New Tugboats Keep Cumberland River Ferry in Operation Every Day of the Year
 Pictured above: Monroe County Ferry - Cumberland River Ferry Crew
How do you keep the state's only remaining 24/7 free state operated ferry in operation? A lot of hard work and dedication from dozens of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet employees!
The Cumberland River ferry, located at the "Turkey Neck Bend" in Monroe County, is a little less than nine miles east of downtown Tompkinsville. KYTC acquired the ferry in 1966, and is the only cable-free ferry in the area. Over the course of a two-minute ride, the ferry carries passengers 425 feet across the river. Without the ferry, drivers would have to drive approximately one-hour to get to the other side. |
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This distance adds up! In 2022, the ferry's 62,142 trips covered a distance of 4,710 miles! That's the same distance as traveling east to west across the contiguous United States more than 1.5 times!
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So how does the ferry operate? Two tug boats are swapped out about every 500 hours. The 64-foot long barge, known as Sloan, can carry three passenger vehicles at a time. The crew is comprised of eight ferryboat operators and three deckhands.
Just like a car -- these tugboats need fuel and oil to operate. Every Monday and Friday, the 250 gallon fuel tank is refilled. Oil changes take place every three weeks.
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This ferry is a vital service to those who use it. In 1984, while the ferry boat was being repaired, a newspaper clipping (pictured above) showed a rural mail carrier crossing the river in a motorboat to deliver mail to more than 50 families.
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More recently, an inspection and construction contract was awarded in 2021 for the two tug boats to be completed May 30, 2022, and Nov. 30, 2022.
The photo on the left provides a glimpse at one of the tug boats prior to its inspection and construction. The boat had been in service for 34 years. Due to several mechanical issues, the decision was made to retire the tug boats, and build replacement tug boats to ensure the ferry could continue to operate 24/7.
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Part of the construction process included a new coat of paint.
The royal blue boat (pictured to the right) received a paint job as part of the construction process. Grandview Welding & Equipment, of Tompkinsville, KY, built the tug boats.
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WATCH: want to learn more about the importance of the ferry, and the process to get two new tug boats into operation? Click the link to the left to watch an educational video! |
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KYTC Employee Provides Safety for All
Nathan Hawkins, from KYTC District 2, was working on tornado debris cleanup in Muhlenberg County when he saved a baby deer that was trying to cross the Western Kentucky Parkway.
This is another great example of our crews going above and beyond to help ensure safety for all!
Photo by Dakota France with the Muhlenberg County crew.
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 Jacob Schuler, Civil Engineer Techniciian Scholarship Student
Hello, I'm Jacob Schuler, a proud recipient of the 2022 KYTC Civil Engineer Technician Scholarship. I am currently enrolled in the Civil Engineering Technology program at Bluegrass Community and Technical College, and I'm on track to graduate this year.
My motivation to work for KYTC stems from my father's 29-year tenure with the organization. Hearing him share his daily experiences inspired me to follow in his footsteps. Fortunately, the KYTC scholarship program provided the perfect opportunity for me to pursue this shared passion.
Through the scholarship, I had the chance to participate in a summer co-op while still in school. In the summer of 2023, I contributed to the US 27 widening project in Stanford, KY (district 8). It was a fascinating experience witnessing the step-by-step process of constructing a new road—laying the rock base, paving the blacktop, and even painting the stripes. The hands-on work was truly rewarding.
As I approach graduation, I eagerly anticipate launching my career as a Civil Engineer Technician with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, focusing on enhancing the state's remarkable roadways. I hope my journey inspires others to apply for the KYTC scholarship and join this fulfilling career path.
Teaching Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
On July 15th, 2024, members of the KYTC GIS team, Will Holmes and Rachael Howard, had the pleasure of meeting with 20 high school students who were participating in the 4-H Summer Transportation Institute at Kentucky State University. The Transportation Cabinet helps fund this program to encourage students to pursue education and careers in transportation related fields. Activities for the group are organized by Casey Townsend, who provided the space in a new building at the University to meet with the students.
Holmes provided a quick overview of KYTC, gave a safety briefing and then gave the students a hands-on challenge. The students divided into teams, and thanks to the University, each team had a tablet to go out and collect assets and safety features on campus using GPS & GIS.
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As part of the field event, the teams were identified by colorful names (Banana Slugs, Thoroughbreds, and Mudpuppies for instance) and after a test record was completed, they set off around the property. Using a mobile application provided by the KYTC GIS team, the students competitively marked locations of interest to see who could identify the most points. For each point they also provided additional feedback on the locations, as well as pictures for each record using the tablet’s internal camera. |
After 45 minutes the teams met back in the classroom to discuss what they learned. KYTC GIS team members provided a brief overview of the science behind GPS and GIS, followed by a discussion of different technologies used in the work they performed outside. The students were challenged to identify reasons for differences they were seeing in common points logged by different teams. This helped them dig a little deeper into the science of location and also discuss “Errors” and “Probability.” |
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The discussion also broadened to tie into KYTC and its goals and functions, the value it provides to the people of Kentucky and those traveling to and from the state, and the impact of focusing in improving safety for commuters.
As part of the analysis, a dashboard was shared on the overhead that showed the different data points and the information entered about the location (see below).
They also looked at change over time. They compared the points to the available current imagery showing the newly constructed building as well as older imagery from before the building was constructed.
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As time came to a close, a number of students approached our KYTC team members to ask additional career questions, and provide personal business cards they brought with them in preparation, requesting additional contact. Their questions were very relevant, and their interest was genuine. All of the students expressed their gratitude and that they enjoyed the activity and the opportunity to learn more about GIS and how the Cabinet uses it to serve the traveling public.
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