The AARoads Blog

Commenced the final day of this trip from Jeffersonville, Indiana, just outside of the Interstate 65, I-265, and Indiana 265 interchange. Avoiding the bulk of traffic along Interstate 65 into Louisville, we opted for I-265 west to I-64 and out of the Falls City area.

Currently I-265 does double duty, as the Sherman Minton Bridge over the Ohio River of Interstate 64 was closed for emergency repairs on September 9. Alternate Interstate 64 shields are posted to guide motorists along Interstate 265 between I-64 and I-65. Exit 0 of Interstate 265 west remains open as the I-64 ramps to Spring and Main Streets at New Albany remain in service.

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It was that time of the year again, for us to embark on another AARoads trip specifically to document roads. This year’s trip focused on finishing what we started in November 2009, with a return trip to Indiana and Michigan for the purpose of driving the remaining Interstates that we did not cover two years prior. Day 1 took us northward from Alabama to Cincinnati, Ohio. The day started out clear and sunny, but clouds ahead of an approaching cold front quickly set in by Birmingham and increased in density until yielding sprinkles in Chattanooga and heavy rain north of Cleveland, Tennessee. Rain fell profusely all the way to the Cincinnati area.

Work associated with the Progress 65 project in Montgomery is now complete. Despite the presence of construction barrels in this scene taken November 3, 2011, there was no active work. Interstate 65 was widened to six lanes on a 4.613-mile stretch through Montgomery and speed limits increased to 60 mph. All final guide signs are in place.

Shelby County widening of Interstate 65 from Exit 242 (CR 52) north to the Jefferson County line is near completion. The freeway carries six lanes on this stretch with increased ramp capacity at the suburban interchanges of Alabama 119 (Cahaba Valley Road), CR 52 and CR 17 (Valleydale Road). Future expansion will focus on the freeway south from Exit 242 to Exit 238, and eventually the Shelby County Airport interchange (Exit 234).

Work continues on the reconstruction of Interstate 65 from the Jefferson County line northward to U.S. 31 (Exit 252) at Vestavia Hills. When we passed through in June, northbound traffic was partitioned between a single lane and two-lane carriageway split and no signs were left for Interstate 459. Now southbound utilizes that configuration while northbound continues with three overall lanes and new Highway Gothic font based signs are in place. Work on this aspect of the Progress 65 project is slated for completion this upcoming winter.

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Rounding out the northern component of our trip, covering Interstate 64 east through eastern Kentucky to Charleston and a rehash of the West Virginia Turnpike south among other revisits of roads previously driven. Several more projects worth mentioning on this drive and we cover some in detail below

We begin our day at Mt. Sterling, Kentucky and discover one of a handful of state named shields for Interstate 64. This particular assembly is found along Kentucky 686 (Indian Mound Drive), a circumferential arterial around the city. KY-686 is signed as east-west, even on the north-south routing of the state route.

This Kentucky 11 shield includes the rarely seen Highway Gothic Series A.

Kentucky 2 north at the beginning of Kentucky 59 near Exit 156 of Interstate 64.

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Day 4 focuses on Interstate 76 west, the Columbus Beltway, and completing Interstate 71 in Kentucky among other roads.

Ohio 711 was completed on October 24, 2005 after three years of construction. The 3.35-mile state route links Interstate 80 and Ohio 11 with Interstate 680. For years ramp stubs sat unused at Interstate 80 and Ohio 711 existed as a short spur from Interstate 680 (Exit 3A) to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.

Ohio 711 travels a viaduct from U.S. 422 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard) westward over the Mahoning River to junction Interstate 680.

An original button copy diagrammatical sign for Exits 4B/A, west of downtown Youngstown, was replaced with a new overhead assembly. The number of Interstate 680 originated from the Ohio Turnpike as Interstate 80N. A partial "Y" interchange provides only westbound access to the urban loop from Interstate 76 at the south end.

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Almost devoid of snow, U.S. 61 northbound after its split with U.S. 67 in downtown Davenport, Iowa. A full day of rain washed most of the snow away, but it would return with a vengeance later Christmas day.

More snow fell then forecast, with the Quad Cities area receiving 3 to 4 inches. This photo, taken at 7:47 am, shows the condition of Interstate 74 near Exit 4 to U.S. 67. The overpass above was replaced in 2009, and the Clearview-fonted signage below was added in place of an overhead assembly.

Snow covered Illinois-Iowa Memorial Bridge across the Mississippi River.
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Day 5 – Cincinnati to the Gulf Coast

A few highlights from the final day of traveling from the Cincinnati area back south toward the Gulf Coast of Florida…

The start of the morning has us heading north from the Covington area back into Cincinnati over the Brent Spence Bridge. Opened to traffic in 1963, this double-deck cantilever bridge carries Interstate 71 and Interstate 75 traffic from Kentucky into the western downtown area of Cincinnati, where the two interstates depart for Columbus (Interstate 71) and Dayton (Interstate 75), respectively. A study is currently underway to improve traffic flow and to replace the existing Brent Spence bridge. More than likely, a new structure will be built to replace the almost 47 year old bridge spanning the Ohio River.

Heading north on the lower deck of the Brent Spence Bridge toward the downtown area of Cincinnati. Photo taken 11/08/09.

Part of the trek around the Cincinnati area involved traveling Interstate 471. The short 5.75 mile expressway connects Interstate 71 in downtown Cincinnati with Interstate 275 and U.S. Highway 27 in Kentucky east of Covington and Newport. Originally planned in the 1960′s to connect Covington and Newport as the Riverside Expressway, Interstate 471 saw several changes in its controversial routing before being built in its current location. An interesting note about the expressway, the portion south of the Interstate 275 interchange is actually signed as Interstate 471, and not as Kentucky 471, its hidden route designation south of the greater Cincinnati beltway. So, the question must be asked, exactly where does Interstate 471 end? Most would say at the interchange with Interstate 275 but signs show otherwise…

This guide sign warns motorists that Interstate 471 ends 1/2 mile ahead. This sign is actually found just south of the interchange with Interstate 275 before the at-grade intersection with U.S. Highway 27. Photo taken 11/08/09.

Approaching the intersection with Alexandria Pike (U.S. Highway 27) and the beginning of northbound Interstate 471. Photo taken 11/08/09.

First northbound reassurance shield for Interstate 471 just north of the Alexandria Pike intersection and south of the interchange with Interstate 275. Photo taken 11/08/09.

The Smart Fix project along Interstate 40 between exits 388A (James White Parkway) and 389 (Hall of Fame Drive)in Knoxville, Tennessee is now complete and opened to traffic, as of June 12, 2009, 18 days ahead of schedule. The 14-month closure resulted in mainline Interstate 40 through traffic being rerouted onto Interstate 640 to avoid the construction area. The project included the widening of Interstate 40 into a six-lane urban arterial with four auxiliary lanes, rehabilitation and reconstruction of 13 bridges and other improvements, and a complete renovation of the interchange with Tennessee 158 (James White Parkway) at Exit 388A.

Traveling east along Interstate 40 after Exit 388A in Knoxville. This stretch of interstate was closed for 14 months as part of the Smart Fix project, a project at making a 40 year plus old section of Interstate 40 safer to traffic. Photo taken 11/08/09.

Newly reconstructed overpass for Hall of Fame Drive over Interstate 40 at Exit 389. This aesthetically pleasing overpass was reconstructed as part of the Smart Fix project along the interstate between exits 388A and 389. Photo taken 11/08/09.

Some notes from a recent five-day road trip from the Gulf Coast northward to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

Widening is currently underway along Interstate 65 in Montgomery, Alabama. This project totals 4.613 miles in length and focuses on replacing the original concrete surface with asphalt while expanding the previous four-lane freeway into six lanes overall. Work exists between U.S. 80 (Exit 167) and the Alabama River bridge. Overhead highway signs along the stretch were replaced during the project. See Progress65 for more details.

New diagrammatical overhead for the split of Interstate 85 north from Interstate 65 north in Montgomery.

Continuing north along Interstate 65, widening is also underway between Exits 262A and 264 in north Birmingham, with additional work slated for next year from Exit 265 to 267. Construction focuses on the building of new collector/distributor roadways that will eventually serve the eastern terminus of Interstate 22 (Corridor X). No work has commenced on the interchange itself, but some land clearing of for the eventual path of the new highway has already occurred.

A look at the ongoing road work along Interstate 65 through northern reaches of Birmingham.

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Speaking of places that aaroads does not cover in too much detail, we’d like to introduce a new Kentucky page. So far, only I-64 and Lexington’s New Circle Road are posted but all Louisville area freeways, and a few other roadways in the “Golden Triangle” area of the state are coming soon Edit: They’re all up now! I’d like to especially thank the Louisville Courier-Journal for the use of their extensive archives. I really enjoyed seeing the interstates of the Bluegrass State, and I hope to get some more time in there soon.
Arkansas is also forthcoming!

Over the last decade or so, the state of Kentucky has taken it upon itself to rename or augment the names of its extensive parkway system. New names honor politicians prominently in the names and trailblazers of the parkways, roadways that otherwise have no numbered designation (at least that is publicly displayed). I personally find these designations somewhat confusing, as there are no numbered counterparts and the names don’t chime in with the geography anymore. Therefore drivers must learn the political names whether they like it or not.

Here is a list of the parkway names (original version, the politician version, and the date changed), courtesy KentuckyRoads.com:

• Green River Parkway – William H. Natcher Parkway in 1994
• Blue Grass Parkway – Martha Layne Collins-Blue Grass Parkway in 2003
• Cumberland Parkway – Louie B. Nunn Parkway in 2000
• Daniel Boone Parkway – Hal Rogers Parkway in 2003
• Mountain Parkway – Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway in 1976
• Pennyrile Parkway – Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway in 2000
• Purchase Parkway – Julian M. Carroll Purchase Parkway in 2001
• Western Kentucky Parkway – Wendell H. Ford-Western Kentucky Parkway in 1998
• Audubon Parkway – unchanged (named for John J. Audubon)

What is worse is that the trailblazers Kentucky uses for its parkway system were unimaginative overall, except for the Daniel Boone Parkway, and now with the politicians names added to the previous road name in some cases, the shields are now somewhat or completely illegible. Take for instance the following two photos taken by Steven Delery along the Pennyrile Parkway northbound:

Who can read these signs without concentrating on them?

At least some of these issues will be lessened with the signing of Interstate 69 along the Pennyrile er Breathitt Parkway, Western Kentucky er Wendell H. Ford Parkway, and Purchase er Julian Carroll Parkway.

Also, do you consider Kentucky part of the Southeast, part of the Midwest, or part of something else? I’ve never been able to get a solid answer on this, though those who say that it is in the southeast also consider Virginia to be part of the southeast. I personally consider Virginia to be Mid-Atlantic, and Kentucky to be part of the Ohio Valley, and the Ohio Valley is generally considered the Midwest if anything else. Thoughts?