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I-69 in KY

Started by Grzrd, September 20, 2010, 12:25:35 PM

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TheStranger

Quote from: noelbotevera on October 28, 2015, 05:04:40 PM
An even easier one is to just simply put I-69 on I-64 and follow it to Kentucky.

Doesn't make sense to have 69 go east and then west a significant distance just to avoid bypassing 2 miles of stoplights.
Chris Sampang


vdeane

Quote from: andy on October 28, 2015, 01:26:48 PM
Quote from: vdeane on October 28, 2015, 01:08:34 PM
Wouldn't those bridges need to be upgraded to meet interstate standards?

Isn't the bigger and more important challenge going to be getting through downtown Henderson?

Easier to go around the development than through.  Meanwhile, bridges are EXTREMELY expensive, and getting the US 41 bridges up to standards would likely require replacement anyways.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

iBallasticwolf2

Quote from: noelbotevera on October 28, 2015, 05:04:40 PM
Can't they upgrade the US 41 bridge rather than a new one? Just rehab the US 41 bridge and twin it, slap I-69 through it, then boom, I-69 has a bridge. An even easier one is to just simply put I-69 on I-64 and follow it to Kentucky.
You can't do that to the US 41 bridge.
1. The bridge already has 2 spans

2. Even if the bridge was twinned you could only have 2 lanes in each direction because of the existing spans it's 2 lands with no shoulder. You can't get those spans to interstate standards unless you pulled a Huey. P Long, AKA widening the actual spans with new truss.

If KYTC really wanted to, they could connect the two spans but that would probably be as expensive if not more than just a completely new bridge on a new ROW like current plans are.
Only two things are infinite in this world, stupidity, and I-75 construction

vdeane

Plus modern interstate standards require FULL WIDTH shoulders, both left and right, and the bridge exemption is long gone.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

hbelkins

One of the bridges is 1930s vintage, the other is 1960s vintage.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

Pete from Boston


Quote from: silverback1065 on October 27, 2015, 08:50:21 PM
Quote from: US 41 on October 27, 2015, 08:48:46 PM
Quote from: Henry on October 26, 2015, 01:00:06 PM
Quote from: silverback1065 on August 20, 2015, 08:52:22 PM
Kentucky is by far the luckiest of all the states that are along the 69 route.
That's because most of the route has already been built, albeit as a series of parkways. I seriously doubt that when they were first built, anyone in their right mind would have guessed that they would one day be a part of the Interstate system. And now, I-69 will follow them, with the Ohio River bridges as the missing link between Evansville and Owensboro.

Speaking of the bridges, it's a guessing game between them and the Bloomington-Indianapolis link as to which will be completed first.

I honestly think there is a 50/50 chance that the US 41 bridges will end up being used long term as the I-69 bridges.
That's highly likely. They could just slap some "to i-69" shields next to all the US 41 shields.

It's not highly likely, for reasons covered heavily here.  Neither the route nor the bridges are suitable.  It's very possible that I-69 has a gap for many years, though.

Quote from: hbelkins on October 28, 2015, 04:34:10 PM
It's not actually downtown, but a short commercial strip northeast of downtown. However, in the short term I don't expect the changeover of the parkways to I-69 to cause that much of an increase in traffic.

It's also a very large hunk of Henderson's tax base.  Fifty years ago the Interstate might have been rammed through anyway, but ruining local economies for expedient rights-of-way is less popular these days.

I would think if there's any meaningful uptick, it will be when 69 makes it to Indianapolis.

The Ghostbuster

How long before the Pennyrile Parkway and the Purchase Parkway are upgraded to Interstate Standards and become signed as Interstate 69?

jnewkirk77

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on November 02, 2015, 04:54:52 PM
How long before the Pennyrile Parkway and the Purchase Parkway are upgraded to Interstate Standards and become signed as Interstate 69?

The Pennyrile is almost done - I believe the Mortons Gap interchange project and the sign replacement is all that's left, and that should be done by year's end.

vtk

Quote from: vdeane on October 29, 2015, 12:58:22 PM
Plus modern interstate standards require FULL WIDTH shoulders, both left and right, and the bridge exemption is long gone.

I thought inside shoulders could be much narrower, if the highway is only two lanes each way.
Wait, it's all Ohio? Always has been.

RoadWarrior56

Inside shoulders need to be full width only for three lanes or more in each direction, based on my experience.  I believe the inside paved shoulder width for a two lane section is now 6', which is still higher than the previous 4'.  KYTC probably received a Design Exception for the existing inside shoulder width, at least until the next round of paving contracts.

Pete from Boston


Quote from: jnewkirk77 on November 03, 2015, 09:17:59 AM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on November 02, 2015, 04:54:52 PM
How long before the Pennyrile Parkway and the Purchase Parkway are upgraded to Interstate Standards and become signed as Interstate 69?

The Pennyrile is almost done - I believe the Mortons Gap interchange project and the sign replacement is all that's left, and that should be done by year's end.

What about the I-24 ramps?  They were still under construction when I was there a couple of times in July and August. 

jnewkirk77

Quote from: Pete from Boston on November 04, 2015, 08:50:24 AM

Quote from: jnewkirk77 on November 03, 2015, 09:17:59 AM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on November 02, 2015, 04:54:52 PM
How long before the Pennyrile Parkway and the Purchase Parkway are upgraded to Interstate Standards and become signed as Interstate 69?

The Pennyrile is almost done - I believe the Mortons Gap interchange project and the sign replacement is all that's left, and that should be done by year's end.

What about the I-24 ramps?  They were still under construction when I was there a couple of times in July and August.

I've not been able to get down that way lately, so hopefully someone who has will chime in.

EngineerTM

Quote from: jnewkirk77 on November 03, 2015, 09:17:59 AM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on November 02, 2015, 04:54:52 PM
How long before the Pennyrile Parkway and the Purchase Parkway are upgraded to Interstate Standards and become signed as Interstate 69?

The Pennyrile is almost done - I believe the Mortons Gap interchange project and the sign replacement is all that's left, and that should be done by year's end.


The local news has had a couple stories about the resigning efforts along the Pennyrile Parkway to alert the public about the changes in the exit signs and mile markers.  Also, I have a friend who works for the I-69 Innovation Corridor, and he told me that there is supposed to be an official ribbon-cutting event down in Madisonville, KY sometime in mid-November before the Thanksgiving Holiday.  I'm making some additional queries to try and confirm that.

hbelkins

Quote from: EngineerTM on November 08, 2015, 01:15:10 PM
The local news has had a couple stories about the resigning efforts along the Pennyrile Parkway to alert the public about the changes in the exit signs and mile markers.  Also, I have a friend who works for the I-69 Innovation Corridor, and he told me that there is supposed to be an official ribbon-cutting event down in Madisonville, KY sometime in mid-November before the Thanksgiving Holiday.  I'm making some additional queries to try and confirm that.

Something's in the works but I don't know specifics, or a date.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

EngineerTM

Just found out that Kentucky will have the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Pennyrile Parkway section of I-69 on Monday, November 16th in Madisonville, KY.

http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event;jsessionid=19DDFEE2099F394A2B7519DBA111CC04.worker_registrant?llr=nx5jb7iab&oeidk=a07ebtme3en33265bff

I hope that I hyperlinked this correctly.  Nice to see this section completed and officially dedicated!  Not sure what the time frame is for the I-69 section that will follow along the Carroll/Purchase Parkway between I-69/I-24 and the Kentucky/Tennessee state line.

At the rate that things are going, I think that we will have I-69 from Michigan to KY/Tenn, and within Texas done well before the remaining states in the middle make any substantial progress.

thefro

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pressroom/fhwa1571.cfm

QuoteFederal Highway Administration Approves Redesignation of Kentucky's Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway

Major Milestone Reached in Decades-Long Effort to Improve Traffic Flow, Upgrade 40 Miles of Major Regional Corridor

MADISONVILLE, Ky. — The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration approved the redesignation of 39.9 miles of the "Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway"  as Interstate 69, and Federal Highway Administrator Gregory Nadeau and other federal, state and local officials were on hand for a ceremony dedicating the nation's newest section of interstate earlier today.

"This latest addition to the national interstate system is the newest ladder of opportunity for residents of rural Kentucky and the thousands who depend on this region,"  said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. "This project created jobs for highway workers and, in the years to come, it will continue to create jobs by strengthening the economy and helping freight move more easily to and from markets worldwide."

Construction on the second segment of the new I-69 — from the Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway interchange to the Kentucky 425 interchange nearly 40 miles north — began in early 2014. Workers reconstructed the I-69/Pennyrile Parkway/Western KY Parkway system interchange to provide a continuous through traffic movement for the mainline of I-69, upgraded guardrail and bridge rails, corrected vertical clearances and made numerous interchange ramp improvements to enhance safety for the thousands who use the route daily.

Though the cost of the overall I-69 Corridor project is estimated at more than $1 billion, this segment cost $110 million — nearly all of which came from federal funding.

"This route is a key segment of one of the nation's most economically needed freight corridors,"  said Administrator Nadeau. "Improving its ability to handle the predicted increase in traffic over the next 20 years will make a big difference to those living in and traveling through the region."

According to Kentucky Transportation Cabinet figures, nearly 15,000 drivers use the route each day — a figure they expect will nearly triple to 41,000 drivers in the next 20 years.

Captain Jack

Quote from: EngineerTM on November 11, 2015, 03:58:21 PM
Just found out that Kentucky will have the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Pennyrile Parkway section of I-69 on Monday, November 16th in Madisonville, KY.

http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event;jsessionid=19DDFEE2099F394A2B7519DBA111CC04.worker_registrant?llr=nx5jb7iab&oeidk=a07ebtme3en33265bff

I hope that I hyperlinked this correctly.  Nice to see this section completed and officially dedicated!  Not sure what the time frame is for the I-69 section that will follow along the Carroll/Purchase Parkway between I-69/I-24 and the Kentucky/Tennessee state line.

At the rate that things are going, I think that we will have I-69 from Michigan to KY/Tenn, and within Texas done well before the remaining states in the middle make any substantial progress.

Is there any progress at all going on in TN? It doesn't seem like with converting a dual-lane and mostly rural highway, along with the benefits to one of the states largest metros, this would have dragged on for so long there. I drove the US 51 route last month, and there is nothing besides the Future Corridor signs.  It's signed from the MS-TN line, and shortly from the KY-TN line, this is really the only large gap left between MS and MI.

EngineerTM

According to KTC's I-69 pages, there are 4 interchanges (not counting the one on the KY/TN line) that need to have improvements done along the Purchase Parkway before it can be converted to I-69.  Based on what I read, and what I can see on Google Earth, construction appears to be progressing on Exit 43 at Benton, KY.  I don't know where the level of progress on the remaining interchanges stand.  It is my understanding that these improvements must either be completed (or substantially done) before KY can ask FHWA for permission to re-brand the Purchase Parkway.

Perhaps there are others who might have more information.

Of course, the 800-lb gorilla in the room is SIU 4 that would take I-69 over the Ohio River between Henderson, KY and Evansville, IN.  Latest news is that INDOT agreed to do a tolling study.

roadman65

I heard officially the Penryville Parkway is now I-69 and not future I-69 as a ribbon cutting ceremony was held today!
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

Captain Jack

I drove this section from Henderson to the former WK exit today. Not sure what the ribbon cutting was about. There are no visable 69 shields along the route, other than the ones on the BGS at the WK split. Much of the road is still under construction with many miles of one lane highway in each direction.

I did notice a couple of new mileage signs. Seemed odd to replace Hopkinsville with Fulton. I understand 69 will go to Fulton and not Hopkinsville, but I am certain that a large majority of through traffic from the Henderson-Madisonville segment will continue towards Hopkinsville, and not west on the former WK. Might should include both cities. Same going north, Evansville should also be included on the mileage signs. Seems rather silly to have Morganfield when the road doesn't get within 30 miles of there, and none for Evansville, where the majority of the northbound traffic is heading.



Pete from Boston


Quote from: Captain Jack on December 01, 2015, 02:59:43 PM
I drove this section from Henderson to the former WK exit today. Not sure what the ribbon cutting was about. There are no visable 69 shields along the route, other than the ones on the BGS at the WK split. Much of the road is still under construction with many miles of one lane highway in each direction.

I did notice a couple of new mileage signs. Seemed odd to replace Hopkinsville with Fulton. I understand 69 will go to Fulton and not Hopkinsville, but I am certain that a large majority of through traffic from the Henderson-Madisonville segment will continue towards Hopkinsville, and not west on the former WK. Might should include both cities. Same going north, Evansville should also be included on the mileage signs. Seems rather silly to have Morganfield when the road doesn't get within 30 miles of there, and none for Evansville, where the majority of the northbound traffic is heading.

Where are the miles of lane closures? When I was last through there a couple of months ago, I only encountered real road narrowing around the Western Kentucky Parkway interchange and maybe Mortons Gap.  Might be there again soon — it would be good to know what to expect.

tdindy88

Down the road, the controls should probably be Memphis and Evansville, but until the bridge is built over the Ohio River and Tennessee builds their part of I-69, I can see why Kentucky would keep Fulton and Henderson, that and good old provincialism. Based on my trip down the WK Parkway several years ago, leaving Elizabethtown, Kentucky had no problem giving the distances to Paducah, Owensboro and Hopkinsville. I see no reason why Hopkinsville and Fulton couldn't be listed heading south on I-69 out of Henderson.  The really radical thing would be to sign Nashville heading south, I bet there's some traffic heading all the way down there via 69 and the Pennyrile.

The Ghostbuster

I just looked at the Pennyrile Parkway site on Wikipedia. The new exit numbers for Interstate 69 will stop at the Audubon Parkway, and existing exits 76/77/78/79/81 will become 10/11/12/13/14. Why is that? I would have thought that the northernmost portion of the Pennyrile Parkway that will not become part of Interstate 69 would have its exits remain the same numbers.

vdeane

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on December 01, 2015, 04:36:39 PM
I just looked at the Pennyrile Parkway site on Wikipedia. The new exit numbers for Interstate 69 will stop at the Audubon Parkway, and existing exits 76/77/78/79/81 will become 10/11/12/13/14. Why is that? I would have thought that the northernmost portion of the Pennyrile Parkway that will not become part of Interstate 69 would have its exits remain the same numbers.
I cannot think of any circumstances in which those numbers would make sense.  Are all of them confirmed, or just 10?  The only circumstance I can think of exit 76 becoming 10 is if you numbered them backwards based on US 41.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

Pete from Boston


Quote from: The Ghostbuster on December 01, 2015, 04:36:39 PM
I just looked at the Pennyrile Parkway site on Wikipedia. The new exit numbers for Interstate 69 will stop at the Audubon Parkway, and existing exits 76/77/78/79/81 will become 10/11/12/13/14. Why is that? I would have thought that the northernmost portion of the Pennyrile Parkway that will not become part of Interstate 69 would have its exits remain the same numbers.

I thought the ultimate plan was that 69 will branch off closer to the commercial strip in Henderson. That is north of the Audubon Parkway.  Are they just stopping at the Audubon Parkway until further plans are finalized?



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