The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Illinois Department of Transportation have offered additional funds to the Ohio River Authority to maintain the Cave-in-Rock Ferry operations for the next three months. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet posted the statement on it’s social media page Monday.
According to the post, the ferry operator’s self-imposed July 1 deadline does not allow adequate time for necessary funding justifications to be made to the Ohio River Authority and supporting transportation agencies. To ensure the mobility of residents in the area while a further evaluation of expenses is conducted, the statement says the two states offered the additional funds to maintain the ferry’s operation for the next three months. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials state this allows a more reasonable timeframe to appropriately review the expenses needed to maintain the ferry operations of LRL Inc. (Cave-in-Rock Ferry) while limiting the immediate impact to travelers during the busy summer season.
Last week, state transportation spokesman Keith Todd told the News Edge the one of the key issues the operators of Cave-in-Rock Ferry and the Dorena-Hickman Ferry are facing is a new Coast Guard requirement of adding a crew member. Todd says the ferries are also facing funding issues for upgrades to boats that will have to come over the next year and some other associated issues.
The Cave-in-Rock Ferry connects Kentucky 91 with Illinois Route 1 between Crittenden County and Harden County, Illinois and carries about 500 vehicles a day. Todd notes for many people the ferry is a critical transportation link.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
