Crittenden County Judge-Executive Perry Newcom announced on Tuesday that the Ohio River Ferry Authority and the operators of the Cave-in Rock Ferry implemented a temporary schedule, allowing the ferry to operate seven days a week starting this weekend.
This announcement follows last week’s notice from the Cave-in-Rock Ferry operator that weekend services would be discontinued immediately, with the ferry to continue normal operations from Monday through Friday.
Officials said that, due to staffing concerns, the ferry will resume operations with reduced weekend hours starting Saturday. The ferry will operate from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays while maintaining its weekday schedule of 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Officials indicate this schedule will remain in place while the ferry operator seeks to fill job vacancies.
The Cave-in-Rock Ferry transports approximately 500 vehicles across the Ohio River on an average day, serving as an essential economic link for daily commuters who rely on it to travel and from work. It also serves as a tourist attraction and a connection between the Shawnee National Forest and the nearby Amish community in Crittenden County. When the ferry is closed, a typical 10-mile journey between Cave-in-Rock, Illinois, and Marion becomes a 70-minute detour.
An independent contractor operates the Cave-In-Rock Ferry, with joint funding provided by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Illinois Department of Transportation through a ferry authority.
