Yankeetown's new Bird Creek Boat Ramp has reopened - bigger and better
Photos courtesy of Levy County, FL.
The Bird Creek Boat Ramp, located at the termination of CR 40 in Yankeetown (8000 Hwy. 40 West), where the mouth of the Withlacoochee River meets the Gulf of Mexico, reopened in a public ribbon cutting ceremony at 11:00 am, Friday, August 29, after being closed since April 20, of this year for refurbishing.
Jim Zaloga, owner of Captains Cove Outfitters in Inglis said, “it will be a good thing for all of the businesses in Inglis and Yankeetown. More and more fisherman are fishing due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Gulf of Mexico is Covid Free.” Captain’s Cove in Inglis is a bait shop and salt water equipment retailer on Hwy 40 W. on the way to the Yankeetown (Bird Creek) boat ramp.
Approximately three years ago, the work began to obtain permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Southwest Florida Water Management District, with plans designed to mitigate damage to the mangroves and saltmarsh grasses.
The new 34 feet-wide boat ramp was built by Dewberry Engineering, with $650,000 in funding appropriated by the Florida Legislature, and approximately $130,000 from Levy County impact fees. The new ramp has no center wall as the original one had, and is wide enough that two boats can be launched at the same time, There are two boat docks, long and wide enough to protect boats from the swift current of the river flowing into the gulf, adjacent to the boat ramp.
The resurfaced parking lots can now accomodate 48 boats and trailers, which includes 3 handicapped spaces, and 9 spaces for vehicles without trailers, which includes 3 for handicapped drivers.