Ferry Service Resumes After Texas Oil Spill

The Texas Department of Transportation says full ferry service has resumed between Galveston and Bolivar Peninsula after a weekend oil spilled closed the Houston Ship Channel.

The agency said Wednesday that travelers should continue to use caution as oily conditions still exist. The ferry service returns to its normal 24-hour operation. On Monday it started providing daylight-only service.

The oil spill happened Saturday afternoon following a collision between a barge and a ship just inside the mouth to Galveston Bay. State officials shut down ferry service at the request of the Coast Guard amid safety concerns.

Ferries operate free of charge and haul thousands of vehicles and pedestrians daily from State Highway 87 between Galveston and Bolivar Peninsula.