Although the Whites Ferry bridge has been closed for five years, community leaders have recently attempted to reopen the ferry. County leaders are offering a $3 million incentive for the private owners to reach an agreement.

The ferry is on the Potomac River between Loudoun County, VA and Montgomery County. The cities affected by the closure are Leesburg, VA and Poolesville, which border the ferry.

The closure of the ferry has impacted the community economically, as stated by the owner of Village Beer & Wine, Raj Maskey, located in Poolesville. He has seen the traffic near his store decrease after the closure, and it has affected the purchases at his store.

Marc Elrich, the County Executive of Montgomery County, has been one of the advocates for reopening the ferry. He proposed this $3 million subsidy to the owners through a letter made public.“I am proposing a financial incentive for the two of you to work together to get the ferry running again as a final measure to initiate momentum,” wrote Elrich.

The incentive includes $1.5 million from the state of Maryland, $1.5 million from Montgomery County, and $1.5 million from the town of Poolesville. The requirement for the subsidy to be applied is for the private owners to agree on the White’s Ferry functioning terms by July 1, 2026.

If the requirement is met, the owners will be able to use the funds to shape the ferry with specific guidelines, as well as receive support from the Maryland Department of Transportation.

In a public statement, Chuck Khun, one of the private owners of the ferry and its land, announced he would attempt to reopen the ferry by purchasing it from the Devlin Family, who own Rockland Farm, where the ferry lands in Loudoun County.

“Our goal since purchasing the defunct ferry has always been to get it reopened,” Khun said. “This crossing has served as a local economic engine and is a piece of our history. Too many businesses and residents have been hurt by its closure.”