September 2009

A gate fell off of a lock at the Markland Dam near Warsaw, Kentucky. A smaller auxiliary lock is now in use, but traffic on the river will be delayed until the damaged lock can be repaired: Associated Press: Gate falls off Ohio River lock, slows ship traffic (Sept. 28, 20090) 

Contracts for part of the project to extend the Natcher Parkway east from its current terminus at I-65 in Warren County will be let in October: Bowling Green Daily News: Natcher project moving forward; Contracts for extension on track for Oct. letting (Sept. 28, 2009) 

Both Kentucky and Indiana have applied for federal money to apply to two Ohio River bridge projects: the replacement of the US 421 bridge over the Ohio River between Milton, Kentucky and Madion, Indiana and the redecking of the Big Four Bridge over the Ohio River in downtown Louisville: Louisville Courier-Journal: $25 million in stimulus money sought for Big Four Bridge (Sept. 24, 2009) 

Officials from the Federal Railroad Administration and CSX Transportation held a meeting last week to discuss changes required to keep the railroad 'quiet zone' in downtown La Grange: Louisville Courier-Journal: Meeting to focus on keeping ‘quiet zone’ in La Grange (Sept. 23, 2009) 

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.

[Read Full Text]

Work to replace the pavement on part of I-65 in Jefferson County is underway and causing some travel delays: Louisville Courier-Journal: I-65 work creates snarls (Sept. 22, 2009) 

The Bowling Green Daily News reports that transportation components to the Warren County Metropolitan Planning Organization's proposed comprehensive plan are unlikely to see changes. One transportation issue addressed in the plan is congestion along Scottsville Road (US 231). Jeff Moore from the Transportation Cabinet Department of Highways says that widening the roadway is not feasible, so instead the focus will be on controlling access and improving intersections: Bowling Green Daily News: Road element may remain unchanged; Future land use map of county is most controversial part of plan (Sept. 22, 2009) , City-County Planning Organization of Warren County 

You can now follow KentuckyRoads.com on Twitter to receive notification of updates to the site. Follow username kyroads .

The two westbound lanes of Interstate 64 are closed at the Catlettsburg exit after they sank about a foot due to an embankment failure: Associated Press: 2 interstate lanes sink in northeastern Ky (Sept. 21, 2009) , Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Department of Highways District 9: Westbound Interstate 64 remains closed at Catlettsburg; Crews expediting repairs; eastbound traffic unaffected (Sept. 21, 2009) 

Planners are making contingency plans for how to proceed if a tunnel under a historic Jefferson County property is removed from plans for the new East End Bridge that is part of Louisville-Southern Indiana Bridges Project: Louisville Courier-Journal: Tunnel to bridge is now in question (Sept. 20, 2009) 

During a recent visit to Louisvlle, Gov. Steve Beshear updated the status of a number of road projects in the area. These include:

• The construction of an interchange between KY 1447 Westport Road and I-264 Watterson Expressway.
• Widening of I-64 from I-265 Gene Snyder Freeway to Exit 28 in Shelby County.
• Median cable barrier installation along I-65.
• Reconstruction of a ramp at the interchange between I-64 and I-264 Shawnee Expressway west of downtown.
• Pavement repairs along various stretches of interstate.

More information: Louisville Courier-Journal: Beshear recaps road projects in Louisville area; $200M in work started or planned (Sept. 18, 2009) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will hold a public meeting in Lexington Tuesday to discuss the state of the extension of Newtown Pike: Lexington Herald-Leader: Newtown Pike extension update is Tuesday (Sept. 18, 2009) 

From KYTC Department of Highways District 10 on Sept. 16, 2009:

Transportation Cabinet conducts public meeting on proposed improvements to Mountain Parkway Exit 18 in Clay City

JACKSON, KY – On Tuesday, Sept. 15, personnel from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Department of Highways District 10 office conducted a public hearing on the proposed improvements to Exit 18 of the Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway in Powell County.

[Read Full Text]

From the Office of Governor Steve Beshear:

Governor Beshear announces $28.7 million in improvements for Interstate 65
Among major construction projects under way or planned for Louisville area

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Sept. 16, 2009) — Gov. Steve Beshear, joined by Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson, today announced the beginning of a major construction project to repair the pavement on Interstate 65 in Jefferson County.

The $28.7 million project – “Revive 65” – involves the replacement of concrete pavement with asphalt on the 3-mile section of interstate between Fern Valley Road and I-264 (Watterson Expressway). It is among a dozen road and bridge projects, totaling more than $195 million, under way or planned for the Louisville area.

[Read Full Text]

A project to widen part of US 25 between Lexington and Georgetown will be delayed until 2011: Lexington Herald-Leader: U.S. 25 expansion delayed to 2011 (Sept. 8, 2009) 

From the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Office of Public Affairs (Sept. 14, 2009):

‘511’ roadway updates now available through Twitter
511 reports road closures, delays, construction

FRANKFORT, Ky.—The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet now offers 511 traffic information through Twitter. This feature provides the latest road closures, delays, construction areas, vehicle crashes and other roadway incidents.

[Read Full Text]

The Louisville-based conservation group River Fields and the national preservation organization National Trust for Historic Preservation have files suit in federal court claiming that the Federal Highway Administration broke the law in its 2003 approval of the Louisville-Southern Indiana Bridges Project: Louisville Courier-Journal: River Fields lawsuit could halt Ohio River Bridges Project (Sept. 10, 2009) , Associated Press: Suit seeks to halt bridges project (Sept. 10, 2009) 

The Courier-Journal printed two letters to the editor in opposition to the lawsuits: Louisville Courier-Journal: Bridges lawsuit is criticized (Sept. 16, 2009) 

From KYTC Department of Highways District 2 (Sept. 14, 2009):

Transportation Cabinet schedules cleaning & inspection of US 41 Twin Bridges
Lane restrictions scheduled week of Sept. 28th

HENDERSON, Ky. — Lane restrictions are scheduled on the US 41 Twin Bridges the week of Sept. 28th, for a variety of deck and maintenance work.

[Read Full Text]

From KYTC Department of Highways District 2 (Sept. 14, 2009):

Railroad Work to Create One Lane Traffic on US 41 Between Hopkinsville and Ft. Campbell
Rail overpass to require traffic shift starting Wednesday

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. — Alltrack, Inc., plans to replace railroad ties and rails along the Masonville railroad overpass on US 41-A/Ft. Campbell Boulevard between Hopkinsville and Ft. Campbell starting Wednesday, September 16, 2009. This work zone is at US 41-A mile point 8.8.

[Read Full Text]

Inspectors have found the US 421 bridge over the Ohio River between Milton, Kentucky and Madison, Indiana to be in as bad or worse condition than it was before last being rehabilitated in 1997. Repairs to the bridge could force an 18 month closure of the span: Associated Press: 80-year-old Ohio River bridge found in poor shape (Sept. 14, 2009) , Louisville Courier-Journal: Bridge across Ohio River in poor shape (Sept. 14, 2009) 

The Tennessee Department of Transportation will hold three public meetings this week to discuss possible improvements to I-75 from the Kentucky state line to the Georgia state line: Associated Press: TDOT public meetings this week about I-75 (Sept. 14, 2009) 

A public meeting about how to improve traffic flow in and around Versailles will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Falling Springs Arts and Recreation Center, 275 Beasley Drive in Versailles. More information: Lexington Herald-Leader: Meeting on Versailles traffic flow (Sept. 15, 20090 , Northwest Versailles Mobility Study 

A new bi-state negotiating team met today in Louisville to discuss the creation of a bridge authority to oversee financing of the Louisville-Southern Indiana Bridges Project: Louisville Courier-Journal: Ky., Ind. panel recommends bi-state bridges oversight (Sept. 15, 2009) , Louisville Courier-Journal: Ohio River bridges project negotiators will meet Tuesday (Sept. 14, 2009) , Louisville Courier-Journal: Bridges negotiating team to meet Tuesday (Sept. 11, 2009) 

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.

[Read Full Text]