Editing Port Aransas, Texas (section)

===Transportation to and from Port Aransas===
A [[United States Census]] taken in 1925 showed 250 people living on the island, and a population of 300 by 1931. A toll road was opened in 1931 between the town of Aransas Pass and the ferry landing of Port Aransas. Before the toll road, a driver bought a ticket, loaded the vehicle onto a flatbed or train, and used the wooden planks inside the rails when the train was not on a scheduled run. With the advent of the toll road, drivers could simply pay a toll and drive on a wooded plank structure built next to the rail tracks. After the railroad closed in 1947, it was used only to transport automobiles until 1960, when the state built a modern road to Harbor Island from Corpus Christi and the ferry landing.

Today the Port Aransas Ferry System provides free transportation service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service connects Mustang Island and Port Aransas with the mainland of Aransas Pass. The number of boats in service at any one time depends on demand. Three boats carry 20 regular passenger vehicles, and five new larger ferries carry 28 passenger vehicles each trip. During peak hours, some travelers may need to wait while the ferry makes the trip across the channel. A 24-hour radio message (AM 530) provides information about ferry regulations and can be used for live broadcasts for emergency situations. A maximum vehicle height of 13 feet 6 inches is allowed. A maximum vehicle width of 96 inches is allowed. The maximum weight limit is 80,000 pounds. Peak months include June, July, and August. The ferry system is maintained by the [[Texas Department of Transportation]].