By Cynthia Haggitt
The Kampsville River Ferry transports passengers and their vehicles across the Illinois River 24 hours per day, unless the river is frozen or the water is unusually high. The boat, operated by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), connects IL-108 from the western bank (Calhoun County) to the eastern bank (Greene County) of the river.
The convenience of the ferry is crucial for residents and travelers . It is the quickest way to get across the river when heading out for a motorist’s said destination.
IDOT is scheduled to close the Kampsville Ferry for almost three weeks (17 days exactly) to make improvements and repairs to the Ferry’s landings on both sides of the Illinois River.
The scheduled closing will begin maintenance on Sept. 13 . Its closure is expected to last until Sept. 30.
IDOT Public Affairs Officer Paul Wappell said that automobilists will see changes to the approaches after the repairs are made.
The project includes reconstruction of the approach roadway ramps to the Kampsville Ferry – one ramp on each side of the Illinois River.
“Reconstruction of the parking lots, sidewalks will be made ADA compliant. They will have new lighting facilities, pavement markings, both approaches, roadways and ramps on each side of the river,” Wappel said. “The reconstruction involves removing the old pavement and replacing it with new, more substantial concrete pavement for resurfacing the ramps and doing repaires.”
IDOT mentioned that the road construction funding comes from Ferry Boat Program Funds which is allocated from the Federal Highway Administration. The state is using 20% of the funding and is matching it to the federal COVID supplemental funds.
Residents in the area will have to travel approximately 10 miles south to Hardin to cross the Joe Page Bridge to pass over the Illinois River during construction.
