Union County

A year long rehabilitation project on the Shawneetown Bridge drew to a close in Ocotober: Union County Advocate: Shawneetown Bridge set to reopen (Oct. 12, 2005) 

A temporary ferry across the Ohio River at Shawneetown, Illinois has allowed farmers to move equipment across the river while traffic is restricted on the bridge during a repainting project: Henderson Gleaner: Ferry solving Shawneetown Bridge worries (July 3, 2005) 

250 people attended recent public meetings to discuss widening US 60 between Henderson and Morganfield: Union County Advocate: 250 Attend Two Nights of Public Meetings on New U.S. 60 Route Between Morganfield & Henderson (May 4, 2005) , Union County Advocate: Waverly U.S. 60 Public Meeting (Letter to the Editor, May 4, 2005) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has hired a ferry that will carry farm equipment across the Ohio River near the Shawneetown Bridge. Traffic on the bridge is currently restricted due to a repainting project, and an analysis found that it would cost less to temporarily operate a ferry than to periodically clear equipment from the bridge to allow oversized farm equipment to pass.

More information: Evansville (Ind.) Courier-Press: Shawneetown Bridge ferry planned (April 6, 2005) , The Henderson Gleaner: State to ferry farmers at Shawneetown (April 6, 2005) , The Henderson Gleaner: Shawneetown ferry getting into place (April 12, 2005) , The Henderson Gleaner: Shawneetown Ferry starts up (April 13, 2005) , Union County Advocate: Ferry will be used to bypass Shawneetown Bridge painting (April 13, 2005) , Evansville (Ind.) Courier & Press: Farmers take ferry to get to fields (April 13, 2005) , Union County Advocate: Temporary Shawneetown Ferry Floating On a Rich Regional History (April 27, 2005) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet recently held a pair of public meetings to discuss the proposed widening of US 60 from the Henderson Bypass to the Morganfield Bypass. This widening project is undergoing a second environmental impact study after a Corydon resident convinced the Federal Highway Administration that the state had failed to properly consider alternate routes.

More information: The Henderson Gleaner: U.S. 60-W widening meetings set (April 6, 2005) , The Henderson Gleaner: U.S. 60 public meetings scheduled this week (April 24, 2005) , Evansville Courier-Press: U.S. 60 widening research begins again (April 27, 2005) 

A project to repaint the Shawneetown Bridge will cause traffic delays beginning on Friday and continuing through next week: Henderson Gleaner: Shawneetown Bridge delays coming (March 2, 2005) 

Union County officials have asked the state to reject a request by a start-up coalmine to add two-miles of KY 365 to the list of approved coal hauling highways: Evansville Courier&Press: Coal road proposal irks residents (Feb. 14, 2005) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has installed a LED enhanced “Stop” and “Stop Ahead” signs at the intersection of KY 109 and US 60 in the Union County community of Sullivan. The signs include solar powered LED lights that flash to warn motorists of the intersection.

More information: Union County Advocate: Traffic Engineers Place New LED Signs at U.S. 60-KY 109 Intersection In Sullivan (Feb. 9, 2005) 

As of 1:00pm Eastern Time today, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's Operations Center reports that the following roads are closed due to high water or rock slides:

Boone County: KY 20 (milepost 2 to 4); KY 1292 (milepost 2.50 because of a rock slide); KY 2852 (milepost 0 to 1)

Butler County: KY 403 (milepost 4 to 5)

Campbell County: KY 10 (milepost 10.60 because of a rock slide); KY 1566 (milepost 0 to 1.81); KY 1936 (milepost 1.20 because of a rock slide); KY 2921 (milepost 0 to 0.68); KY 2924 (milepost 1.70 because of a rock slide)

Carlisle County: KY 1628 (milepost 3 to 4); KY 1820 (milepost 2 to 3)

Fulton County: KY 1129 (milepost 0 to 9.64); KY 1354 (milepost 0 to 0.40)

Hancock County: KY 334 (milepost 18 to 19)

Henderson County: KY 136 (milepost 0 to 7); KY 268 (milepost 6 to 7); KY 414 (milepost 0 to 0.84); KY 811 (milepost 3 to 6); KY 3522 (milepost 0 to 0.39)

Hickman County: KY 123 (milepost 14 to 16)

Union County: KY 667 (milepost 0 to 16.54); KY 1452 (milepost 0 to 1.98); KY 1637 (milepost 0 to 2.96); KY 130 (milepost 16 to 16.02); KY 668 (milepost 0 to 1); KY 871 (milepost 3 to 6); KY 1508 (milepost 3 to 6)

Up-to-date road conditions can be found at: www.511.ky.gov 

More information: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: More roads through out Kentucky shut down because of high water, rock slides (Jan. 10, 2005) 

The new U.S. Highway 60 Corridor Safety Task Team will meet at Green River Area Development District in Owensboro tomorrow, Nov. 17, at 10:00am to discuss efforts to increase driver safety along US 60: Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer: Group focusing on U.S. 60 safety (Nov. 9, 2004) 

The city of Morganfield must modify the intersections at either end of Railroad Street before the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will issue permits for connections with US 60 and KY 56. The informal street sits on an abandoned Illinois Central railroad bed; Morganfield plans to pave the road and formalize its use as a city street.

More information: Union County Advocate: Morganfield will modify ends of street (Oct. 27, 2004) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet recently conducted a safety review at the intersection of KY 109 and US 60 in Sullivan: Union County Advocate: Traffic Engineers Conduct Safety Review on U.S. 60/Ky. 109 Intersection (Oct. 20, 2004) , The Henderson Gleaner: High-tech help set for U.S. 60 intersection (Oct. 26, 2004) , Union County Advocate: Traffic Engineers Make Safety Recommendations for U.S. 60/KY 109 Intersection In Sullivan (Oct. 27, 2004) 

The US 60 Highway Safety Corridor committee met in September to discuss using a team concept to increase safety along US 60 in Hancock, Daviess, Henderson, and Union counties: Union County Advocate: Highway safety meeting today in Owensboro (Sept. 29, 2004) 

The city of Morganfield is seeking bids for a project to pave over the abandoned Illinois Central railroad corridor between Airline Road and Chapman Street. Illinois Central stopped server in Union County “a generation” ago; however, part of the line was operated by the Tradewater Railroad Co. The city acquired the property several years ago, and it has been used as a street informally known as Railroad Street.

Now the Morganfield city government hopes to pave the street and rename it honor of retiring City Councilwoman Dorothy Crutcher and her late husband Norval Crutcher.

More information: Union County Advocate: Paving bids sought for Railroad St. (Sept. 1, 2004) 

Traffic on the Shawneetown Bridge will be reduced to one, narrow lane during a project to repaint the bridge. The traffic constriction will be in place through November 15 when the project pauses for the winter and will return once the project resumes next spring. The project is expected to last until November 2005.

More information: Henderson Gleaner: Shawneetown Bridge lane to narrow (Aug. 29, 2004) 

A project to repaint the Shawneetown Bridge will result in lane closures lasting through most of next year: The Henderson Gleaner: Shawneetown Bridge to be painted, causing long-term lane closures (Aug. 17, 2004) 

The US 51/US 60/US 62 bridge at Wickliffe, the US 45 bridge at Paducah, and the KY 56 bridge in Union County will all received new solar powered river navigation lights: USATODAY.com: Kentucky (July 9, 2004) 

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) 

When the 2004 Recommended Six-Year Highway Plan was released Transportation Cabinet Secretary Maxwell Clay Bailey assured legislators that no projects had been removed the 2002 Six-Year Plan; however, the Courier-Journal has found that fifteen projects scheduled under the 2002 plan were moved to the unscheduled needs list in the new 2004 plan.

More information: Courier-Journal: 15 projects cut from road plan (March 3, 2004) , WKYT: 15 Kentucky Road Projects Cut Due To Budget Crisis (March 4, 2004) , Hardin County News Enterprise: State drops I-65 widening (March 5, 2004) 

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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.

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The Union County Highway Safety Task Force is planning several efforts to improve highway safety. Among the plans is a Health and Safety Fair to be held in May.

Many in Union County remain concerned about the new Morganfield bypass; however, statistics are said to show that there is nothing wrong with the road: many of the accidents on the road are due to drive inattention. The bypass has rumble strips and intersections have stop signs twice the size of normal stop signs.

More information: Union County Advocate: Highway safety task force (Jan. 14, 2004) 

The Kentucky Transportation and Tourism Interagency Committee recently approved a scenic byway through Daviess, Hancock, Ohio, Muhlenberg, McLean, Webster, Union and Henderson counties that will highlight the region.s music heritage.

More information: Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer: Scenic byway will feature musical legends (Dec. 12, 2003) 

Signs directing travelers to the Shawneetown Bridge will be installed at several intersections on the Morganfield bypass (KY 3393). The bridge to Illinois over the Ohio River is 12 miles west of Morganfield on KY 56.

More information: Union County Advocate: Bypass will get new signs (July 23, 2003) , KentuckyRoads.com: Shawneetown Bridge Photo

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 Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has posted information from public meeting concerning I-69 between Eddyville and Henderson.

More information: http://www.kytc.state.ky.us/planning/pl-projects/projects/I-69/i69_9.30.02/i69_9.30.02.shtm 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will be holding a series of four public meetings concerning the route of I-69 between Henderson and Eddyville. I-69 is expected to follow the Pennyrile Parkway and the Western Kentucky Parkway between these two cities.

More information:

• MyInKy.com: State eyes parkways for I-69 path (Sept. 4, 2002) 
• KYTC's Division of Planning: Proposed Interstate 69 
• KYTC: Announcement of Public Information Meetings 

Thanks for Chris at I69info.com  for the heads up about these meetings.

This Union County Advocate article  reports that nee warning lights have been turned on at the Morganfield by-pass. The road which opened in January has been the site of several fatal accidents.

The troubled US 60 Bypass around Morganfield will have flashing caution lights placed at several intersections. The road which opened in January has been the sight of several fatal accidents.

More information: MyInKy.com: Bypass safety gets a boost  (no longer online)

The Department of Highways in Madisonville is going to review safety on the new Morganfield bypass. The road opened in January and has already been the scene of five fatalities.

More information: Feb. 15 myinky.com article  (no longer online),Feb. 16 myinky.com article  (no longer online), Feb. 18 myinky.com article  (no longer online), Feb. 19 myinky.com article  (no longer online).

The Union County Advocate reports in this article , that the Union County Fiscal Court has asked the KYTC to re-evaluate safety on the new US 60 Bypass. There have already been several accidents on the road since it opened in January.

According to this Union County Advocate article , the new Morganfield Bypass is now open. KY 3393 is a two lane road that bypasses the downtown section of Morganfield. The bypass begins at US 60 East of Morganfield and then crosses the Beaver Dam Road, KY 56 East, US 60 West, KY 130 and ends at KY 56 West and has officially been named the "Sam M. McElroy Jr. Expressway."

The Union County Advocate reports in this article  that work on the new US 60 bypass will temporarily close KY 56. The bypass may open around December 1; however, work has been delayed by recent heavy rains.

The Gleaner (Henderson) reports in this October 4, 2001 article  (no longer online) that the KYTC is planning several projects along US 60 between Louisville and Paducah. These projects include construction of a railroad overpass between Owensboro and Henderson and the construction of a four lane highway between Henderson and Morganfield.

According to this Sept. 7, 2001 article  from the Union County Advocate, the new US 60 bypass around Morganfield could open as soon as December 1. The road is a super two and will connect with a future four lane highway between Henderson and Morganfield.