Lawrence County

The state is still cleaning up from recent ice and wind storms.

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Records show that US 23 is the state’s deadliest roadway: Lexington Herald-Leader: Memorials every few miles on U.S. Highway 23 (Jan. 9, 2005) 

The Ashland Daily Independent reports that Carter County officials have high hopes for the proposed KY 645 extension following recent public meetings. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is working to complete a feasibility study to determine if KY 645 should be extended from its current terminus at US 23 to I-64 near Morehead.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Hopes high for Ky. 645 meeting (Dec. 17, 2004) , Morehead News: Second hearing held on KY 645 extension (Dec. 21, 2004) 

From Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Nov. 29 through Dec. 16 the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is holding a series of the public meetings to discuss constructing a new route from the current terminus of KY 645 at US 23 near Ulysses in Lawrence County to I-64 between Morehead and the Industrial Parkway: 12-115.00 

The cabinet will also hold a public meeting on December 9 to discuss the reconstruction of KY 536 in Kenton County: 6-162.00 

Another meeting will be held on December 16 to discuss a proposed bypass of Columbia: 8-159.00 

For the second time in two months, the Lawrence County Fiscal Court has rejected a motion to rename the KY 3 Levisa Fork bridge in honor of former Chief Justice of the United States Fred M. Vinson. The Louisa city council recently voted to support the renaming of the bridge; the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will make the final decision on whether or not to rename the bridge.

More information: Daily Independent: Court refuses again to endorse bridge name (Oct. 20, 2004) 

The Louisa City Council voted last week to support the renaming of the Louisa-Fort Gay Bridge over the Big Sandy River in honor of Fred M. Vinson, the 13th chief justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Vinson was born in and is buried in Louisa. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet must now approve the proposal.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Louisa votes to rename bridge in honor of Vinson (Oct. 14, 2004) 

Planning continues for a proposed project to extend KY 645 from its current terminus at US 23 to I-64 near Morehead. No money has been allocated for construction of the project; however, a $500,000 feasibility study has been ongoing since 2002. The study will help determine whether such a route is needed and present preliminary alternatives for the route.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Ky. 645 extension still on track (Oct. 11, 2004) 

Heavy rains in June washed out several roads in far eastern Kentucky. Damage was so severe the Transportation Cabinet Highway District 12 was forces to halt all routine highway maintenance and refocus on emergency road repairs. Preliminary estimates are that repairs will cost $6 million.

The rain and floods also damaged roads in Clark County.

Additionally, the rains are believed to have contributed to the partial collapse of KY 292, the Huntley-Brinkley Road, along the Tug Fork in Pike County. The road was constructed by local residents nearly 40 years ago. After the area was featured on the NBC evening news with Chet Huntley and David Brinkley, television viewers nationwide sent donations to aid in the construction of the road. Local residents believe heavy coal trucks contributed to the collapse of the road.

More information: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Highway District 12: District 12 surveys flood damage with FEMA reps (June 6, 2004) , Winchester Sun: Clark County included in request for disaster relief (June 8, 2004) , Lexington Herald-Leader: It's good night to section of Huntley-Brinkley Road (June 15, 2004) , Lexington Herald-Leader: Cause of eastern Kentucky road's deterioration debated (June 15, 2004) 

Transportation Cabinet Secretary Bailey told state legislators on Wednesday that no projects were cut from this year's version of the Six Year Highway plan; however, some projects have delayed due to the states budget problems.

The list of projects is too long to list here; however, some notable projects are listed below.

• $118 million for the Louisville-Southern Indiana Bridges Project. Some of this money will be raised by selling bonds that would be repaid when promised federal funding is allocated for the project.
• $78 million for reconstruction of the Owensboro bypass to the east of its current alignment. This is meant to improve access to the William H. Natcher Bridge.
• Widening of I-64 from Louisville to Shelbyville.
• Widening of I-65 from the Tennessee State Line to Bowling Green.
• Widening of I-75 in Scott and Grant counties.
• Southern extensions of both the Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway and the William H. Natcher Parwkay.

A notable absence from the list is funding for replacing the I-71/I-75 Brent Spence Bridge over the Ohio River; however, the project remains on the unscheduled needs list and officials claim that it is still a priority. Construction on the project is still over a decade away.

This year the transportation cabinet has split the list into projects that will receive federal funding and projects that will not receive federal funding. Projects that will be funded only by the state are expected to be delayed and will be prioritized by need.

Update (Feb. 29, 2004): More information about projects in particular areas can be found here.

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A rock fall blocked traffic on KY 3 in northern Lawrence County. Both lanes of traffic were closed while special equipment was used to break the boulder into smaller pieces for removal.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Boulder blocks stretch of Ky. 3 (Jan. 22, 2004) 

Planning is underway to widen five miles of KY 32 between US 23 and Yatesville Lake State Park; however, construction is not expected to begin until 2007.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Ky. 32 will be widened, straightened (Oct. 27, 2003) , Ashland Daily Independent: Reaction to Ky. 32 road project mixed (Oct. 29, 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) 

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 KYTC Division of Planning has posted information a planning study  concerning extending KY 645 from US 23 near Ulysses to I-64

The Ashland Daily Independent reports in this Dec. 30, 2001 article  that the KYTC is testing SMA asphalt on a stretch of US 23 in Boyd and Lawrence counties. SMA asphalt is an idea imported from Europe and is designed to handle heavy traffic and large trucks.