This press release from over the winter contains some interesting information about the ferry that crosses the Ohio River between Kentucky and Illinois at Cave-in-Rock, Illinois. From the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Department of Highways:

Cave-In-Rock Ferry Resumes Service
Ice that halted service since Saturday is cleared from Kentucky Landing

MARION, KY (January 14, 2010) – The Cave-In-Rock Ferry has resumed service after being closed since about 2:00 p.m. Saturday by ice on the Ohio River.

Ice accumulated at the Kentucky landing blocking ferry access to the landing ramp. This morning ferry operator Lonnie Lewis was able to clear the ice away from the landing ramp. That has allowed the ferry to open for service today.

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 10:00 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 operated by an independent contractor with joint funding from KYTC and Idot through a ferry authority.

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A year long rehabilitation project on the Shawneetown Bridge drew to a close in Ocotober: Union County Advocate: Shawneetown Bridge set to reopen (Oct. 12, 2005) 

Drivers crossing between Paducah and Illinois will face delays because of a maintenance project on the US 45 Brookport Bridge: WPSD NewsChannel 6: Kentucky/Illinois: Bridge Construction Means Long Delays for Drivers (Aug. 24, 2005) 

A temporary ferry across the Ohio River at Shawneetown, Illinois has allowed farmers to move equipment across the river while traffic is restricted on the bridge during a repainting project: Henderson Gleaner: Ferry solving Shawneetown Bridge worries (July 3, 2005) 

The transportation of a large container over I-64 recently slowed traffic in Indiana and Illinois: Evansville Courier & Press: Move of 'superload' to delay I-64 traffic (June 15, 2005) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has hired a ferry that will carry farm equipment across the Ohio River near the Shawneetown Bridge. Traffic on the bridge is currently restricted due to a repainting project, and an analysis found that it would cost less to temporarily operate a ferry than to periodically clear equipment from the bridge to allow oversized farm equipment to pass.

More information: Evansville (Ind.) Courier-Press: Shawneetown Bridge ferry planned (April 6, 2005) , The Henderson Gleaner: State to ferry farmers at Shawneetown (April 6, 2005) , The Henderson Gleaner: Shawneetown ferry getting into place (April 12, 2005) , The Henderson Gleaner: Shawneetown Ferry starts up (April 13, 2005) , Union County Advocate: Ferry will be used to bypass Shawneetown Bridge painting (April 13, 2005) , Evansville (Ind.) Courier & Press: Farmers take ferry to get to fields (April 13, 2005) , Union County Advocate: Temporary Shawneetown Ferry Floating On a Rich Regional History (April 27, 2005) 

This summer Illinois will begin using automated cameras to issue speeding tickets in work zones. The law authorizing the use of the speed cameras stipulates that tickets only be issued when workers are present and that signs mark work zones where cameras are present. As of Jan. 1, fines for speeding through work zones increased to $375 for the first offense and $1,000 for the second offense.

More information: Associated Press: Cameras to nab Illinois work zone speeders starting this summer (March 30, 2005) 

A project to repaint the Shawneetown Bridge will cause traffic delays beginning on Friday and continuing through next week: Henderson Gleaner: Shawneetown Bridge delays coming (March 2, 2005) 

Plans for a rail trail linking Indiana and Illinois hit a snag when a segment of the abandoned Indiana Hi-Rail railroad bridge collapsed into the Wabash River in January. A group of civil engineering students at the University of Evansville were studying how to best rehabilitate the bridge which is located just upstream from the I-64 bridge.

More information: Evansville Courier-Press: Trail project for bridge hits a snag (Jan. 30, 2005) 

A section of an abandoned railroad bridge across the Wabash River was washed out by recent flood waters. The bridge was most recently used by Indiana Hi-Rail and had previously been used by the Illinois Central railroad. The bridge sits immediately upstream from the I-64 Wabash River crossing: Evansville Courier & Press: Railroad bridge swept away in flood (Jan. 12, 2005) , Evansville Courier & Press: Will the levee hold? (Jan. 13, 2005) 

Western Kentuvky’s interstates and parkways were passable, but ice persisted on roads in Christian County on Monday: (Hopkinsville) Kentucky New Era: Slushing along; Roads improving but still slippery (Dec. 27, 2004) 

More than one foot of snow shut down roads in Caldwell County: Princeton Times Leader: Blizzard conditions plague community (Dec. 27, 2004) 

Warmer temperatures are expected to help clear roads statewide: Associated Press: Forecasters say thaw will begin this week (Dec. 28, 2004) 

A train that had been blocking two railroad crossings in Henderson has been moved: The Henderson Gleaner: Stuck train finally gets moving (Dec. 28, 2004) 

Calloway County road crews hope to get a helping hand from warm weather: Murray Ledger & Times: Road crews hope to get aid from sun (Dec. 28, 2004) 

Hardin County residents are happy with local snow cleanup efforts: Hardin County News-Enterprise: Ice, cold temperatures hamper road cleanup (Dec. 28, 2004) 

Roads in Southern Illinois are slick, but open: WPSD NewsChannel 6: Illinois: Rural Roads Are Open But Slick (Dec. 27, 2004) 

US 41 and I-64 in Southern Indiana are in good shape: Evansville Courier & Press: Thaw turning storm into memory (Dec. 28, 2004) 

Up-to-date road conditions can be found at: www.511.ky.gov 

Wrecks caused backups on I-71 and I-24 and summary of snow response statewide: Associated Press: Winter storm coats parts of Kentucky with snow, ice (Dec. 23, 2004) , Associated Press: Winter Storm Coats Much Of Kentucky With Snow, Ice (Dec. 23, 2004) 

Summary of snow response in Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati: (Covington) Kentucky Post: Kentucky and Ohio counties declare weather emergencies (Dec. 23, 2004) , Cincinnati Enquirer: Now, time to dig out (Dec. 23, 2004) 

Snow response in the Glasgow area: Glasgow Daily Times: Winter storm hits Kentucky (Dec. 23, 2004) 

Motorists became stranded on part of the Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway near Hopkinsville: (Hopkinsville) Kentucky New Era: Storm paralyzes region (Dec. 23, 2004) 

Gov. Fletcher has declared a state of emergency in the following counties and cities: McLean, Hancock, Livingston, Hopkins, City of Providence, City of Owensboro, City of Falmouth, City of Butler, Todd, Daviess, Crittenden, Carlisle, Shelby, Muhlenberg, Pendleton, Bullitt and Grayson: WAVE 3: Governor Ernie Fletcher's Office Declares State of Emergency (Dec. 23, 2004) 

I-64 in Indiana remains closed between Evansville and the Illinois state line. The National Guard has been rescuing stranded motorists along the interstate: Associated Press: Guardsmen Rescuing Travelers Stranded On Southern Indiana Highway (Dec. 23, 2004) , Associated Press: Stranded travelers recall cold night on snowbound highway (Dec. 23, 2004) , Associated Press: Snow Storm Snarls Much Of Southern, Central Indiana (Dec. 23, 2004) , Evansville Courier & Press: Indiana National Guardsmen rescue stranded motorists from Interstate 64 (Dec. 23, 2004) 

Current Conditions

Information regarding conditions on Kentucky’s highway can be obtained by calling 1-800-RDREPORT, by calling 511 from an in-state telephone, or by visiting ww.511.ky.gov .

Maps of roads that will be cleared by the state government can be found at: www.kytc.state.ky.us/maintenance/Snow_Ice.htm .