Dorena-Hickman Ferry to close for Coast Guard inspection starting Monday, Aug 19
PADUCAH, Ky. (August 18, 2019) — The Dorena-Hickman Ferry plans to close for an extended U.S. Coast Guard inspection starting Monday, August 19, 2019.
The Dorena-Hickman Ferry is expected to be closed for about a week to allow the boat and barge to be placed in dry-dock for an extensive 5-year safety inspection. If there is a good time for the ferry to be shut down, Captain Jeremy Newsom says the extended inspection comes at a time the ferry would likely have been forced to close anyway.
A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredge arrived this weekend and plans to start working in Hickman Harbor early this week. Placement of equipment required for the dredge to operate normally blocks the harbor entrance and forces the ferry to halt service.
Newsom says the ferry will provide timely notice when normal service is able to resume.
The Dorena-Hickman Ferry was closed most of the first six months of this year due to Mississippi River floodwaters. Newsom said the Coast Guard safety inspection is an important part of keeping the ferry operating. The inspection has to be conducted at a prescribed time and could not have been scheduled while the ferry was closed due to floodwaters.
The Dorena-Hickman Ferry connects KY 1354 at Hickman, Kentucky, with Missouri Route A and Route 77 near Dorena, Missouri.
In addition to providing a critical transportation link between Kentucky and Missouri for daily commuters and farmers, the ferry serves as a tourist attraction for the region and provides a convenient route between Southeast Missouri and the popular fishing and recreation areas around nearby Reelfoot Lake in Northwest Tennessee.
The Dorena-Hickman Ferry Operates from the Hickman Landing with regular river crossings during daylight hours. Passage for passenger vehicles is $14 with additional tolls for trucks, motor homes, and vehicles pulling trailers. There are discounts for vehicles making return crossings.
Missouri and Kentucky have the geographic distinction of being the only border states that are not directly connected by a road or bridge. The only direct route between the two states is the Dorena-Hickman Ferry.
The Dorena-Hickman Ferry operates at Mississippi River navigation mile point 922.0.