Cumberland Gap

The Lexington Herald-Leader profiles U.S. Representative Hal Rogers who the dub the Prince of Pork: Lexington Herald-Leader: Prince of Pork; Hal Rogers hauls home tax dollars by the billions (Feb. 6, 2005) 

Today, Gov. Ernie Fletcher appointed Sam Beverage, PE as State Highway Engineer. The State Highway Engineer works with the Commissioner of Highways to administer the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the more than 27,000 miles of state maintained roads in Kentucky. Beverage has previously served the transportation cabinet as Chief District Engineer for District 6, District 10, and District 11. Earlier this year, Gov. Fletcher appointed Beverage as Chief District Engineer for both Districts 10 and 11. Beverage also previously served as Commissioner of the West Virginia Department of Highways.

Beverage will replace J.M. “Mac” Yowell. Since becoming State Highway Engineer in 1992, Yowell has served under three governors: Jones, Patton, and Fletcher. At twelve years, he was the longest serving state highway engineer in the nation. Yowell will continue to serve the cabinet in the capacity of an executive advisor.

Among the transportation cabinet’s accomplishments during Yowell’s tenure was the completion of the Cumberland Gap Tunnel. Yowell was a driving force behind the completion of that project.

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WYMT Mountain News reports on security around the Cumberland Gap Tunnel: WYMT Mountain News: Homeland Security Officials Look For Potential Terrorist Targets (June 25, 2004) 

The Transportation Cabinet recently showed off its news “war room” to the media. The room in the cabinet’s new Frankfort offices allow officials to monitor road conditions around the state—including live video from Louisville, Northern Kentucky, and the Cumberland Gap Tunnel: Courier-Journal: High-tech operations center will aid emergency response (June 22, 2004) , Lexington Herald-Leader: Transportation base gets high-tech upgrade (June 22, 2004) 

Personnel at the Cumberland Gap Tunnel have begun testing a new camera system. The new cameras are meant to improve the ability to monitor traffic conditions and improve tunnel security.

More information: WYMT: Tunnel Operates With New Technology (Feb. 14, 2004) 

Preacher William Boyd Bingham II of Middlesboro died last week. The preacher, who was a minister for 60 years, helped campaign for the construction of the Cumberland Gap Tunnel and the elimination of the dangerous highway through the gap.

More information: Middlesboro Daily News: Preacher Bingham remembered for his ministries (Feb. 9. 2004) 

The Cumberland Gap Tunnel Authority in the process of installing new variable message signs along the approaches to the tunnel and inside the tunnel itself. This week work will be underway to install new signs in the tunnel itself. There will be temporary lane closures in both directions. Motorists are asked to obey speed limit signs and be mindful of tunnel employees.

More information: Middlesboro Daily News: Tunnel plans lane closures this week (Jan. 26, 2004) 

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 American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) has named Kentucky's parkway system and the Cumberland Gap Tunnel as Kentucky's top road project. They also recognized Wendell Ford and Calvin Grayson as the state's top transportation officials.

More information: KYTC Press Release 

This KYTC press release  commemorates the five year anniversary of the opening of the Cumberland Gap Tunnel. The press release contains background information about the tunnel and several pictures of the tunnel.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports more about the Cumberland Gap restoration project in this August 21, 2001 article  (no longer online).

The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer reports in this August 14, 2001 article  (no longer online) that work has begun to remove all traces of the old US 25E through Cumberland Gap. The plans are to restore the area to how it would have looked in 1780. US 25E now travels through the Cumberland Gap tunnel which opened in 1996.