I-69 in KY

[codyg1985]

Just how do they measure the amount of long distance travelers.  I mean we all know how each state measures daily traffic counts by installing the same detector loops that are used at signals at various points along interstate, and local arterials.  However, how to you actually determine which counts in each area are the same counts unless you have what Florida uses and a mini chip inside our tags which are measured and counted by ugly white squares either attached to traffic lights or along the side of freeways on ugly assemblies.

As far as I can tell there is really no way to say how many cars and trucks travel the whole length of I-5 from Mexico to Canada.  We can estimate from the data collected from the three states it transits, but we cannot be one hundred percent of just how many full length travelers use the single digit N-S freeway.

From what I understand about traffic modeling, determining the true origin and destination for long-distance traffic is mostly guesswork.

[NE2]

From what I understand about traffic modeling, determining the true origin and destination for long-distance traffic is mostly guesswork.

Maybe not for trucks due to the Secret Muslim Kenyan Socialist logbook regulations. But determining the actual route is still guesswork: http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/faf/faf3/netwkdbflow/index.htm

For example, it appears that they forgot about I-335 when calculating this: http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/nat_freight_stats/nhsmajortrkrts2040.htm

[trafficsignal]

Just how do they measure the amount of long distance travelers.  I mean we all know how each state measures daily traffic counts by installing the same detector loops that are used at signals at various points along interstate, and local arterials.  However, how to you actually determine which counts in each area are the same counts unless you have what Florida uses and a mini chip inside our tags which are measured and counted by ugly white squares either attached to traffic lights or along the side of freeways on ugly assemblies.

As far as I can tell there is really no way to say how many cars and trucks travel the whole length of I-5 from Mexico to Canada.  We can estimate from the data collected from the three states it transits, but we cannot be one hundred percent of just how many full length travelers use the single digit N-S freeway.

There is a lot of research / investigation into using bluetooth data since it is freely transmitted by wireless devices (unless you turn the feature off).  I don't know the details, but from what I understand each device carries a unique random ID # and you can buy a scanner that picks up that number.  Track it in several places and you have information about volumes and travel times.  INDOT / Purdue has done research with monitoring of a few arterials to see the benefits / limitations.

[roadman65]

How do they get potential data that the Feds do believe that there are many trucks that deliver between Southern Ontario to Eastern Mexico that they are going all out on making this a reality?  So far to me it seems more political than reality. Is there proof that this would be warranted from a source other than the typical politics as we know that their words mean nothing any more.  I would be more tend to believe something non political than that comes from Washington.

[thefro]

How do they get potential data that the Feds do believe that there are many trucks that deliver between Southern Ontario to Eastern Mexico that they are going all out on making this a reality?  So far to me it seems more political than reality. Is there proof that this would be warranted from a source other than the typical politics as we know that their words mean nothing any more.  I would be more tend to believe something non political than that comes from Washington.

Well, it's needed in some spots along the route, but the whole thing is basically political.  The plan was cooked up by some folks from Washington, IN when they wouldn't get the time of day from the Feds for just an extension of I-69 from Indianapolis to Evansville.

[roadman65]

How do they get potential data that the Feds do believe that there are many trucks that deliver between Southern Ontario to Eastern Mexico that they are going all out on making this a reality?  So far to me it seems more political than reality. Is there proof that this would be warranted from a source other than the typical politics as we know that their words mean nothing any more.  I would be more tend to believe something non political than that comes from Washington.

Well, it's needed in some spots along the route, but the whole thing is basically political.  The plan was cooked up by some folks from Washington, IN when they wouldn't get the time of day from the Feds for just an extension of I-69 from Indianapolis to Evansville.

True it is mainly points along the way.  Its like I-95 is needed along the coast, but most traffic is short range even though in the Summer not that many from Houlton, ME are going to Miami.  You will get a lot of Richmond to Baltimore, Philadelphia to Boston, etc, but not the whole route.

I-10 is a better example as I doubt many at all drive all the way from CA to FL as I have not yet seen many out of state tags except for AL and LA on the Florida section of that particular interstate.  Once in a while a Texas plate you will see, but none from NM, AZ, and CA.

[hbelkins]

Looks as if the conversion of the KY 109 exit from one of the old toll booth cloverleafs to a diamond is complete.



Not my photo, but this was tweeted today by a motorist regarding the ice storm in western Kentucky and was retweeted by a meteorologist I follow.

What's interesting here is that the sign is NOT in Clearview. All the signage along the I-69 portion of the WK Parkway was replaced with Clearview last year, except the old signs at this exit which were mounted on the overpass.

[Grzrd]

A little update on the potential I-369 spur route (Audubon Parkway to Owensboro)
http://surfky.com/index.php/communities/77-owensboro-news/34218-owensboro-city-commission-hears-from-transportation-cabinet

No number for this road has been assigned. 169 makes more sense than 369

The I-69 Spur page on the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce website projects a preference for I-169:

[hbelkins]

My understanding is that they're going to attempt to use as much of the Pennyrile as possible to keep from having to build more new freeway. So I think the greater likelihood is that the I-69 designation will stay on the Pennyrile to and north of the Audubon's western terminus.

[silverback1065]

A little update on the potential I-369 spur route (Audubon Parkway to Owensboro)
http://surfky.com/index.php/communities/77-owensboro-news/34218-owensboro-city-commission-hears-from-transportation-cabinet

No number for this road has been assigned. 169 makes more sense than 369

The I-69 Spur page on the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce website projects a preference for I-169:

I thought it was going to be called i-369, I think I even saw it signed on google maps too

[NE2]

I saw on Google Maps that US 30 was going to be Quebec Route 366.

[hbelkins]

No official number has been assigned to my knowledge, and Google Maps is hardly an official source. I think we have a thread for that...

They've been showing I-69 on the northern portion of the Pennyrile Parkway despite that route not being officially assigned. My counterpart in western Kentucky finally was able to convince Google to take that designation off the map.

[silverback1065]

No official number has been assigned to my knowledge, and Google Maps is hardly an official source. I think we have a thread for that...

They've been showing I-69 on the northern portion of the Pennyrile Parkway despite that route not being officially assigned. My counterpart in western Kentucky finally was able to convince Google to take that designation off the map.

It's really annoying trying to convince them to change something, they always assume you're wrong, even though they are wrong most of the time. 

[hbelkins]

The reconstruction of the Western Kentucky-Pennyrile interchange has been awarded as a design-build.

Project memo:
http://transportation.ky.gov/Construction-Procurement/Bulletins/Draft%20RFP%20-%20Design-Build%20Project%20-%20Hopkins%20County.pdf

Pre-bid conference minutes (some interesting info on future projects):
http://transportation.ky.gov/Construction-Procurement/Bulletins/Hopkins%20County%20-%20Design-Build%20Project%20-%20Pre-Bid%20Meeting%20Minutes.pdf

Bid awards (completion date of 5/29/15):
http://transportation.ky.gov/Construction-Procurement/Bulletins/Hopkins%20County%20Design-Build%20Bid%20Results.pdf

[Alps]

Project memo includes FTP link with password.
ftp://ftp.palmernet.com/Plan_DATA/Geometric_Layout/INTERCHANGE_APPROVAL.pdf : Concept (heading NB) is to gradually widen out from 2 lanes each way to 4, lanes are added on the right, then the mainline stays in the middle and curves through the interchange while the ramps come back into the ROW. Oddly, the SB side is a right split while the parkway continues straight from the left side. Of course, that's perfectly acceptable for a major diverge, but it still violates expectancy.

[NE2]

I-69 should go south on the Pennyrile to end at I-24. The WK etc. can be I-155 for now, and maybe I-30 in the future.

[hbelkins]

I-69 should go south on the Pennyrile to end at I-24. The WK etc. can be I-155 for now, and maybe I-30 in the future.

Tell that to Congress.

[mgk920]

^^
(Once again) 'I-41'???





Mike

[thefro]

http://www.14news.com/story/24411938/more-construction-plans-for-i-69-project-announced

Kentucky transportation crews announced more construction plans for the I-69 project.

On Thursday, 14 News learned Hazex Construction Co., of Henderson, is the presumed low bidder for completing an interchange at the Robards exit on the Pennyrile Parkway.

Crews said Exit-68 will undergo construction to make it suitable for interstate standards.

That project is expected to be about $5-million.

Crews will also plan to build a new interchange just south of Madisonville on the Pennyrile and I-69.

That $29-million project would change the current cloverleaf to a "full flow interchange" which will allow drivers to go faster.

[seicer]

Exit 68 is already suitable; it's just completing the diamond interchange on existing ROW.

[Grzrd]

What I am curious about is how the TN section of I-69 will tie into the Purchase Pkwy with the complication of having the existing interchange with US 45E.

(above quote from I-69 in TN thread)

Meant to post this a long time ago, but back in the summer I sat through a presentation on I-69 projects. Here is a link:
http://transportation.ky.gov/Highway-Design/Conference%20Presentation/An%20Update%20On%20I69%20Progress%20Schedules%20and%20Challenges.pdf

The next-to-last slide concerns the "End of Purchase Parkway in Fulton".  Did the presenters discuss whether any efforts have been made to coordinate with TDOT for corridor preservation at the state line (I recently asked TDOT this question in an email but have not received an answer yet)?

Nope.

KYTC has posted the 2014 Recommended Highway Plan. The Project Listing page includes "reconstruct and improve" I-69 from the KY/TN state line to milepost 1.66, with preliminary work scheduled to begin 2014 (page 43/139 of pdf) :





This January 22 article summarizes the I-69 projects set forth in the 2014 Recommended Highway Plan:

On Wednesday, Governor Steve Beshear sent to the Kentucky General Assembly a 2014-2020 Recommended Highway Plan that, if enacted, would provide nearly $7 billion of state and federal funding for transportation improvements across the Commonwealth ....
Notable provisions include: ....
I-69
The Governor's plan allocates $162.7 million through 2020 for improvements in the I-69 Corridor. Work includes upgrading roadway geometrics to interstate standards and reconstruction of eight parkway interchanges in Graves, Henderson, Hopkins, Marshall and Webster counties. I-69 eventually will run north to south from the Ohio River at Henderson to the Tennessee border at Fulton, using sections of the present Pennyrile, Western Kentucky and Purchase parkways. Fifty-five miles of the corridor already is designated I-69.

[US 41]

What is wrong with the cloverleaf at the Pennyrile / Western KY Parkway? Cloverleafs are good interchanges.

[silverback1065]

What is wrong with the cloverleaf at the Pennyrile / Western KY Parkway? Cloverleafs are good interchanges.

Cloverleafs are great in the middle of nowhere, but in urban areas, they can be very dangerous, weaving is a big issue.  The short distances given to merge onto the road are shared with people trying to merge off of the road, causing conflicts.  i-69 and 465 is a big example (I know it isn't a full cloverleaf, I am referring to the 2 loop ramps there). 

[NE2]

The Pennyrile/WKY is in the middle of nowhere

[hbelkins]

What is wrong with the cloverleaf at the Pennyrile / Western KY Parkway? Cloverleafs are good interchanges.

Try navigating the I-64/I-265 interchange in Louisville during busy times and you will rescind your opinion.

I got in that mess once in the middle of morning rush and said "never again."

The Pennyrile/WKY is in the middle of nowhere

I honestly don't see that interchange ever having heavy traffic volumes, but it has to be done (according to the feds) to complete I-69.