The US 60 yard sale will be held in Carter County this Saturday, August 2: Ashland Daily Independent: Route 60 Yard Sale returns to Carter (July 28, 2003) 

A public meeting for I-66 planning in Pulaski and Laurel Counties brought out several anti-I-66 groups. The Transportation Cabinet is conducting a study to determine the route for I-66 between London and Somerset. This will replace the two-lane KY 80, the current major east-west corridor in the region.

Meanwhile, U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers has used his position on the transportation appropriations subcommittee to have money for Southern Kentucky road projects included a draft version of the Fiscal Year 2004 Transportation Appropriations Committee. The money includes $4.5 million for continuing work on designing I-66 in Pulaski and Laurel Counties, $2 million for I-66 in Pike County, $2 million to improve US 27 north of Somerset, $1.5 million for widening I-75 in Rockcastle County, and $1 million to fund the reconstruction of the Hal Rogers Parkway between mileposts 33 and 47 in Leslie County.

More information: Somerset Commonwealth Journal: Controversial Corridor (July 28, 2003) , Somerset Commonwealth Journal: Federal Funding (July 18, 2003) 

Work, expected to finish by November 15th, is underway on 20 miles of the Western Kentucky Parkway. The $11.4 million project will install new drains, sink the raised median, and resurface the parkway in parts of Muhlenberg and Ohio Counties. Traffic will be restricted to one-lane in each direction during the rehabilitation work.

More information: Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer: Parkway project now under way (July 28, 2003) 

The past several months has seen a drastic increase in the sale of specialty plates. The unpopularity of the new "Mr. Smiley" plate has been blamed for the increase. The increased sale of specialty plates means that the charities that sponsor the plates receive more money, about $10 per plate. The Transportation Cabinet receives about the same amount of money from a specialty plate as from a regular plate.

More information: Courier-Journal: Rise in specialty plates' profits credited to 'Mr. Smiley' backlash (July 28, 2003) 

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The House Appropriations Committee approved a transportation spending bill that allocated $2.5 million to study replacing the I-71/I-75 Brent Spent Bridge over the Ohio River. The bill must still be passed by the full house, the Senate, and signed by the President before becoming law.

In February, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet launched a $2 million study to determine how to best replace the aging bridge.

More information: Kentucky Post: Bridge may get $2.5M more (July 26, 2003) 

The William H. Natcher Bridge was one of 24 projects nationwide to receive an Honor Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies.

More information: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: Natcher Bridge Design Earns National Honor Award (March 19, 2003) 

A section of US 421 in Petty and Harlan Counties has been renamed in memory of WYMT-TV news anchor Tony Turner. Turner died on June 30, 2002 of injuries sustained during a car accident three weeks earlier.

More information: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: Portion of U. S. 421 is Now the Tony Turner Memorial Highway (June 27, 2003) 

The old Shortway Bridge over the Licking River between Kenton and Campbell Counties was scheduled for removal in June; no word on whether or not it was actually removed.

More information: Cincinnati Enquirer: Shortway Bridge soon to go away (May 6, 2003) 

The Louisville & Nashville Railroad bridge over the Ohio River has been opened to pedestrian traffic. The bridge has recently been painted purple and has been dubbed the "Purple People Bridge" by local residents. Though it is closed to vehicle traffic, the Kentucky-owned bridge is officially designated as US 27C.

More information: Cincinnati Enquirer: Purple People Bridge links Newport, downtown (April 27, 2003) , Cincinnati-Transit.net: L&N Bridge 

The Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Pike County, Kentucky and Mingo County, West Virginia segment of I-66 has been approved by the Federal Highway Administration. This means that the project now moves to the final design phase which will be followed by right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation, and construction.

More information: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: Appalachian Corridor I-66 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) Approved and Published (April 23, 2003, May 19, 2003) 

The Illinois Department of Transportation has reported a positive response to the proposed Interstate 66. Originally, Illinois had shied away from building part of Interstate 66 in Illinois. Building I-66 in Illinois would mean that Kentucky would not get a crossing over the Mississippi River in Ballard County.

More information: Associated Press: Saying Yes to Interstate 66 (July 24, 2003) 

Bad weather and drainage problems have delayed a project to widen Cave Mill Road in Bowling Green. The narrow, curvy road is being widened and a hill near the intersection of Grider Pond Road is being removed. The rebuilt Cave Mill Road will connect with the new Dishman Lane and add a new modern highway corridor between Scottsville Road (US 231), Nashville Road (US 31W), and Russellville Road (US 68-KY 80).

More information: Bowling Green Daily News: Cave Mill widening project delayed (July 24, 2003) 

On Wednesday, state officials re-dedicated the AA Highway in honor of former Governor John Y. Brown, Jr. Brown was governor from 1979 to 1983 and was influential in the construction of the highway across northern Kentucky.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: A-A Highway dedicated ... again (July 24, 2004) , Kentucky Post: Take your pick: the AA, JYB or Ky. 9 (July 23, 2003) , Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: Governor Patton Dedicates AA Highway to former Governor John Y. Brown, Jr. (July 23, 2004) 

Community Transportation Solutions, a Louisville based partnership, has been chosen to manage the 17-year project to construct two new interstate bridges over the Ohio River at Louisville. CTS says it will hold an international competition for the bridge designs, construct both bridges simultaneously, and complete the project in less than 17 years. The project also includes the rebuilding of Louisville's Spaghetti Junction.

The Federal Highway Administration is expected to approve plans for the bridges in August.

The CTS partnership was formed in 1998 to complete the bridge environmental study. The partnership is made up of Parsons Transportation Group of Chicago; HMB Professional Engineers of Frankfort; and Beam, Longest and Neff Engineers of Indianapolis.

More information: Courier-Journal: CTS will manage bridges project; Announcement today is a month ahead of schedule (July 24, 2003) , Courier-Journal: CTS will oversee 17-year construction of 2 Ohio River bridges; Representatives promise quick, efficient service project (July 25, 2003) , Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: General Engineering Consultant Selected for Ohio River Bridges Project Development (July 24, 2004) 

Signs directing travelers to the Shawneetown Bridge will be installed at several intersections on the Morganfield bypass (KY 3393). The bridge to Illinois over the Ohio River is 12 miles west of Morganfield on KY 56.

More information: Union County Advocate: Bypass will get new signs (July 23, 2003) , KentuckyRoads.com: Shawneetown Bridge Photo

A project to repave a short section KY 54 near the Owensboro US 60 By-pass has begun and is expected to last until mid-August. Though the stretch of highway is only eleven years old, the pavement has become deeply rutted; this project's aim is to correct that problem.

Other Daviess County projects include work to improve drainage on the William H. Natcher Parkway and pavement rehabilitation on US 60 east of Owensboro in Daviess and Hancock Counties.

More information: Messenger-Inquirer: Kentucky 54 resurfacing under way (July 24, 2003)  (free registration required; includes photograph of construction work)

Two-hundred-and-sixty-two photographs of Kentucky's roads have been added to this website. The new photo galleries include:

• Bridges of the Ohio River - Several of Kentucky's 40 bridges across the Ohio River.
• William H. Harsha Bridge Photographs - Photographs of Kentucky's first cable stayed bridge: the William H. Harsha bridge near Maysville.
• I-64 - Sherman Minton Bridge - The I-64 and US 150 bridge over the Ohio River in Louisville.
• Shortway Bridge - The Old KY 1120 bridge over the Licking River between Kenton and Campbell Counties.
• I-65 - John F. Kennedy Bridge - The I-65 bridge over the Ohio River at Louisville.
• US 31 - George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge (Second Street Bridge) - The US 31 bridge over the Ohio River at Louisville.
• I-65 - Miscellaneous Images
• KY 30 - Miscellaneous Images - Photographs of the new section of KY 30 under construction in Laurel County.
• I-65 Warren County Construction - June 29, 2001
• I-65 Warren County Construction - May 22, 2002
• I-65 Warren County Construction - August 15, 2002
• I-65 Warren County Construction - July 5, 2003
• I-75 - Miscellaneous Images - Includes photographs of I-75 widening projects south of Lexington.
• William H. Natcher Bridge - October 26, 2002
• William H. Natcher Bridge - February 8, 2003
• Louisville - Miscellaneous Images
• KY 3 and KY 645 - Inez - January 3, 2003
• AA Highway - Miscellaneous Images
• KY 67 - Miscellaneous Images
• KY 80 - Miscellaneous Images - Along KY 80 in Pulaski and Laurel Counties.
• KY 101 and KY 259 - Edmonson County - November 18, 2001 - A new section of KY 259 and KY 101 under construction in Edmonson County.
• US 23 - Miscellaneous Images
• US 60 - Miscellaneous Images - Photographs of the Cumberland and Tennessee River bridges.

A few new images have been added to the KentuckyRoads.com - Miscellaneous Signs and KentuckyRoads.com - General Images galleries as well.

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 Kroger grocery in Maysville has a replica of the Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge located near the produce section and photographs of the construction of the bridge near the entrance to the store. The Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge is a suspension bridge over the Ohio River. It was constructed in the 1930s and carries Business US 62 and Business US 68 into Ohio.

More information: Maysville Ledger Independent: New Kroger designed for customer satisfaction (July 22, 2003) 

The KY 1384 overpass over US 23 in the Pikeville Cut will be renamed on Monday, according to the Appalachian News-Express . The bridge is currently known as the Masten Childers Bridge; on Monday the name of the bridge will be renamed the Velma and Masten Childers Bridge.

This bill adjourning the Kentucky General Assembly  (word document) on the occasion of Velma Childer's seventieth birthday on Jan. 24, 2000 contains some biographical information about Childers.

The Judge Executives of Boone, Kenton, and Campbell County expressed support for casino gambling during the 14th Annual State of Northern Kentucky Addresses yesterday. The Judge Executives also expressed some support for increasing the state's gas tax. The leaders are concerned about the dwindling tax revenue being collected by Frankfort and are afraid that services will be cut if new revenue is not found. A proposed expansion of KY 237 in Hebron is named as an example of a project that is in jeopardy if new funding cannot be found.

More information: Cincinnati Enquirer: N.Ky. officials leaning to gambling (July 23, 2003) 

In more news of the scandals to rock the Governor's office and the transportation cabinet, word came Monday that hearings on the ethics charges brought against Gov. Patton will not be heard until mid-November. This means that rulings on the charges will not come until after Patton leaves office.

More information: Courier-Journal: Hearing on Patton's ethics charges is set; Ruling to come after governor's term expires (July 22, 2003) 

A new four lane section of Crittenden Drive along the western edge of Louisville International Airport opened on Monday. That section of highway was closed in 1997 to allow for expansion of runways at the airport. The new section connects Crittenden Drive to Fern Valley Road south of the airport and provides better access to the UPS facility at the airport.

More information: Courier-Journal: Crittenden Drive stretch opens after rain delays; Four-lane road improves access to the UPS hub (July 22, 2003)  (includes photograph of the new road), KYTC Press Release: Crittenden Drive Reconnected Today 

The Bowling Green Daily News has profiled a former toll collector. Sixty-year-old Bonnie Poore used to work at the Bon Ayr Toll Plaza at the western end of the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway. Now she has been transferred to maintenance division of the Department of Highways.

More information: Bowling Green Daily News: From toll work to road work, woman learns that smiles count (July 21, 2003) 

I have added a new image gallery consisting of photographs I took of the roads of the Land Between the Lakes. Subjects covered include the US 68/KY 80 bridges over the two lakes, the KY 453 bridge over the Between the Rivers Canal, and road over Kentucky Lake.

The exit from US 68/KY 80 to The Trace.

Crossing the US 68/KY 80 bridge over Kentucky Lake.

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The Bennett's Mill bridge, a covered bridge which has crossed Tygarts Creek in Greenup County since the 1850s, will not be returned to the county this month. In interest of historic accuracy, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is re-evaluating the design of the bridge. New information has lead some to believe that the camber of the bridge is less than what had originally been thought.

The bridge connects East Tygarts Creek Road and KY 7. The bridge was closed to traffic by county officials in 2001 when it was noticed that the bridge was listing. The bridge was removed by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and transported to Lexington for historic preservation work. Officials said the bridge needed to be removed because internal supports were deteriorating. The preservation contract specifies that the project should use as much of the original lumber as possible.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Return of bridge delayed (July 21, 2003) 

A bit of interesting news from McCracken County, a U-Haul truck became stuck under a railroad trestle. Officials had to let the air out of the vehicles tires to remove it from underneath the bridge. There was one minor injury and minor damage to the bridge; however, it was not closed to trains.

More information: WPSD: One Passenger Suffers Minor Injury (July 19, 2003)  (inlcudes photograph of the incident)

Updated: 21-Jul-2003 2:00PM CDT

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet released the 2003 version of the official highway map on May 29. There were no apparent major changes over the previous year's, except for the fact that on June 10, the map was modified to show the former Daniel Boone Parkway as the Hal Rogers Parkway.

More information: KYTC: Official Highway Map 

The map is now available in rest areas. I picked up a copy at the Paducah Welcome Center yesterday. The cover art is a photograph of the William H. Natcher Bridge.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has posted information about the proposed Heartland Parkway here: KY-55 Heartland Parkway 

Danny Lewis has created a website with information about the Cedar Creek Lake project  in Lincoln County. The recent creation of the lake involved the rebuilding of US 150 and KY 1770. Danny's site includes maps and photographs. Some pictures show part of the Old US 150 being slowly submerged as the lake level rises.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has established a website covering the widening of Harrodsburg Road (US 68) in Fayette and Jessamine Counties at us68.ky.gov . The site includes construction schedules, maps, and photographs.

Work to rehabilitate pavement on the western end of Owensboro's US 60 By-pass is planned to start on July 21. Work on the section of the bypass from US 431 to US 60 west of Owensboro is expected to take until November. The concrete surface of the road will undergo diamond grinding and asphalt shoulders will be built.

More information: Messenger-Inquirer: Pavement work starts Monday on bypass (July 12, 2003) 

The Danville Advocate Messenger  reported on July 16, 2003 that road crews would be repairing a bridge on KY 52 two miles east of US 150 in Boyle County. The concrete deck of the bridge is being completely replaced.

The Kentucky Post recently posted two columns from Jim Reis looking at the history of the bridges over the Ohio River in Northern Kentucky:

• Kentucky Post: Long fight to bridge the Ohio; Span proposed as early as 1842 (July 14, 2003) 
• Kentucky Post: Late 1800s saw boom in bridge building (July 14, 2003) 

A proposal to build a bridge near the 1,600-foot deep gorge in Breaks Interstate Park has stirred up opposition. The proposed bridge would allow access into the Kentucky side of the park; however, the bridge which would connect the park to KY 80 would be visible from overlooks over the gorge in the park. Currently all of the development in the park has been on the Virginia side because there is no road access to the Kentucky side of the park. The primary feature of the park is a 5-mile long gorge through which the Russell Fork of the Big Sandy River flows. The gorge is touted as being the deepest canyon east of the Mississippi. Residents fear that the bridge would open the park to commercialization.

More information: Associated Press: Bridge proposal stirs opposition; Foes Say Breaks No Place for Span (July 15, 2003) 

More information: Bowling Green Daily News: Thousands of state’s bridges need attention (July 10, 2003) 

The state's budget problems will prevent the transportation cabinet from completing projects on schedules. In some cases, projects which are already underway may be halted.

Projects cited are the reconstruction of the Gene Snyder Freeway (I-265)/KY 22 interchange, widening of KY 70 in Hopkins County, and a bridge replacement project in Knott County.

More information: Associated Press: Transportation projects will be delayed because of budget woes (Jun. 16, 2003) 

Bowling Green Daily News: Commercialization of rest stops worries some biz owners (June 9, 2003) 

The United States Congress is considering eliminating the 47-year-old ban on the commercialization of rest areas. The Bowling Green Daily News examines what the affect of lifting the ban could be.

The transportation cabinet will be constructing a new bridge on KY 1947 in Carter County, but first the state needed to find something to do with the existing 1922 era bridge. The KYTC offered to give the bridge to a party that could reassemble it elsewhere; however, there were no takers. When contractors went to remove the bridge, the bridge collapsed. There were no injuries.

More information: Daily Independent: Can't give it away (June 10, 2003) , Daily Independent: Giveaway bridge in Grayson falls ... to pieces (June 26, 2003) 

Public reaction to extending KY 645 from US 23 near Ulysses west to I-64 is mixed. Some claim it will cause environment havoc; others say it will improve the local economy.

More information: Daily Independent: Public speaks on 645 (June 6, 2003) 

A summer road project in Lexington will see the length of a ramp at New Circle Road and Nicholasville Road been extended by 850 feet and a new left-turn lane added.

More information: Herald-Leader: State plans to end gridlock on busy New Circle exit (May 30, 2003) , More Projects 

The US 60 bridge over the Green River at Spottsville was struck by an Army Corps of Engineers barge at 10:30 CDT on May 29, 2003. The bridge was closed for repairs. Traffic was detoured on to the Audubon Parkway.

The Spottsville Bridge collapsed while it was under construction in 1931, killing three workers.

More information: Associated Press: Green River bridge hit by barge, closed indefinitely (May 29, 2003) , Henderson Gleaner: Bridge may be closed for two weeks (May 30, 2003)  (includes pictures)

The Paris Pike Project was one 12 projects chosen for an Environmental Excellence Award. The widening of the road was originally proposed in 1966; however, fears that the beauty of the road would be destroyed by widening delayed the project for years. The project follows the contours of the land, preserved trees along the road, and used wooden fences instead of traditional metal guardrails.

The project was also honored by the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation, Inc, a not-for-profit group that advocated historic preservation in central Kentucky.

More information: Herald-Leader: Paris Pike Project Wins Award (Apr. 25, 2003) , Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: Paris Pike Corridor Commission Wins Blue Grass Trust Preservation Award (June 18, 2003) 

The Indiana, Kentucky, and the Federal Highway Administration have reached a 40-page agreement with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation that is aimed to protect historic properties near the sites of the two proposed bridges over the Ohio River at Louisville.

More information: Courier-Journal: Deal made to save sites by bridges (April 10, 2003) 

In other news, the Environmental Impact Study has been approved. The most recent federal budge includes $8 million to begin purchasing right of way, construction could start in four years, and the project should be complete by 2020. Total construction costs could be as much as $2.5 billion.

More information: Associated Press: Federal agency wants two bridges for Ohio River at Louisville (April 16, 2003) , Associated Press: 2 bridges over Ohio could cost $2.5 billion (April 17, 2003) , Associated Press: Two companies vying for Ohio River bridges project (July 7, 2003) , Courier-Journal: Bridges project to get $9.8 million House panel expected to OK funds Monday (July 18, 2003) 

The state legislature has allocated $39 million for the reconstruction of KY 979 and KY 680 from Harold to Minnie in Floyd County. Additionally parts of KY 122 in Floyd County will be rebuilt.

Reference: Floyd County Times 

The state legislature has allocated $1.2 million to rebuild a steep and curvy section of US 231 just north of the Gasper River in Warren County. Construction is expected to begin in the summer of 2004.

More information: Bowling Green Daily News: Highway department plans to realign deadly Hadley Hill (Mar. 30, 2003) 

1.3 miles of Richmond Road are being widened to six-lanes.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has established a website with information about the Richmond Road project at us25.ky.gov . The site includes a construction schedule, maps of the project, and photographs relating to the project.

More information: Herald-Leader: Richmond Road work to begin Monday (Mar. 27, 2003) 

An advertisement promoting Northern Kentucky's covered bridges apparently shows a New Hampshire covered bridge.

More information: Associated Press: Kentucky ad may show N.H. covered bridge (Mar. 27, 2003) , Associated Press: Oops! Kentucky tourism ad features New Hampshire bridge (Mar. 28, 2003) 

The Bowling Green Daily News reports in this March 14, 2003 article  that Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has setup a pothole reporting hotline. The hotline can be reached at 1-800-PATCH-IT (1-800-728-2448). If the reported pothole is on a state-maintained road, the automated system reports it to the appropriate highway district. The City of Bowling Green also has its own pothole report phone number.

The Courier-Journal reports in this March 23, 2003 article  that Louisville Metro expected to spend $500,000 on repairing potholes.

The Ohio Department of Transportation installed falcon birdhouses on the Ironton-Russell Bridge. The birdhouses were placed on the opposite of the bridge from the sidewalk to discourage interaction between the birds and pedestrians on the bridge.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Falcon nests planned on bridge (March 13, 2003) 

The state's budge passed in March included money to build a new bridge over Floyds Fork in eastern Jefferson County. The existing one-lane bridge was closed to traffic in July 2002 when inspectors found that trucks were ignoring the 3-ton weight limit and the bridge deck was deteriorating rapidly. The Louisville Metro Government, who owns the bridge, planned to begin work to replace the bridge as soon as possible.

More information: Courier-Journal: Budget has $1.5 million for new Aiken Road bridge (March 12, 2003)  (includes picture of the bridge)

Winter storms and floods severely damaged several roads in Lawrence County.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Road woes remain - Crews to begin work on Ky. 32 (Mar. 11, 2003) 

The western leg of I-264 in Louisville between US 60/US 31W and I-64 is known as the Shawnee Expressway. In March, the transportation cabinet began work to rehabilitate the concrete surface of the expressway and improve the expressway's landscaping. No additional lanes will be added. The transportation cabinet launched a web site about the project at www.264info.com .

More information: Courier-Journal: Shawnee Expressway work to begin (Mar. 5, 2003) , KYTC: Shawnee Expressway Project , Courier-Journal: Work on Shawnee Expressway to start a few days early (March 19, 2003) , Courier-Journal: Black subcontractors sought for expressway work (Mar. 8, 2003) 

Large potholes were blamed for a series of wrecks on I-71 in Oldham County in February. One of the potholes was as large as five feet in diameter.

More information: Courier-Journal: I-71 road crews get their fill of accident-causing potholes (Feb. 26, 2003) 

The Somerset-London segment of I-66 will receive an accelerated environment review from the United States Department of Transportation. This step moves the project years closer to construction.

The London Sentinel-Echo reported that this move angered I-66 protest groups.

More information: Herald-Leader: ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF I-66 ROUTE ACCELERATED (Mar. 1, 2003) . Courier-Journal: Planned I-66 section to get expedited review (Mar. 1, 2003) , London Sentinel-Echo 

The University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet are using a $4.2 million federal grant obtained by Congressman Hal Rogers to from the Academy for Community Transportation Innovation. The Academy aims to foster community involvement to help in reducing congestion and improving the state's transportation system.

More information: Lexington Herald-Leader: Better transportation aim of new group (Feb. 25, 2003) , Courier-Journal: Grant helps U of L, UK form transportation center (Feb. 25, 2003) 

When a 7.2-mile long project to widen and straighten US 119 on Pine Mountain is complete, the state will not plant non-native plant species along the road. The road is near a state nature preserve, so the state plans to take steps to preserve the mountain ecosystem.

More information: Associated Press: Highway area to be safe from exotic plants (Feb. 7, 2003) 

A run down of Warren County area road projects:

• I-65 construction between Bowling Green and Smiths Grove is complete. A few miles of the interstate near the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway are now under construction. This is part of a project to widen I-65 to six lanes from the Tennessee state line to Elizabethtown.
• The new intersection between I-65 and Cemetery Road (KY 234) is complete and open. It is now Exit 26 on I-65.
• Work to widen US 231 between Bowling Green and Alvaton is complete. Work has now started on the US 231 project to the south and east of Alvaton. US 231 is being widened to four lanes from Bowling Green to Scottsville.
• The City of Bowling Green and Warren County are funding work to rebuild and widen Cave Mill Road from Scottsvile Road (US 231) to Dishman Lane.
• The Natcher Parkway extension from I-65 to US 231 east of Bowling Green is still planned; however, there is currently no funding for the project.
• The planning process for I-66 and the Bowling Green Beltline project continues.

More information: Bowling Green Daily News: Road improvements (Jan. 31, 2003) , Bowling Green Daily News: Public will get view of plans for two roads (Feb. 6, 2003) , Bowling Green Daily News: Road construction in area makes for dangerous driving (April 10, 2003) , Bowling Green Daily News: End in sight for construction on U.S. 231 (April 14, 2003) , Bowling Green Daily News: Tolls to be halted on two roads (May 31, 2001) , Bowling Green Daily News: Work starts on another section of Cave Mill (June 30, 2003) , Bowling Green Daily News: Road paving will take place at night (July 12, 2003) , Bowling Green Daily News: ITA presents virtual transpark model (July 17, 2003) 

The employees of the eastbound I-64 rest area near Grayson in Carter County received 2002 Best Maintained Rest Area Award from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Carter rest area workers honored (Jan. 31, 2003) 

The transportation cabinet has run into a number of scandals of late. Here is a run down of articles related to the transportation cabinet's woes:

• Associated Press: FBI says subpoena related to Conner case (Jan. 31, 2003) 
• Associated Press: Grand jury hears Cabinet witnesses (Feb. 13, 2003) 
• Associated Press: Bill would give review powers over Transportation Cabinet (Feb. 26, 2003) 
• Herald-Leader: Transportation Cabinet oversight bill passed (Feb. 27, 2003) 
• Herald-Leader: Report: Tina Conner friend got promoted with outside influence (Mar. 4, 2003) 
• Courier-Journal: Report: Patton helped officer who aided Conner (Mar. 5, 2003) 
• Herald-Leader: Ticket 'fix' may have led to raise (Mar. 5, 2003) 
• Courier-Journal: Governor hopefuls promise change (Mar. 9, 2003) 
• Courier-Journal: Minority firms receive little state business in Kentucky (March 18, 2003) 
• Herald-Leader: Ethics panel charges Patton; Allegations Stem Ffrom Conner Affair (Mar. 26, 2003) 
• Herald-Leader: Ethics Charges (Mar. 26, 2003) 
• Courier-Journal: Patton charged with 4 ethics violations (Mar. 26, 2003) 
• Associated Press: State paying $12 million to settle suit over bridge in bribery case (May 27, 2003) 
• Associated Press: Former transportation official sues governor (June 12, 2003) 
• Associated Press: Lawyer for Patton's ex-mistress says she could still be charged (June 26, 2003) 
• Associated Press: Two companies sue Transportation Cabinet over program (July 1, 2003) 
• Associated Press: Auditor criticizes planned Transportation Cabinet kitchen deal (July 1, 2003) 
• Herald-Leader: Suit alleges fraud by officials on contracts (July 2, 2003) 
• Bowling Green Daily News: Suit uses BG company to highlight its concern (July 5, 2003) 
• Herald-Leader: Governor's ex-mistress is indicted (July 10, 2003) 

The Lexington Herald-Leader reported in this January 28, 2003 article  that a proposed reorganization of Central Kentucky's only regional transportation-planning organization would give Jessamine County more influence over the panel. Jessamine County joined the organization in 1998 in the hoops of researching a connector route between Nicholasville and Interstate 75.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reported in this January 16, 2003 article  that leaders from the Cincinnati area planned to seek quick federal assistance in replacing the Brent Spence Bridge over the Ohio River. The bridge is route of I-71 and I-75 over the Ohio River from Kentucky into Ohio.

When the first part of this bridge opened in 1946 it was the 7th tallest bridge in the United States. Today it is still an engineering wonder; two parallel bridges were joined together by a third bridge to form one continuous roadway. On July 5, 2003, I took these pictures of the I-75's crossing of the Kentucky River: the Clay's Ferry Bridge.

South end of the bridge viewed from KY 2328.	Looking south from underneath the bridge.	The central span of the bridge, viewed from KY 2328.
[Click Here for More Pictures and Information]

Midnight June 1, 2003 marked the end of tolls on the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway and the Daniel Boone Parkway. Transportation officials and U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers commemorated the occasion on June 9 at the London toll both on the Daniel Boone Parkway. At the ceremony, Congressman Rogers personally manned a bulldozer and knocked over one of the toll booths. It was also revealed at this ceremony that the Daniel Boone Parkway would be renamed the Hal Rogers Parkway.

Read more for more information about Hal Rogers, the removal of tolls, pictures of the parkways, the renaming of the Daniel Boone Parkway, and the controversy it sparked.

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KentuckyRoads.com is currently undergoing renovation. Some of the URLs have changed; however, all of the content is still here. The navigation links on the left of the page can help locate desired information.

More information will be posted soon. Until then feel free to explore the new image galleries and browse the list of topics. You are also encouraged to post comments about your favorite news items.