State Rep. Rob Wilkey believes that work to widen I-65 from the Tennessee state line to Bowling Green could begin this spring. He also has high hopes for a project to widen US 31W from KY 1008 south of Franklin to the Tennessee state line: Franklin Favorite: 'Road projects a go,' Rep. Wilkey says (Jan. 20, 2005) 

In October the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet began testing the Safety Assistance for Freeway Emergencies (SAFE) program in I-75 in Laurel County and I-64 in Franklin County and Shelby County. The SAFE program operates cargo vans over the highways and helps motorists with highway emergencies ranging from flat tires to running out of gas. When a SAFE driver aids a motorist, the motorist is given a comment card to return via mail; the comments so far have been overwhelmingly positive.

More information: Corbin Times-Tribune: The traveler's friend (Nov. 19, 2004) , Shelbyville Sentinel News: New program offers help for interstate breakdowns (Dec. 1, 2004) 

Gov. Fletcher and Transportation Secretary Bailey have appointed Barry Sanders to serve as chief district engineer for the Transportation Cabinet’s District 5 which is based in Louisville.

More information: KYTC: Governor Ernie Fletcher and Transportation Secretary Clay Bailey Appoint Chief District Engineer for Highway District 5 in Louisville (June 1, 2004) , Business First: State Names Head of Louisville-area Transportation Operation (June 1, 2004) 

When the 2004 Recommended Six-Year Highway Plan was released Transportation Cabinet Secretary Maxwell Clay Bailey assured legislators that no projects had been removed the 2002 Six-Year Plan; however, the Courier-Journal has found that fifteen projects scheduled under the 2002 plan were moved to the unscheduled needs list in the new 2004 plan.

More information: Courier-Journal: 15 projects cut from road plan (March 3, 2004) , WKYT: 15 Kentucky Road Projects Cut Due To Budget Crisis (March 4, 2004) , Hardin County News Enterprise: State drops I-65 widening (March 5, 2004) 

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The Lexington Herald-Leader reported about the high price of office space in the state.s capital in a couple of weekend articles. It seems that many land deals are to the benefit of real estate investor Rodney Ratliff who is a major contributor to political campaigns; the state spends $2 million in rent each year on properties owned by Ratliff's company. Additionally, the state spent $1.2 million to buy three lots owned by Ratliff for the new transportation cabinet office building. The land was appraised by Franklin County at $92,000.

In other office space related news, Gov. Fletcher's budget proposes spending $46 million to renovate the office building which was formerly home to the transportation cabinet: leaving the building empty for years to come while hundreds of state workers are in rented office space.

More information: Lexington Herald-Leader: Most Frankfort land deals seem to help one man (Feb. 1, 2004) , Associated Press: Fletcher's budget includes $46 million for state office building renovation (Feb. 1, 2004) 

Update (Feb. 3, 2004): More information: Lexington Herald-Leader: 7 floors of luxury for the low price of $113 million (Feb. 1, 2004) , Lexington Herald-Leader: Plans have state spending millions on rent (Feb. 1, 2004) 

Update (Feb. 7, 2004): More information: Lexington Herald-Leader: Lawmakers suggest cheaper renovations (Feb. 5, 2004) 

The University of Kentucky-based Kentucky Transportation Research Center is conducting a study of a system to provide drivers with up-to-the-minute information about traffic conditions through work zones on I-64 between Louisville and Lexington: KYTC Press Release: TIPS Helps Motorists Get through Highway Work Zones (Aug. 25, 2003) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has released the final report for the conceptual feasibility study for the Northern Kentucky Outer Loop, and the finding is that such an outer loop is not feasible.

The proposed route would connect with I-74 in Indiana, pass into Kentucky at the Markland Dam in Gallatin County, travel east-west across Kentucky, cross the Ohio River into Ohio at the William H. Harsha bridge near Maysville, and connect with a proposed extension of I-74 in Ohio. A two-year long study of this route found that the entire route would not be financially feasible in Kentucky; however, the study found that several segments of the route would have an independent of utility. The study divided the route into six sections and assigned them the following priorities:

1. US 127 to I-75 - 15.1 miles (Owen and Grant Counties)
2. I-71 to US 127 - 6.8 miles (Gallatin/Carroll and Owen Counties)
3. I-75 to US 27 - 17.6 miles (Grant and Pendleton Counties)
4. US 27 to KY 9 - 29 miles (Pendleton, Bracken, and Mason Counties)
5. Indiana to I-71 - 7 miles (Carroll/Gallatin Counties)
6. KY 9 to Ohio - 2.9 miles (Mason County)

The study found that construction of a proposed highway (Indiana State Road 101) from I-74 in Indiana to the Markland Dam would improve the usability of the Indiana to I-71 segment of the Outer Loop.

The release of the report does not guarantee that anything will be built. Construction is dependent on future funding.

More information: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Division of Planning: Proposed Interstate 74 

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The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has released the I-64 Strategic Improvement Plan . The plan covers possible upgrades to the entire length of Interstate 64 through the state.

The entire length of I-64 in Kentucky has been designated the Purple Heart Trail. The Military Order of Purple Heart has undertaken an effort to have each of the 50 states and Puerto Rico designate one of their highways to honor recipients of the Purple Heart. Kentucky will erect 24 signs designating the Purple Heart Trail: one at each of I-64's entrances to the state and signs in each county along I-64.

More information: KYTC Press Release 

The Capital Avenue bridge in Frankfort will close for 16 days for repairs. "The bridge project, estimated at $750,000, will include resurfacing the bridge, and repairing the sidewalks, joints of the bridge, and the piers. Work will be done on one-half of the bridge at a time to allow emergency vehicles to cross if necessary."

More information: KYTC Press Release , Detour Map  (PDF format).