Harlan County

An article by Mark Polston, a managing director at WSP, describes how the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has built and scaled an “alternative delivery” program since 2021, working with WSP. Instead of the traditional design-bid-build sequence, these projects bring contractors in during design. With progressive design-build, one team designs and builds and the price is set only after scope and risks are worked out together. With construction manager/general contractor (CM/GC), the designer and contractor are hired separately but the contractor advises on cost, constructability and schedule during design. The article says KYTC's main goals were faster schedules and more flexibility, for example moving ahead before right-of-way and scope are fully settled.

The article is not an independent news story: it is an “insights” piece by WSP, an engineering firm that has worked with KYTC on the program.

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From Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 11:

Team Kentucky Cuts the Ribbon on Newly Improved U.S. 421 in Harlan County
Recently completed three-lane highway provides safer travel, connectivity in Eastern Kentucky

MANCHESTER, Ky. (Oct. 13, 2026) – Today, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman joined state transportation leaders, local officials and community members in Harlan County to cut the ribbon on a new three-lane section of U.S. 421 that provides safer travel and improved connectivity between southeastern Kentucky and Virginia. The reconstruction was completed ahead of schedule, and is a $32 million Team Kentucky investment in improved accessibility, safety and opportunity for families and travelers in the region.

“This project has been decades in the making,” said Gov. Beshear. “We’re grateful to everyone who made today a reality and are excited to see this investment bring safer roads, faster travel times and increased economic opportunities to this region.”

[Read Full Text]

Contractors recently began paving part of the Little Shepherd Trail on Pine Mountain in Harlan and Letcher Counties. Some local residents have expressed opposition to the state’s plan to pave the trail: Associated Press: State starts paving over primitive trail, reignites local flap (June 13, 2006) , Lexington Herald-Leader: State stirs anger by paving trail; Opponents had been told it wouldn't happen (June 14, 2006) , Lexington Herald-Leader: Demonstrators fight paving of mountain trail; Tourist Site Has A Literary History (June 16, 2006) 

Reader Jamie Middleton has submitted a set of photographs documenting the recently reconstructed section of US 421 in Harlan County. Thanks Jamie!

The state has backed down from a plan to improve access to the Little Sheppard Trail by paving it. Area residents feared that the trail which winds down the spine of Pine Mountain would become a road for vehicle traffic.

More information: Associated Press: State won't pave primitive trail on Pine Mountain (July 18, 2005) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has received a $3.1 million grant to fund various public transit projects in rural Kentucky counties: Lexington Herald-Leader: Transportation Cabinet gets $3.1 million (March 2, 2005) 

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held recently for a newly constructed segment of US 421 in Harlan County: WYMT Mountain News: Section of Major Road is Complete (Jan. 22, 2005) 

The October 2004 and the 2004 Year-in-Review editions of the transportation cabinet’s newsletter have been posted to the KYTC Konnection page .

Among stories covered in the October 2004 edition are:

• The SAFE program that aids broken down motorists.
• Information about a KYTC employee’s trip to Russia to participate in an engineering exchange program.
• Coverage of the installation of new “Move Over or Slow Down for Stopped Emergency Vehicle” signs.
• Coverage of ceremonial beginning of the Kennedy Bridge repainting project.
• A story about KYTC employees rescuing a cat from an Ohio River bridge.
• Information about the opening of a reconstructed segment of US 421 in Harlan County.

Download: [Transportation Konnection – October 2004] (2.51 MB)

Among stories covered in the 2004 Year-in-Review edition are:

• Information and photographs of work on I-66 in Pulaski County.

Download: [Transportation Konnection – 2004 Year-in-Review] (2.32 MB)

WKYT and WYMT provides some information about three-phase plan to construct a new route between Harlan and Hazard: WKYT: U.S. 421 Improvement Project (Nov. 17, 2004) , WYMT: Improvements to a Dangerous Road May Be in the Near Future (Nov. 17, 2004) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Division of Planning has recently released the Final Report of the Pre-Design Scoping study for improvements to the Kentucky 69 approach to the Bob Cummings Bridge in Hawesville: more information 

Additionally, materials involving a study of a proposed route between US 68 and Tollesboro in Fleming, Mason, and Lewis County: more information 

Information regarding alternatives for a new connector route between Harlan and Hazard has also been posted: more information 

Gov. Fletcher and Transportation Secretary Bailey have appointed chief highway engineers for nine of the Division of Highways' twelve districts.

• Edward “Ted” Merryman has been appointed as Chief Highway Engineer for districts 1 and 2. Previously, Merryman was chief highway engineer for district 2. [more information ]
• Greg Meredith has been reappointed as Chief Highway Engineer for district 2. [more information ]
• Gary M. Raymer, P.E. has been appointed as Chief Highway Engineer for district 4. [more information ]
• David Jones, P.E. has been appointed as Chief Highway Engineer for district 6. [more information ]
• Jim Rummage, P.E. has been appointed as Chief Highway Engineer for district 7. [more information ]
• Katrina O. Bradley, P.E. has been appointed as Chief Highway Engineer for district 9. [more information ]
• Samuel H. Beverage, P.E. has been appointed as Chief Highway Engineer for districts 10 and 11. [ more information ]

More information: WKYT: Gov. Fletcher Hires New Highway Engineers (June 29, 2004) , Associated Press: Fletcher appoints top highway engineers (June 30, 2004) , Hardin County News-Enterprise: Highway engineer appointed in E'town (June 30, 2004) , Maysville Ledger-Independent: New KTC Engineer Sees District as Unique (July 2, 2004) 

Gov. Fletcher recently visited the spot improvement project along US 119 over Pine Mountain: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 12: Governor tours Pine Mountain road project (May 14, 2004) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Division of Planning has posted new information regarding a proposed new route connecting Harlan and Hazard. The material includes two maps of the area under consideration.

More information: KYTC Division of Planning: Harlan to Hazard Connector 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Division of Planning has released materials concerning a planning study for a new route connecting Harlan and Hazard. See here   for more information.

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) 

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.