River Roots Announces Vessel Traffic Plan

America’s River Roots, a celebration commemorating the upcoming 250th birthday of the United States of America, will take place at Cincinnati, Ohio, from about 8 a.m. October 8 through midnight October 12. The event will involve multiple large excursion vessels, as well as service and support boats. There will be various river closures scheduled in association with the event.

Commercial traffic passing through the event area will be advised by the River Operations Communication Center, staffed by licensed river pilots with extensive experience through the Cincinnati area. Members of the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as security professionals, first responders and local law enforcement also will be stationed in the communication center to monitor the event. The communication center radio call sign on VHF channels 13, 16 and 19 will be “Festival Traffic.” The telephone number for the communications center is 859-760-3250.

The communication center will be staffed and operational beginning the afternoon of October 7. Starting October 8, the communications center will be staffed from 8 a.m. each day until the last cruise is complete between midnight and 1 a.m. each night.

Southbound commercial traffic is asked to contact “Festival Traffic” at or above the I-275 Twin Bridges at Mile 461.9. Northbound commercial traffic is asked to contact “Festival Traffic” at or below the Anderson Ferry, at approximately Mile 478.