August 2001

According to this Aug. 31, 2001 article  in the Ashland Daily-Independent, the KYTC is looking for a new home for a historic bridge. The bridge, built in 1922, currently carries KY 1947 over Barrett's Creek near Grayson. It is scheduled to be replaced; however, the KYTC is hoping to give the bridge to a local government or group so that that will not have to be destroyed.

Bowling Green's Daily News reports more about the landslide on the Natcher Parkway in this August 30, 2001 article . This article includes a picture of the collapsed area. Part of the southbound land has collapsed. The KYTC expects that it will cost over $1 million to repair the damage and that construction will not begin for several months.

The Courier-Journal reports in this August 30, 2001 article  that I-64 in east Louisville will remain closed on Labor Day. This is part of the weekend closings to repave and refurbish the Cochran Hill Tunnels.

The Benton Tribune-Courier reports in this August 29, 2001 article  that pre-construction work has begun on widening KY 348 from the Jackson Purchase Parkway to US 641 in Benton. Construction is schedules for 2004, but may be moved to 2003.

The Bowling Green Daily News reports in this August 29, 2001 article  that a landslide at mile point 30.5 on the Natcher Parkway has forced a temporary closure of the southbound lanes. Southbound traffic must exit at Exit 34 and rejoin the parkway at Exit 27. Median crossovers are expected to be constructed soon, but there is no word on when the landslide will be fixed.

WPSD NewsChannel 6 reports in this August 29, 2001 article  that residents of Reidland got their first look at plans for a new bridge over the Tennessee River between McCracken and Livingston Counties, and they are not happy with it. Many residents feel that it would destroy the small town.

The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer reports in this August 25, 2001 article  (no longer online) that work to add extra turn lanes at the eastern end of Owensboro bypass has begun.

The Courier-Journal reports in this August 25, 2001 article  that due to good weather work on I-64 in Louisville may finish weeks early.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports in this August 24, 2001 article  that delays related to a new bridge may delay the opening of the new KY 17 until next year.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports today in this article  that new lanes are being added to I-64 east of Lexington.

The KYTC has posted these materials  for an upcoming public meeting regarding the reconstruction of US 60 in Ballard County. The meeting will be held on Thursday, September 13, 2001.

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

Forty-six new images have been added of I-65 Construction. These images show scrap I-beams that are going to be used to construct pedestrian bridges and images from several bridges and overpasses along I-65.

The KYTC has posted the most recent maps of the proposed alignment of I-66 in Pike County, Kentucky and Mingo County, West Virginia. They are available here . A questionnaire can also be downloaded from the same page.

The KYTC has posted materials from a public meeting  about the proposed widening of US 641 south of Murray. Materials include details on alternate proposals, cost estimates, a questionnaire, and environmental study map.

• Materials from Aug. 16, 2001 public meeting 
• Materials from Jan. 11, 2001 public meeting 

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.

This Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer article  (no longer online) reports that work on the Cary Bridge over the Ohio River at Owensboro is causing eight to ten minute delays.

The Ashland Daily Independent reports in this August 14, 2001 article  that changes will be made at the US 23 and I-64 interchange to alleviate congestion caused by coal trucks.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports in this August 15, 2001 article  that work on the I-75/I-71 and I-275 interchange will cause the temporary closing of a ramp.

The lights in the Cochran Hill Tunnels on I-64 in Louisville will be off for the next few weeks. The Courier-Journal reports in this August 13, 2001  article that they are being replaced as part of the repaving work on I-64.

The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer reports in this August 11, 2001 article  (no longer online) that one lane of the Glover H. Cary Bridge over the Ohio River will be closed this week for the installation of fiber optic cable.

The Courier-Journal reports in this August 12, 2001 article  about the first weekend closing of I-64 for repaving work. They report that there were no delays along the detour routes and describe how the new pavement is designed to reduce traffic noise.

According to this August 10, 2001 article  from the Bowling Green Daily News, Western Kentucky University will receive an unusual gift from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: scrap I-beams from two bridges over the Barren River that are being dismantled. The I-beams will be used to build a pedestrian walkway to a new parking lot on the University's campus.

The Ashland Daily Independent reported in this August 9, 2001  article that a group in Morehead plans to fight a proposed I-64 connector there. The connector would help to alleviate traffic in Morehead; however, the citizens are considered that it would adversely affect the environment.

Thanks to Sherman Cahal  for pointing out this article.

Two new pictures have been added to the I-65 Construction feature. They show the north bound view of the construction north of Exit 28 in Warren County.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports in this August 10, 2001 article  that repaving work along I-71 in Gallatin County has been suspended for the weekend to allow fans easy access to the Kentucky Speedway for the Belterra Casino Indy 300 on Sunday August 12.

A new feature on the William H. Natcher Bridge has been added to the web site. It contains an overview of the project, a map of the project area, photographs of the bridge taken on August 9, 2001, and links to other sources of information about the bridge.

The William H. Natcher Bridge is currently being built over the Ohio River near Owensboro. It is expected to be the new route of US 231 when complete.

Taken near the IN 66/US 231 intersection. Both towers and the deck are visible.	Traffic congestion at the Kentucky end of the Cary Bridge.	The barrier along the south approach of the bridge is still under construction.
[Click Here for More Pictures from Aug. 9, 2001]

[Read Full Text]

The Evansville Courier & Press reports in this August 7, 2001 article  that a section of the Audubon Parkway has caved in. Traffic is down to two lanes due to the collapse. The section was in the process of being repaired to prevent such collapses.

The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer reports in this August 4, 2001  article that a widening project at the intersection of US 60 and US 60 Bypass on the eastside of Owensboro will cause headaches for school bus drivers. The project will widen westbound US 60 to provide two turn-lanes onto the US 60 Bypass. During construction left turns from westbound US 60 and left turns from eastbound US 60 Bypass will be prohibited.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports in this August 3, 2001 article  that work on the KY 17 expansion project in Kenton county is near completion. When the project is completed, rapid growth is expected in this largely undeveloped area of Kenton county.

View all 26 images in set.

In 1973, an overpass over the William H. Natcher Parkway in Warren County was named "Most Beautiful Bridge" by the American Institute of Steel Construction. Click here to see photographs of the overpass taken on June 17, 2001.

The Courier-Journal (Louisville) reports in this August 2, 2001 article  that I-64 from Grinstead Drive to the Watterson Expressway will be closed for 15 consecutive weekends starting on August 10th. During the closings the roadway will be repaved and the Cochran Hill Tunnel will be repaired. This is the first thorough repaving of the highway since it opened in 1970. Traffic will be routed around the closing on I-264 (Watterson Expressway) and I-71. A map of the project area is included.

Information on the project from the KYTC can be found here .

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has released this newsletter  (PDF format) that discuss a feasibility study of an I-74 "Northern Kentucky Outer Loop" that could possibly serve Carroll, Gallatin, Owen, Grant, Pendleton, Bracken and Mason counties.

The KYTC has released the KY 11 Intermediate Planning Study . The study provides information about the need for reconstruction of KY 11 in Lee and Owsley counties and provides estimated costs for the project.

The Bowling Green Daily News reports in this July 27, 2001 article  that the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has begun studying possible improvements to KY 884 between US 231 and the Natcher Parkway in Bowling Green. Information on the planning study can be found here  on the KYTC website.

The Daily News (Bowling Green) reports in this July 12, 2001 article  that a study has begun to designate a route for Interstate 66 between the Louie B. Nunn (Cumberland) Parkway and William H. Natcher Parkway. This route would be in the area of Warren, Edmonson, and Butler counties. The article also discusses the status of other parts of the I-66 project.

The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer reports in this July 26, 2001 article  that rehabilitation work a 2.5 mile stretch of the US 60 Bypass in Owensboro should be completed in mid-September. In addition to resurfacing the route, several bridges were repaired or replaced.

The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer reports in this July 22, 2001 article  (no longer online) that work on the new cable stayed bridge over the Ohio River near Owensboro should be complete in about a year. The new bridge will carry US 231 and will divert traffic from the existing bridge in downtown Owensboro.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports in this July 27, 2001 article  that the U.S. Senate may approve a bill authorizing $2 million to begin a study on replacing Brent Spence Bridge over the Ohio River in 2002. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet had been planning to start the study in 2006.