Unless something changes over the coming days, Cave In Rock Ferry is scheduled to cease weekend operations until further notice starting Saturday, Oct. 26.
Ferry owner Lonnie Lewis says he cannot find enough licensed pilots to operate the ferry 16 hours a day, seven days a week.
The ferry will continue operating on a normal schedule Monday through Friday.
"This is what is hoped to be a temporary change, but we are unsure of the duration," Crittenden County Judge-Executive Perry Newcom said.
The county judge was notified this morning by that the ferry service was struggling to keep enough pilots to ensure normal operations.
The ferry carries about 500 vehicles across the Ohio River in an average day providing an economic link for daily commuters who depend on it to get to and from jobs. It also serves as a tourist attraction and a tourism link between the Shawnee National Forest and the nearby Amish Community here in Crittenden County.
When the ferry is forced to close, it turns a normal 10-mile trip between Cave In Rock, Ill., and Marion, Ky., into a 70-minute detour.
The ferry is operated by an independent contractor with joint funding from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Illinois Department of Transportation through a ferry authority.
