 6:15 a.m., 7:45 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 12:50 p.m., 2:15 p.m., 4:45 p.m., 6:15 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.

Changes to the Pamlico Sound toll trips involve not adding in the extra summer runs. For the Cedar Island-Ocracoke and Swan Quarter-Ocracoke routes, the winter schedule will remain in effect year-round.

Departure times from Cedar Island and Ocracoke will remain: 7:30 a.m., 10:30, 2 p.m. and 5 p.m..

Departure times from Swan Quarter will remain: 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Departure times from Ocracoke to Swan Quarter remain: 7 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The Southport-Fort Fisher route went to its winter schedule year-round on Feb. 2. The Currituck-Knotts Island schedule will not change, nor will the current Hatteras-Ocracoke schedule. Hatteras will begin running its summer schedule May 12.

Ferry schedules are available at www.ncferry.org or by calling 1-800-By-Ferry.

 New schedule for Cherry Branch-Minnesott Beach ferry

Cherry Branch departures:

5:05 a.m.

5:55 a.m.

6:35 a.m.

 7:15 a.m.

 7:55 a.m.

8:45 a.m.

9:45 a.m.

11:45 a.m.

12:15 p.m.

1:15 p.m.

1:45 p.m.

2:45 p.m.

 3:15 p.m.

 3:45 p.m.

 4:05 p.m.

 4:25 p.m.

 4:45 p.m.

 5:05 p.m.

 5:25 p.m.

6:05 p.m.

6:45 p.m.

7:45 p.m.

8:45 p.m.

9:45 p.m.

11 p.m.

Minnesott Beach  departures:

5:25 a.m.

6:15 a.m.

6:55 a.m.

7:35 a.m.

8:15 a.m.

9:15 a.m.

10:15 a.m.

12:15 p.m.

12:45 p.m.

 1:45 p.m.

 2:15 p.m.

 3:15 p.m.

3:45 p.m.

4:05 p.m.

4:25 p.m.

4:45 p.m.

 5:05 p.m.

5:25 p.m.

5:45 p.m.

6:25 p.m.

7:15 p.m.

8:15 p.m.

9:15 p.m.

10:15 p.m.

11:30 p.m.