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[Grzrd]

This article reports that KYTC has awarded a contract to bring 36.4 miles of the Pennyrile Parkway up to interstate standards, and it reports that, "The remaining portion of the I-69 Corridor is scheduled to have signs in place in late 2015

This Dec. 3 article projects that I-69 shields will be installed on the Pennyrile by the end of 2015, with currently scheduled work on the Pennyrile-to-I-69 upgrade anticipated to be completed by August, 2015:

Transportation engineers say I-69 signage should be seen through Hopkins County by the end of next year. Right now, 36 miles of the Pennyrile Parkway is being upgraded to interstate standards. That stretches through Hopkins County, Webster County, and Henderson County.
The work is scheduled to be done in August of 2015.

[Grzrd]

This article reports that, in addition to the recent Pennyrile Parkway contracts, a contract was recently awarded to upgrade thirty miles of the Purchase Parkway to interstate standards

Governor Beshear's office has issued a press release announcing the award of a contract to upgrade the KY 348 interchange on the Purchase Parkway:

Governor Steve Beshear today announced the award of a contract for more of the improvements needed for bringing the Julian M. Carroll Purchase Parkway up to interstate highway standards and eventual designation as Interstate 69.
The project involves reconstruction of the interchange at KY 348, starting at mile point 42.1 to Exit 43 at Benton in Marshall County – a distance of about 1 mile. The existing cloverleaf interchange will be converted to a diamond interchange to accommodate traffic moving at modern highway speeds. Jim Smith Contracting Co. was awarded the contract on a low bid of $8.15 million. The project has a completion date of June 30, 2016 ....
The remaining portion of the I-69 Corridor is scheduled to have signs in place in the summer of 2015.

[thefro]

http://www.courierpress.com/gleaner/news/changes-coming-to-pennyrilei69-interchange_57445731

New ramp from the Pennyrile to W. Kentucky Parkway (I-69) opening Saturday, allowing for folks to maintain Interstate speeds.

[hbelkins]

They've put that off until Jan. 5.

[Captain Jack]

They've put that off until Jan. 5.

Went past there today, the ramp is now open.

[Grzrd]

This Dec. 3 article projects that I-69 shields will be installed on the Pennyrile by the end of 2015

This article reports that KYTC still expects to sign the Pennyrile by the end of 2015, and it provides a listing of the new I-69 exit numbers that will replact the current Pennyrile numbers:

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 2 Chief Engineer Kevin McClearn is optimistic Interstate 69 can be extended up the Pennyrile Parkway from Madisonville to Henderson by the end of the year ....
"We plan to meet the requirements mapped out in an official agreement between KYTC and the Federal Highway Administration to allow us to place I-69 signs along 41.8 miles of the Pennyrile, allowing it to officially become a part of the Interstate system," McClearn said. "Once we have our list of projects completed or under contract, we can request approval to move ahead with the required signage and new exit numbers. We expect to gain that approval this summer." ....
I-69 will bring the following shift in exit numbers along the Pennyrile. McClearn noted that the agency now knows what those changes will be:
•Kentucky 813 Mortons Gap Exit 37 to Exit 108
•Kentucky 2171 Earlington/Madisonville Exit 40 to Exit 111
•Kentucky 70 Madisonville/Central City Exit 42 to Exit 114
•Kentucky 281 Madisonville Exit 44 to Exit 116
•U.S. 41 Madisonville Exit 45 to Exit 117
•Kentucky 260 Hanson Exit 49 to Exit 120
•Kentucky 136 Calhoun/Slaughters Exit 54 to Exit 125
•Kentucky 56 Sebree/Owensboro Exit 63 to Exit 134
•Kentucky 416 Robards/Niagara Exit 68 to Exit 140
•Kentucky 425 Henderson Bypass Exit 76 to Exit 148 A and B
McClearn said a similar effort is being made in KYTC District 1 to gain approval to push I-69 southward along the Purchase Parkway toward Fulton where exit numbers will also change.

[lordsutch]

Why would the Purchase's exit numbers change? Are they mis-measured or something?

[Tom958]

http://www.courierpress.com/gleaner/news/changes-coming-to-pennyrilei69-interchange_57445731

New ramp from the Pennyrile to W. Kentucky Parkway (I-69) opening Saturday, allowing for folks to maintain Interstate speeds.

"On Saturday, the contractor plans to open one lane of the ramp leading from the southbound Pennyrile to I-69 heading west toward Eddyville. Traffic will be limited to 55 miles per hour for the time being." As tight as that curve looks, I'd be surprised if the new roadways were ever posted for more than 55mph.

[NE2]

OH MY GOD A LEFT EXIT

[wdcrft63]

Maybe not. I guess the concept is that the Western Ky Parkway traffic is exiting I-69, instead of the other way around.

[NE2]

Maybe not. I guess the concept is that the Western Ky Parkway traffic is exiting I-69, instead of the other way around.

A left exit from 69 *southbound*. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[Tom958]

Maybe not. I guess the concept is that the Western Ky Parkway traffic is exiting I-69, instead of the other way around.

A left exit from 69 *southbound*. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

A case could be made that there is, but it doesn't bother me since the split is in the intuitive direction. Cheaper + better = win.

[hbelkins]

I don't think the designation of I-69 will result in any traffic pattern changes at this exit for a long, long time.

[NE2]

I don't think the designation of I-69 will result in any traffic pattern changes at this exit for a long, long time.

Indeed. 70-57-55 will continue to be the better route.

[thefro]

In the short/medium term it will add more traffic to the Pennyrile than people turning to stay on I-69, since that will be the better route from SW Indiana to Nashville and points south (and vice-versa) than I-65.

[codyg1985]

In the short/medium term it will add more traffic to the Pennyrile than people turning to stay on I-69, since that will be the better route from SW Indiana to Nashville and points south (and vice-versa) than I-65.

I would think that the people that live in SW Indiana already use US 41->Pennyrile->I-24 as a route to Nashville and points south and east, so I don't see how the I-69 designation will really change that.

[mgk920]

http://www.courierpress.com/gleaner/news/changes-coming-to-pennyrilei69-interchange_57445731

New ramp from the Pennyrile to W. Kentucky Parkway (I-69) opening Saturday, allowing for folks to maintain Interstate speeds.

"On Saturday, the contractor plans to open one lane of the ramp leading from the southbound Pennyrile to I-69 heading west toward Eddyville. Traffic will be limited to 55 miles per hour for the time being." As tight as that curve looks, I'd be surprised if the new roadways were ever posted for more than 55mph.

I've mentioned this before, but I can't help but think that there might be some (unpublicized) plans lurking around somewhere to someday upgrade the Pennyrile from there to I-24 just south of Hopkinsville to full interstate standards (a southern 'I-41', anyone?).

 

Mike

[roadman65]

How about I-366 being that the Western Kentucky is supposed to be someday I-66?  I think it would make a better candidate for that than VA 28.

[hbelkins]

How about I-366 being that the Western Kentucky is supposed to be someday I-66?  I think it would make a better candidate for that than VA 28.

But Kentucky doesn't have an 85 mph speed limit.

[iBallasticwolf2]

http://www.courierpress.com/gleaner/news/changes-coming-to-pennyrilei69-interchange_57445731

New ramp from the Pennyrile to W. Kentucky Parkway (I-69) opening Saturday, allowing for folks to maintain Interstate speeds.

"On Saturday, the contractor plans to open one lane of the ramp leading from the southbound Pennyrile to I-69 heading west toward Eddyville. Traffic will be limited to 55 miles per hour for the time being." As tight as that curve looks, I'd be surprised if the new roadways were ever posted for more than 55mph.

Ahh this will be a very interesting interchange when complete

[Grzrd]

This article reports that KYTC has come up with a solution that will allow traffic to use the spur, that FHWA approval is not expected to be a problem, and that construction on the interchange could begin next October:

A local lawmaker is expressing optimism that a new Interstate 69 interchange won't cut off a route into Calvert City.
The concern is over changes to the cloverleaf between the Purchase Parkway and Interstate 24.
State representative Will Coursey spoke with Kentucky Transportation leaders on Friday.
“The Cabinet heard our concerns and has come up with a solution that solves the problem,” said Rep. Coursey, (D) Benton. “All that remains is approval by the Federal Highway Administration, something that is not expected to be an issue."

This article reports that FHWA has approved the design that includes the spur into Calvert City and a contract for the interchange reconstruction is expected to be let this Fall:

Governor Steve Beshear today announced that engineers designing the corridor for Interstate 69 can rebuild a key interchange for Interstate 24 in Marshall County in a way that preserves direct interstate access to U.S. 62 at Calvert City.
“The project team has come up with a design that accomplishes two important objectives,” Gov. Beshear said. “It will result in an interchange that meets federal interstate standards. At the same time, it will maintain a critical connection for Calvert City.”
The key to the project will be construction of a separate ramp – called a “flyover” ramp – to afford traffic an exit from I-69 North onto the Julian M. Carroll Purchase Parkway, which directly connects with U.S. 62 and KY 1523 – Oak Park Boulevard – in Calvert City ....
The I-24/Purchase Parkway interchange was among nine targeted for reconstruction, and a contract for the project is expected to be awarded this fall. Five other interchanges are completed or under construction.
The I-24/Purchase Parkway interchange lies at the western end of an 18-mile segment of interstate on which I-69 and I-24 run concurrently. This interchange is unique in that it involves a major fork where two interstates combine.  Under the project design, the interstates will split immediately east of the interchange. Traffic continuing west on I-24 will bear to the right. Traffic going south on I-69 will peel off to the left.
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) rules for interstate highways require “route continuity” – meaning traffic staying on a particular interstate route within the confines of an interchange must be able to do so seamlessly, with no loss of speed.
However, there is no such requirement for traffic switching from one interstate route to another – in this case, from I-69 northbound to I-24 westbound. FHWA has approved retention of a cloverleaf ramp for this traffic movement ....
The new design preserves three of the existing cloverleaf ramps. It eliminates a fourth ramp that currently serves as the Fulton exit for I-24 westbound traffic. The design also eliminates the ramp that currently serves as the Nashville exit for northbound parkway traffic merging into I-24 East/I-69 North. In place of that ramp will be the new mainline I-69 movements and the flyover ramp for Calvert City.

edit

Here is a snip of the interchange redesign map from Gov. Beshear's press release that provides an illustration of the flyover ramp from Future I-69/Purchase Parkway northbound to the Purchase Parkway spur:

[vdeane]

That design looks rather familiar...

[triplemultiplex]

A left exit for 69 SB?  Given the large amount of traffic that uses I-24 and the relatively tiny amount of traffic that will ever use I-69, that ramp needs to be right-hand.  This design is going to cause weaving problems between the service interchange with US 62 and the left-hand exit.

-1 for Kentucky

[codyg1985]

A left exit for 69 SB?  Given the large amount of traffic that uses I-24 and the relatively tiny amount of traffic that will ever use I-69, that ramp needs to be right-hand.  This design is going to cause weaving problems between the service interchange with US 62 and the left-hand exit.

-1 for Kentucky

There will also be a left exit at the I-69/Pennyrile/Western Kentucky Parkway interchange where drivers going south on I-69 will need to stay to the right to continue on I-69. In this case, though. most of the traffic will probably stay on the Pennyrile.

[silverback1065]

I hate left hand exits, they aren't so bad in rural areas, but the few that still exist in urban areas are awful!