New QC Channel Cat Ferry Port Opening in East Moline

Before ferry season opens on the Mississippi River in May, QC Channel Cat will be adding a 5th dock for ferry boats at the new Bend District in East Moline.

This is thanks to a $1.85 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration, according to a Facebook post from Metro IL Quad Cities. A release says that the new terminal will address accommodations for accessibility and also safety.

“The new dock is planned to improve access to mobility by enhancing features that support safety, ADA access such as railings, ramps, and wayfinding," said Jennifer Hirsch, Manager of Administration for MetroLINK.

QC Channel Cat will open for the season on Memorial Day weekend. They already have 2 landings in Moline at the John Deere Commons and at Riverbend Commons. On the Iowa side of the river, they stop at the Isle Casino Hotel in Bettendorf and Lindsay Park in the Village of East Davenport. The adult day fare is $8, kids ages 2-10 are $4. The ferry system will generally stay open through Labor Day weekend and select weekends in October.

“We are incredibly excited to add a fifth passenger ferry boat stop in East Moline, IL near The Bend, to support the continued development in the area by increasing multimodal travel between bus routes, paratransit and the riverfront bike trail network,” Hirsch said in the Facebook post.

You can't buy Channel Cat tickets online but there is a mobile app for it if you don't want to pay at the point of boarding. For more details on Channel Cat, click here.