US 431

From the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Department of Highways District 3:

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will hold a public meeting from 4 pm until 7 pm on Thursday, September 30 at the Lewisburg Elementary School cafeteria concerning the reconstruction of US 431 from Epleys to KY 106.

This meeting is to present to the public the preliminary alternatives that have been developed for the project. Handouts, containing information about the project, comment sheets and displays will be available at the meeting.

Representatives from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and their consultants will be available to answer questions. Both written and oral statements will be accepted at the meeting.

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The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans to reconstruct several curvy stretches of US 431 in Muhlenberg County, including the so-called “Dead Man’s Curve.”

More information: Evansville Courier & Press: Roadwork slated on dangerous curves (Dec. 19, 2005) 

State Legislator Representative Brent Yonts (D, 15th District)  has begun a campaign to have US 431 widened to four lanes from Owensboro to the Tennessee state line: Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer: Yonts pushing for four-laning of U.S. 431 (Sept. 16, 2005) 

Utility work recently began along a stretch of US 431 that will be re-aligned in McLean County: Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer: U.S. 431 realignment in McLean begins (Aug. 24, 2005) 

A route has been chosen for the proposed southern bypass of Russellville. The chosen route was the longest of three alternatives considered and will connect at the existing northern bypass at both ends. Right-of-way purchase for the eastern leg of the bypass (between US 68/KY 80 and KY 100) is expected to begin this year.

More information: Bowling Green Daily News: Logan selects route for bypass (May 3, 2005) , Logan County News-Democrat & Leader: Commissioner says Southern Bypass coming (May 3, 2005) 

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The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will hold a public meeting on Thursday, March 3 from 4:30pm to 7:00pm at Hughes-Kirk Elementary School to discuss proposed changes to the so-called “Dead Man’s Curve” south of Belton.

More information: Evansville Courier & Press: Meeting to cover deadly curve's future (Feb. 28, 2005) 

An east extension of the US 60 Bypass around Owensboro has been identified as Owensboro’s top transportation priority by the Owensboro-Daviess County Urban Area Transportation's technical advisory committee. Construction on the project to extend the bypass toward the Natcher Bridge is expected to begin in 2008 and be completed by 2011.

The committee also rejected the idea of widening Frederica Street (US 431) to six lanes.

More information: Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer: Panel rules out six-laning Frederica (Feb. 23, 2005) 

Several sections of Owensboro’s David C. Adkisson Greenbelt Park walking and biking trail are open and others are nearing completion. The trail will eventually include a bridge over Frederica Street (US 431)—a project that is expected to cost around $1 million.

More information: Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer: Greenbelt trail growing (Dec. 13, 2004) 

Owensboro officials hope to someday see a connector between Farmview Drive to Carpenter Drive; however, officials are wary of plans to widen US 431 from Owensboro to the Tennessee border: Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer: City seeks Farmview connector (Oct. 27, 2004) 

Two sections of US 431 in Muhlenberg County will be repaved: Messenger-Inquirer: Two sections of U.S. 431 in Muhlenberg to be resurfaced (May 29, 2004) 

As part of a project to improve conditions along a stretch of US 431 in Muhlenberg County, workers have removed nearly 15 feet of a hillside: Evansville Courier & Press: State road project improves visibility on 'Dead Man's Curve' (March 15, 2004) 

Work will begin this week to make temporary improvements to a stretch of US 431 in Muhlenberg County that has seen three fatal accidents since last May. Work will begin in 2006 to make permanent improvements.

More information: Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer: Work begins on 'Dead Man's Curve' (Feb. 21, 2004) 

Gov. Ernie Fletcher has allocated $113,600 from the transportation contingency fund for improvements to a stretch of US 431 where three people of have died in accidents since May 2003.

More information: Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer: Immediate improvements slated for deadly curve (Jan. 29, 2004) 

From Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: Governor Fletcher Sends Funds to Fix “Dead Man’s Curve” in Muhlenberg County :

Frankfort, Ky. - Using dollars from the transportation contingency fund, Governor Ernie Fletcher today provided $113,600 for some immediate improvements to a portion of US 431 south of Belton in Muhlenberg County known as “Dead Man’s Curve”.

“A safe and reliable transportation system in the Commonwealth is vital to Kentucky's future economic growth and overall quality of life,” stated Governor Fletcher. “I am pleased to provide funding for immediate improvements along this stretch of our state's highway because Kentucky must address our highway safety problems in order to provide travelers with the highest standards of safety and care.”

The stretch of road got its name from a recent rash of serious car crashes. Three people have been killed at the site since May of 2003. On January 8th, Governor Fletcher, along with Transportation Secretary Clay Bailey and legislators from the area met in the Governor’s Office with the Bobby Anderson family whose daughter was one of the crash victims. The Governor promised immediate action to improve safety on the roadway.

State Highway Engineer Mac Yowell visited the site on January 13th and soon after dispatched a State road crew to remove trees and a portion of the hill on the west side of the curve to improve visibility. The state will also widen the shoulders and when the weather warms this spring, add a new skid resistant surface.

Meantime, state engineers are developing a plan to completely redesign the dangerous curve. Federal funds are being used to pay for the redesign that is expected to be completed by this summer and barring any major delays reconstruction of the curve could be finished by summer of 2005.

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For more information contact Mark Pfeiffer at (502) 564-3419.

Muhlenberg County Judge-Executive Rodney Kirtley met with state transportation officials this week and believes that work may soon start to replace the stretch of US 431 known as “Dead Man's Curve.” Design work will be carried out in the Madisonville office instead of Frankfort; this should decrease the amount of time required to complete the project. Three motorists have died in accidents at this curve since May.

More information: Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer: Kirtley: State says work on deadly curve should start soon (Jan. 14, 2004)  (free registration required)

Residents of Belton are asking state transportation officials to improve a section of US 431 known locally as "dead man's curve."

More information: Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer: Families push for straightening of 'Dead Man's Curve' (Nov. 16, 2003) , Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer: Lights, signs go up on U.S. 431 curve (Dec. 9, 2003) , Courier-Journal: Funds requested to make deadly road curve safer (Dec. 30, 2003) 

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Division of Professional Services Procurement Bulletins for January include design for the relocation of US 431 in Logan County , design for relocating US 127 in Clinton County (1 , 2 , 3 ), and design for relocating KY 92 in McCreary County .

The Messenger-Inquirer reports that road projects for Daviess County in 2003 include diamond grinding the western portion of the US 60 By-pass, rehabilitation of the northbound lanes of the Natcher Parkway near the northern terminus, and bridge replacements on KY 661 and US 431.

More information: Messenger-Inquirer: Road and bridge projects lined up for 2003 (Dec. 30, 2002) 

The conference version of the Transportation spending bill  has passed both houses of Congress and is now waiting to be signed by the President.

Kentucky is mentioned several places in the bill:

• $2,000,000 for an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) providing Eastern Kentucky rural highway information,
• $750,000 for an ITS for Lexington,
• $2,000,000 for a statewide transportation operations center,
• the corridors for I-66 and I-69 have been redefined: I-66 is now defined to use the Nunn Cumberland Parkway and I-69 is now defined to use the Carrol Purchase Parkway,
• Kentucky may now post signs saying "Future I-69" on the Purchase Parkway and "Future I-66" in the Cumberland Parkway,
• $4,000,000 for to help access to an industrial park in Clay and Leslie counties,
• $50,000 for work on Kentucky 55,
• $1,600,000 for work on Kentucky 192 in McCreary county,
• $1,000,000 for improvements to the intersection at the end of Grover Carey Bridge in Owensboro,
• $250,000 for work on Kentucky 61 in Green county,
• $300,000 for work on Kentucky 92 in Whitley county,
• $20,000,000 for I-66 (I believe this is the Somerset-London segment.),
• $2,500,000 for I-66 in Pike County,
• $320,000 for work on KY 1848 between I-64 and US 60,
• $1,000,000 for the Monticello Street underpass in Somerset,
• $1,000,000 for work on the Pennyrile Parkway (I believe this is for the southern extension to I-24),
• $1,500,000 for work on Stone Coal Road in Johnson county,
• $2,000,000 for work on US 25 near Renfro Valley,
• $5,000,000 for work on US 27 between Somerset and KY 70,
• $80,000 for work on US 27 near Burnside,
• $850,000 for work on US 431 near Lewisburg,
• $500,000 for right-of-way for US 60 in Henderson County,
• $100,000 for work on US 41A,
• $50,00 for Estill County bypass lighting around Irvine,
• $300,000 for Estill County industrial park access road,
• $400,000 for Fegenbush Lane Bridge at Fern Creek,
• $1,000,000 for Henderson riverfront project,
• $1,000,000 for engineering work on Kentucky 61 from Kentucky 487 to Columbia,
• $800,000 for Johnstown Road,
• $2,350,000 for Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for Regional Trail Improvements,
• $1,000,000 for improved access to Louisville's water front park,
• $600,000 for median on US 42 from Harrods Creek to River Road,
• $1,800,000 for Owensboro Riverfront redevelopment project,
• $42,600 for Park City sidewalks,
• $2,000,000 for Somerset downtown revitalization,
• $6,600,000 for Southern bypass around the southwestern portion of Somerset,
• $125,000 for Vine Grove sidewalks,
• $2,000,000 for Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge,
• $1,400,000 for Cold Hill Road,
• $995,000 for Craigs Creek Road,
• $1,500,000 for Daniel Boone Parkway between mileposts 37 and 44,
• $2,000,000 for Brent Spence Bridge replacement I-75 and I-71 near Cincinnati,
• $375,000 for work at I-75 Exit 11,
• $2,500,000 for Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges project,
• $885,000 for Kentucky Scenic byways (Country Music Highway, Wilderness Road Heritage Highway, Cumberland Cultural Heritage Highway),
• $30,000,000 for work Appalachian Development Highway System,
• $4,534,000 for the Kentucky Transportation Department to provide buses, vans, cutaways, and bus facilities in the Commonwealth of Kentucky,
• $1,500,000 for Big South Fork Scenic Railroad enhancement project, and
• $5,000,000 for Southern Kentucky Intermodal Transportation Park.

Quite an impressive haul; however, there is no funding for I-175.