US 460, KY 114 and KY 40

[hbelkins]

I often see the suggestion that that the US 460 and KY 114 designations ought to be swapped on the roads between Salyersville and Paintsville/Prestonsburg, respectively.

Up until 1950, KY 40 ran westward from the West Virginia border through Inez, Paintsville, Salyersville, West Liberty, Frenchburg, Mt. Sterling, Paris and Georgetown to Frankfort. KY 114 ran from Prestonsburg to Salyersville. When US 460 was extended into Kentucky, it used the route of what was KY 4 from the Virginia state line to Millard (supplanted), KY 80 from Millard to Shelbiana (concurrency), US 23 from Shelbiana to Paintsville (concurrency), and KY 40 from Paintsville to Frankfort (supplanted). KY 40's western end was truncated at Paintsville.

The existing alignment of US 460 from east of Salyersville to Paintsville was built in the 1970s. When that road was opened, KY 40 was placed back on the old route from Paintsville through Oil Springs to Salyersville. In the meantime, KY 114 had been reconstructed in the early 1960s (as an extension of the Mountain Parkway) but the route number didn't change.

A much more logical routing for US 460 would be directly from Prestonsburg to Salyersville, instead of the concurrency with US 23 north to Paintsville and then southwest to Salyersville.

My point in all this rambling? KYTC has changed a few route numbers in the last couple of years. Two of which I am aware are KY 227 in Owen County and KY 57 in Nicholas and Fleming counties. Granted, these aren't major routes like US 460 and KY 114, but the decision was made to change the route numbers because the new numberings were logical and made sense.

Since swapping 460 and 114 is so frequently mentioned, I wonder if anyone has ever contacted KYTC to suggest this change, and if so, what answer did you get. It might be time for someone to make that suggestion again, based on recent events.

[NE2]

Why not make KY 114 an extension of the Bert? There's precedent for parkways having at-grades.

[froggie]

There is precedent, yes, but US 460 would still have that odd (and IMO unnecessary) kink.

[hbelkins]

Why not make KY 114 an extension of the Bert? There's precedent for parkways having at-grades.

Up until about 10 years ago, in Floyd County, KY 114 was also signed as the Mountain Parkway. (I don't have any photos). It was never signed as such in Magoffin County.

I think a more logical renumbering would be to put US 460 on the Mountain Parkway and have it end at I-64.

[Captain Jack]

Where is the end of US 460 now..Frankfort? I know before the decommisioning in Indiana, it followed US 60 through Louisville onto the Sherman Minton bridge.

[amroad17]

Why not make KY 114 an extension of the Bert? There's precedent for parkways having at-grades.

Up until about 10 years ago, in Floyd County, KY 114 was also signed as the Mountain Parkway. (I don't have any photos). It was never signed as such in Magoffin County.

I think a more logical renumbering would be to put US 460 on the Mountain Parkway and have it end at I-64.

I agree.  Also, current US 460 could revert back to KY 40, as most of the road is narrow two-lane--except around Georgetown, Mt. Sterling, and maybe Paris (not sure).

[hbelkins]

Also, current US 460 could revert back to KY 40, as most of the road is narrow two-lane--except around Georgetown, Mt. Sterling, and maybe Paris (not sure).

Quite a bit of it has been rebuilt. From West Liberty westward to Grassy Creek, a stretch between Mize and Ezel in Morgan County, sections east and west of Frenchburg (and a few more miles east of Frenchburg are currently under construction), from Jeffersonville to Mt. Sterling, and from Forks of Elkhorn to Frankfort.

[keithvh]

I agree.  Also, current US 460 could revert back to KY 40, as most of the road is narrow two-lane--except around Georgetown, Mt. Sterling, and maybe Paris (not sure).
[/quote]

I haven't been on US-460 between Paris and Georgetown ---- but I have been on the segment between Paris and Mt Sterling once. 

I simply couldn't believe that was a US-Highway considering how narrow it was.  It's pretty and all, but it's not a particularly high quality road.