With no agreement, Cave-in-Rock ferry is closed indefinitely
The Cave-In-Rock ferry suspended operations Tuesday night after its agreement with Illinois and Kentucky expired and a new operating contract was not signed.The following message was posted on the ferry's Facebook page at about 11 p.m. on Tuesday:
Effective Wednesday, July 1, 2026, the Cave In Rock Ferry will be closed.
The current ferry operating contract expires on June 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. As a result, ferry operations will be suspended indefinitely beginning July 1.
At this time, no contract agreement has been reached, and the ferry will remain idle until a compromise can be reached and a new contract is finalized.
Updates regarding the status of ferry service will be provided as soon as additional information becomes available.
The announcement comes days after the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Illinois Department of Transportation announced they had presented the Ohio River Ferry Authority with a two-year agreement that would continue state funding for the ferry through 2028. The proposed contract provides $1.878 million annually, matching the level of state funding provided during the past two years.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Goodman said the proposal reflects a commitment to maintain ferry service despite declining state budgets.
“Given the vital role the ferry serves in regional transportation, we’re offering to maintain the same level of funding even as our agency faces declining budgets,” Goodman said. “This is a substantial commitment to support not just the ferry but the businesses and residents who rely on it.”
However, Lonnie Ray Lewis, Inc., which owns and operates the privately owned ferry, said it rejected both KYTC’s initial funding offer made several weeks ago and a proposed contract received last Friday.
According to the company’s statement, the proposed agreement contains no increase in funding from the allocation provided two years ago despite what it described as sharply rising operating costs.
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Republished in partnership with The Crittenden Press
Photo courtesy of the Cave-In-Rock Ferry Facebook page
