Floodwaters are back and that’s likely to mean deer herds along US 41 near Audubon State Park at Henderson. Rising Ohio River floodwaters are approaching a level where they will again push deer across US 41 at the north edge of Henderson starting perhaps as early as this weekend and continuing through mid-week.
Deer normally follow trails through the Ohio River bottoms under the US 41 Twin Bridges approach spans, allowing the deer herds to avoid highway traffic. However, when the river approaches about 40 ft. on the Evansville gauge, water cuts off their normal travel routes. The deer are then forced to cross US 41 near Audubon State Park, bringing them into conflict with vehicles traveling the busy 4-lane between the 18 and 19 mile marker.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is again placing message boards along US 41 to alert motorists to large numbers of deer crossing the highway. This includes the area of US 41 near the Stratman Road and Wolf Hills Road intersection.
Approximately 40,000 vehicles travel this section of US 41 in an average day.
Motorists should use extra caution in this area for about the next week until the Ohio River drops sufficiently to allow the deer to return to their normal trails underneath the US 41 Twin Bridges.