The Cave-in-Rock Ferry is expected to close sometime late this afternoon due to rising floodwaters on the Ohio River.
The anticipated halt in service comes more than a day earlier than expected. Ferry operator Lonnie Lewis says the Ohio River has been rising about a half inch an hour this morning, putting floodwaters at the edge of KY 91. At that rate, the Cave-in-Rock Ferry will have to halt service sometime late this afternoon. Lewis anticipates by mid-afternoon he’ll be able to predict a more specific time.
The Cave-in-Rock Ferry normally has to close when Ohio River floodwaters are in the 42 ft. to 43 ft. range on the Shawneetown gauge. The river was at 42.7 on the Shaneetown Gauge at 10 a.m., today, with floodwaters lapping at the edge of the pavement on KY 91.
Lewis will provide a specific time that ferry service will be halted as soon as it can be calculated.
The Cave-In-Rock Ferry connects KY 91 with ILLINOIS Route 1 across the Ohio River between Crittenden County, KY, and Hardin County, IL.
The ferry normally operates from 6:00 a.m. to 9:50 p.m. central time, 7 days a week. The ferry carries about 500 vehicles across the Ohio River in an average day.
The Cave-In-Rock Ferry is at Ohio River navigation mile point 881.0.
The Cave-In-Rock Ferry is operated by an independent contractor with joint funding from Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Illinois Department of Transportation through a ferry authority.
For more info go to www.facebook.com/CIRFerry.
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