US 62

From Kentucky Department of Highways District 9 (Aug. 7, 2015):

All lanes US 62 at Maysville now open after $4.4 million rebuild

Improvement provides new 3-mile conduit for 17,000 vehicles

FLEMINGSBURG, Ky. (August 7, 2015) – Traffic patterns returned to normal today along US 62 at Maysville, the city’s primary downtown access route, as contractors finished the bulk of a $4.4 million Kentucky Transportation Cabinet upgrade of the four-lane state highway.

The upgrade rebuilt 1.2 miles of US 62 from the ground up, removing aging sub-surface concrete and repaving with nearly 14 inches of new asphalt to provide a smoother, more stable driving surface from the AA Highway to Moody Drive and on a shorter section from Fourth Street to Forest Avenue.

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From the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Department of Highways District 4 (Aug. 18, 2010):

Railroad repairs require U.S. 62 closure at Boston

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (Aug 18, 2010) — Repairs to the Kentucky Railway Museum’s rail crossing on U.S. 62 at Boston, in Nelson County, will require closure of the highway beginning Monday, Aug. 30. The road will be closed through Wednesday, Sept. 1.

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From Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Department of Highways (Sept. 23, 2009):

A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans to restrict traffic to one lane on the US 62 Green River Bridge at Rockport starting Monday, September 28, 2009.

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From Department of Highways District 1 (Sept. 1, 2009):

Preparations for New Bridge Require Closure of US 62/US 641 Across Kentucky Dam Starting September 9th
Closure to allow temporary connections to last about 3 weeks

GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. — A contractor for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to temporarily close US 62 and US 641 across Kentucky Dam starting Wednesday, September 9th, 2009, to begin preliminary road work required to tie in a new Tennessee River Bridge being constructed below the dam.

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A new traffic signal will be fully activated Tuesday at the intersection of US 62-Payne's Depot Road and KY 1973-Ironworks Pike in Scott County: Lexington Herald-Leader: New traffic signal on U.S. 62 in Scott County (Apr. 8, 2009) 

Unspecified budget delays are said to be delaying the completion of a new bridge over the Tennessee River below Kentucky Dam: Marshall County Tribune-Courier: Cutbacks slow Kentucky Dam lock project (July 7, 2006) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will soon takeover responsibility for replacing decorative light bulbs on the Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge over the Ohio River at Maysville. Decorative lighting on other bridges across the state has always been the responsibility of local authorities: Maysville Ledger Independent: No easy fix for bridge illumination (Nov. 9, 2005) 

Chunks of concrete have been found to be falling from Paducah’s Puryear Bridge. The bridge opened in 1997.

More information: WPSD NewsChannel 6: Kentucky: Chunks of Concrete Falling From Paducah's Puryear Bridge (April 9, 2005) , WPSD NewsChannel 6: Kentucky: Puryear Bridge Crumbling, Inspectors Called In –VIDEO (April 11, 2005) , WPSD NewsChannel 6: Kentucky: Inspectors Need One More Day (April 11, 2005) 

The US 62 Tyrone Bridge was closed earlier this week in order to allow repairs to be made to its deck.

More information: The Anderson County News: Bridge work (March 23, 2005) , The Anderson County News: With repairs complete early, bridge reopens (March 30, 2005) 

The Grayson County town of Clarkson has approved converting Vanmeter Street into a one-way to improve traffic flow near the towns first stop light: Grayson County News-Gazette: Clarkson creates 1-way street to make way for first red light (Nov. 1, 2004) 

The completion of a new lock at Kentucky Dam is not expected until 2010 or 2011. Part of the project includes the relocation of US 62/US 641 and the Paducah & Louisville Railroad to new bridges downstream from the dam. Those bridges are currently under construction: (Hopkinsville) Kentucky New Era: TVA board applauds city, county growth (Oct. 28, 2004) 

The September 2004 edition of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s newsletter, the Transportation Konnection, has been posted to the KYTC’s web site .

Interesting items in September’s Konnection are:

• Information about “Put the Brakes on Fatalities” day,
• Information about another award for the Paris Pike Project,
• Information about photograph of the ground breaking for Ken Bale Boulevard in Bowling Green,
• Photographs of the reconstruction interchange between the Western Kentucky Parkway and KY 259 near Leitchfield, and
• Photographs from the Simon Kenton Bridge rededication ceremony.

Download: [Transportation Konnection – September 2004] (2MB)

In late September, the Simon Kenton Memorial Bridges was rededicated following a multiyear rehabilitation project. The bridge was originally dedicated Nov. 25, 1931. In addition to numerous local and state officials, two women who participated at the original dedication ceremony were on hand.

More information: The (Maysville, Ky.) Ledger Independent: Bridge Rededicated Following Upgrade (Sept. 24, 2004) , Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Holds Opening Ceremony for Simon-Kenton Bridge (Sept. 23, 2004) 

The US 51/US 60/US 62 bridge at Wickliffe, the US 45 bridge at Paducah, and the KY 56 bridge in Union County will all received new solar powered river navigation lights: USATODAY.com: Kentucky (July 9, 2004) 

Work to reconstruct a curvy section of US 62 known as “Dump Hill” is planned to begin early next year: (Bardstown) Kentucky Standard: State purchases land for Dump Hill project (June 9, 2004) 

Over fifty photographs have been added to the site. They concern:

• The Cave-in-Rock Ferry in Crittenden County
• Bridges along KY 7, KY 30, and KY 52
• Signs from around Kentucky
• A Former Toll Bridge across the Green River
• Bridges along US 62
• An Abandoned Tunnel along US 68

On April 1, the Simon Kenton suspension bridge over the Ohio River at Maysville closed to traffic. This is part of the second year of a two-year project to refurbish the bridge. The bridge will reopen later this year. Travelers should use the new William H. Harsha Bridge a few miles downstream from the Kenton Bridge.

Original construction of the bridge took only one year. It opened to traffic in 1931.

More information: Maysville Ledger Independent: Second and Final Season of Bridge Repair is Here (Apr. 1, 2004) 

The Buffalo Trade Area Development District has recently developed a list of top ten highway projects they would like to see added the Six Year Highway plan. The list includes widening several sections of KY 9, KY 10, and the AA Highway and reconstruction of several other area routes.

More information: Maysville Ledger Independent: Area Officials Hope to ‘Make the List’ for Road Projects (March 19, 2004) 

The Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge over the Ohio River at Maysville will close this summer for repair work. The bridge was closed last summer as part of the same repair project, but has been open over the past winter. The bridge will close April 1 and is planned to reopen August 31.

More information: Maysville Ledger Independent: Bridge to close once again to complete repair work (March 15, 2004) 

Prior to the completion of the westernmost 10 miles of the Western Kentucky Parkway, it ended at US 62 just west of Princeton. Once the parkway was completed, a short two lane segment of the parkway as abandoned. This Old Connector Road eventually became a residential street; however, several features clearly indicate it was once part of a major highway.

Several photographs of the connector have been added to the Western Kentucky Parkway photo gallery.

The Kentucky Standard reports that three spots along US 31E in Nelson County are receiving attention due to a high accident rate: High Grove, Gobel Lake Curve and Hibbs Lane accounted for more than 60% of the accident reported along that US 31E north of Bardstown. US 31E through the area is a two-lane road that is much the same as it was originally constructed back in the 1920s.

The Transportation Cabinet plans to reconstruct part of the road between Nazerth and the Salt River; however, construction has been delayed due to historic sites along the route. Construction on the $100 million project is slated to begin in 2008.

One site on US 62 in Nelson County was also noted for a high accident rate.Dump Hill.

More information: (Bardstown) Kentucky Standard: Four spots becoming most dangerous roads in Nelson County (Jan. 16, 2004) 

The Kentucky Transportation and Tourism Interagency Committee recently approved a scenic byway through Daviess, Hancock, Ohio, Muhlenberg, McLean, Webster, Union and Henderson counties that will highlight the region.s music heritage.

More information: Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer: Scenic byway will feature musical legends (Dec. 12, 2003) 

Contracts will be let this month for another phase of the Leitchfield Bypass (KY 3155). This phase will connect the existing road at City Park to Salt River Road (KY 920) where it will tie in with the nearly complete northern phase of the bypass between Salt River Road and KY 259. Work is expected to begin as soon as weather permits.

More information: Grayson County News-Gazette: Contracts set for November on east bypass (Oct. 22, 2003) 

The US Army Corps of Engineers is in the process of building a new rail and highway bridge over the Tennessee River just below Kentucky Dam. The bridge is part of a project to build a large navigation lock at Kentucky Dam. The total cost of the project is expected to be $650,000,000. The 1200-foot bridge is expected to open in 2006; lock construction should be completed in 2012.

The bridge will carry US 62 and US 641. Both routes currently cross the river via a road on top of the dam.

More information: WPSD NewsChannel 6: New bridge opens '06 (Nov. 6, 2003) 

A new connector route between US 62 and KY 33 had opened. The new by-pass route will divert truck traffic from Versailles's downtown streets.

More information: Lexington Herald-Leader: Woodford Connector opens today (Aug. 5, 2003) , KYTC Press Release: KY 33/US 62 Woodford Connector Opened Today (Aug. 5, 2003) 

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 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) 

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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Ballard County and McCracken County

Three possible routes for I-66 in Ballard County and McCracken County were revealed at a meeting in LaCenter on Tuesday:

• One route begins at Old Mayfield Road and I-24 in McCracken County and passes through the southern park of McCracken and Ballard Counties before crossing the Mississippi River at Wickliffe.
• Another route generally follows US 62 and KY 286 from Paducah to a new Mississippi River crossing at Wickliffe.
• A third route would follow I-24 into Illinois and construct a new route to Cape Girardeau, MO. Illinois officials are not participating in the study because of issues with building a route through the Shawnee National Forest.

The engineering firm of Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas is conducting the study along with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Another meeting is expected to be held later this year.

More information: Courier-Journal: Public input sought on possible I-66 routes in Western Kentucky (Aug. 22, 2002) 

Warren County and Edmonson County

The Glasgow Daily Times reports that I-66 public meeting in Warren County and Edmonson County were well attended. They report that the engineering firm of Bernard, Lochmueller and Associates, Inc. is working with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to provide alternatives for routes the proposed I-66 between the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway and the William H. Natcher Parkway. Parties interested in viewing information from the public meetings should contact Keirsten Jaggers or Jeff Moore at the KYTC office in Bowling Green. The phone number is (270) 746-7898.

More information: Glasgow Daily Times: I-66 meeting well attended (Aug. 22, 2002) , Glasgow Daily Times: I-66 public meeting draws large crowd (Aug. 16, 2002)