KY 9 relocation in Newport

[iBallasticwolf2]

In Newport, Kentucky KY-9 will be relocated two blocks west of the existing road on a new alingment.
http://www.nkythrives.com/features/ky-route-9-improvements-042514.aspx
Construction has already started and is planned to be finished in 2017.
It is supposed to give economic benefits which is good although I would think this should be tied in with a rebuild of the aging Fourth Street Bridge.
It also mentions the two planned roundabouts in Newport.

[hbelkins]

How I wish my home state would get over this infatuation with roundabouts.

[bandit957]

This is one road project that is both unneeded and very unpopular. A main purpose of this project isn't even transportation-related: It's so they could tear down a block of public housing (which is not being replaced elsewhere).

Luckily, some local bicyclists lobbied to include a bike lane, but that's probably the only good thing about this project.

[hbelkins]

This is one road project that is both unneeded and very unpopular. A main purpose of this project isn't even transportation-related: It's so they could tear down a block of public housing (which is not being replaced elsewhere).

That's not a goal or purpose of road-building, and you know it. Although if it was a particularly unsavory or blighted public housing project, it probably did the community a favor to remove it.

Looks like the main purpose is to improve connectivity to downtown for AA Highway traffic and also from I-275. The old KY 9 wasn't exactly a speedy route from 275 into the riverfront area.

[iBallasticwolf2]

This is one road project that is both unneeded and very unpopular. A main purpose of this project isn't even transportation-related: It's so they could tear down a block of public housing (which is not being replaced elsewhere).

That's not a goal or purpose of road-building, and you know it. Although if it was a particularly unsavory or blighted public housing project, it probably did the community a favor to remove it.

Looks like the main purpose is to improve connectivity to downtown for AA Highway traffic and also from I-275. The old KY 9 wasn't exactly a speedy route from 275 into the riverfront area.

It is faster and considering it connects with the Taylor-Southgate bridge it actually does have some usage for speed for people looking to get to downtown Newport and Cincinnati quicker. I'm not sure what will happen with the roundabouts. Hopefully KYDOT doesn't end up like WisconsinDOT.

[GCrites]

I drank the roundabout Kool-Aid. I think they work really well in a variety of situations, especially busy former T-intersections.

[froggie]

How I wish my home state would get over this infatuation with roundabouts.

How I wish you'd get over your distaste of them.

They're here.  The numbers show they work, even if idiot drivers can't understand them, but that speaks far more to the idiot driver than it does the roundabout.  Time to get over it.

[iBallasticwolf2]

This might be getting OT but I would love to see the AA highway designation extended from I-275 along this new bypass up to US 27 and have it follow the Taylor-Southgate bridge into Downtown Cincinnati where the designation could end right as the Taylor-Southgate bridge ends. I would think the low rail overpass would have to be dealt with first.

Also, does anyone know what the speed limit on the new bypass will be?

[bandit957]

That's not a goal or purpose of road-building, and you know it.

Sometimes it absolutely is. There is a road in New Haven, Connecticut, that was built in the '50s or '60s for that very purpose.

[bandit957]

This might be getting OT but I would love to see the AA highway designation extended from I-275 along this new bypass up to US 27 and have it follow the Taylor-Southgate bridge into Downtown Cincinnati where the designation could end right as the Taylor-Southgate bridge ends.

They probably will extend the AA designation all the way to the end of KY 9.

[hbelkins]

How I wish my home state would get over this infatuation with roundabouts.

How I wish you'd get over your distaste of them.

They're here.  The numbers show they work, even if idiot drivers can't understand them, but that speaks far more to the idiot driver than it does the roundabout.  Time to get over it.

Unfortunately, we're flush with idiot drivers.

[iBallasticwolf2]

How I wish my home state would get over this infatuation with roundabouts.

How I wish you'd get over your distaste of them.

They're here.  The numbers show they work, even if idiot drivers can't understand them, but that speaks far more to the idiot driver than it does the roundabout.  Time to get over it.

Unfortunately, we're flush with idiot drivers.

Agreed.

[iBallasticwolf2]

This might be getting OT but I would love to see the AA highway designation extended from I-275 along this new bypass up to US 27 and have it follow the Taylor-Southgate bridge into Downtown Cincinnati where the designation could end right as the Taylor-Southgate bridge ends.

They probably will extend the AA designation all the way to the end of KY 9.

I would think they would need to modify that rail overpass because it is very low and maybe fix up the viaduct while they're at it. Not sure how it could be possible to keep the existing viaduct and the existing rail overpass but make better clearence for KY 9. Maybe make the railway have a grade upwards and/or make the KY 9 grade more than the current amount?

[GCrites]

How I wish my home state would get over this infatuation with roundabouts.

How I wish you'd get over your distaste of them.

They're here.  The numbers show they work, even if idiot drivers can't understand them, but that speaks far more to the idiot driver than it does the roundabout.  Time to get over it.

Unfortunately, we're flush with idiot drivers.

It's kind of a chicken or egg situation though. How are people supposed to get good with roundabouts if there aren't any?

[iBallasticwolf2]

Here's the first evidence of construction on the new bypass.
KY 9 by iBallasticwolf2, on Flickr
Photo taken at KY 9 and Lowell Street intersection.

[iBallasticwolf2]

I haven't updated this thread in a while, but multiple things have happened since my last post.

A section of the new road has opened with 1 lane each way from 9th street to 12th street.


Additionally, the section between US 27 and KY 8 is being built, and the two roundabouts are being built.
 
KY 8 and new KY 9 roundabout construction

US 27 and new KY 9 roundabout construction

So far none of the public housing has been torn down.  I'm not sure when it will be torn down, but it will have to be torn down eventually.
http://local12.com/news/local/residents-question-relocation-offers-for-ky-route-9-project

[iBallasticwolf2]

I managed to go around the construction area near Newport on the Levee, and considerable progress is being made on the segment of KY 9 between US 27 and KY 8.

The roundabout at KY 8 is very far along, and will likely be able to be done/usable by October (at least according to google maps).  I imagine that KY 8 will need to be closed for a few weeks at some point in order to lay the new concrete between the approach to the 4th Street Bridge (one day that's going to need replacement to) and the roundabout itself, as well as the road splitting back into two-one way streets after the roundabout.

The roundabout at US 27 is about 3/4 complete, and two-way traffic is already being routed along the complete section to get to the Taylor-Southgate Bridge.  The actual pavement of KY 9 between US 27 and KY 8 is basically complete except for at KY 8 itself where the road traffic is currently using is blocking the way.  The 3rd street access from the roundabout doesn't have all of the pavement complete and the part of the roundabout not complete is still dirt.  According to google maps, the roundabout should be complete by August 6th, when the 3rd Street turnoff will be opened, but the KY 9 alignment will likely continue to be closed until the KY 8 roundabout is complete.

Otherwise, there does not appear to be any visible progress toward tearing down the project buildings to build the section between KY 8 and 9th Street. It will likely be the last part of this to be complete, likely by the end of the year or possibly even by the spring of next year?

[dvferyance]

How I wish my home state would get over this infatuation with roundabouts.

How I wish you'd get over your distaste of them.

They're here.  The numbers show they work, even if idiot drivers can't understand them, but that speaks far more to the idiot driver than it does the roundabout.  Time to get over it.

They don't work everywhere the ones in New Berlin WI have been a nightmare. My big issue with them is they cost much more than intersections with stop signs.

[frankenroad]

Anyone have an idea when this project will be complete?   I could not find any recent updates on the KYTC website.