Funding and other issues could force the closure of a popular ferry and tourist attraction in western Kentucky and southern Illinois.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet spokesman Keith Todd says one of the key issues the operators of the Cave-in-Rock Ferry and the Dorena Hickman Ferry are facing is a new Coast Guard requirement of adding an employee.
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He notes the Cave-in-Rock Ferry is jointly funded through the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Illinois Department of Transportation.
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Todd says he has had a long association with the Cave-in-Rock Ferry, which is about ten miles from his house, and he’s used the ferry since he was a kid. He adds the ferry connects Kentucky 91 with Illinois Route 1 between Crittenden County and Hardin County, Illinois. He notes it carries about 500 vehicles a day and for many of those people it’s a very critical transportation link.
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Todd indicates the ferries are also facing funding issues for upgrades on the boats that will have to come over the next two years and some other associated issues.He went on to say they are continuing to work through some of these issues that have been raised by the operators of the of the Cave-in-Rock Ferry and Dorena-Hickman Ferry. Todd adds they will just have to wait and see how things work out over the next week or so.
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