Green River Ferry and its impact on residents, law enforcement response times

EDMONSON COUNTY, Ky. The Green River Ferry is a great asset to the residents of Edmonson County, but unfortunately, things like river level, water speed and manpower can affect them in more ways than one.

News 40 spoke to locals and tourists about the transportation, along with the local sheriff and judge executive.

One Edmonson County resident said that he lives just past the river, and the ferry cuts his drive home in half when it’s operational. Another man who was visiting from Illinois at the Mammoth Cave Visitor’s Center said he was told that if the ferry was not running on Tuesday, it would take 45 minutes to travel around the park to get to the trail he and his son planned to explore.

It may seem like a minor inconvenience, but when it comes to first responders, it can be a big deal.

Edmonson County sheriff James Vincent told News 40 that the ferry being closed can be bad for officer safety. Vincent said many small departments send deputies out on their own, and if something were to happen, it could take quite a bit longer to respond depending on where officers are at in the county.

The sheriff mentioned they have an agreement with Mammoth Cave National Park law enforcement, but the ferry can affect them just the same.

Edmonson County judge-executive Scott Lindsey voiced his frustration as well, saying that many people approached him about the inconsistency of the ferry, with even magistrates he works with striking out after attempting to shorten their commute.

Lindsey said he is a firm advocate for alternative transportation.