A camping platform on the south side of the Tar River near Washington is ready for use.

The platform is one of several such platforms the Sound Rivers (formerly the Pamlico-Tar River Foundation) has built or is building along the Pamlico-Tar River. The part of the river west of that bridge is the Tar River, with the part of the river east of the bridge known as the Pamlico River.

In March 2013, PTRF leased from the city the property where the camping platform is located. That property, known as the McMullan tract, is southwest of the U.S. Highway 17 (Business) bridge that crosses the river. The platforms are similar to those on the Roanoke River.

The city has inspected the Washington platform. Sound Rivers has received approval from the N.C. Division of Coastal Management to open the platform to the public, according to Matt Butler with the Washington office of Sound Rivers. The Washington platform rents for $20 a day.

“It’s actually completed. Everything is built, and it’s ready to go,” Butler said Thursday. “This one was started about six weeks ago, and the construction was actually finished late last week. … It is now on our website and ready for rental.”

Farther south on the river, another platform will be built at Camp Boddie on Blounts Bay.

“That one is just about to start construction,” Butler said.

Butler said Sound Rivers is pleased with the progress of the platform program, known as the Tar-Pamlico River Water Trail (www.tarpamlicowatertrail.org).

“The vision for the whole trail is to have about 15 to 16 platforms that start in Franklinton, N.C., which is kind of northeast of Raleigh, and Camp Boddie will be the farthest one downstream. So, we have now six built and funding for nine more,” Butler said.

The platform program’s goal is to build a continuous system of platforms from eight to 25 miles apart, spanning from the river’s headwaters in Granville County to the estuarine waters of the Pamlico Sound in Beaufort, Hyde and Pamlico counties. Some of the platforms have been built, while others await construction. Anyone using the platforms is required to use portable toilets.

Washington officials have endorsed the platform program.

“I think it’s a great idea. The more that we can promote eco-tourism, the better. … I’m definitely for it. I think it’s an opportunity for us (city and PTRF) to provide this facility,” said Bobby Roberson, current interim city manager, said when he was a council member in 2014. “It’s just a great experience to come down and spend some time in these camping facilities.”