Kentucky

[ibthebigd]

With the new Governor how will that affect all the big road projects on the horizon in Kentucky

SM-G950U

[seicer]

Jim Gray, former Lexington mayor and chairman of Gray Construction (well known and competent engineering, design, and construction company) has been named the secretary of KYTC.

[Rothman]

Gray Construction's about to get richer.  Wonder if I can invest.

[seicer]

They do not do transportation projects. Plus, Grey has not been involved in any ethic scandals and as mayor, and had no trouble resigning as CEO and Chairman of the company founded by his father (he stayed on in an advisory role). He's still in that role today.

[hbelkins]

Not sure how the legislation will fare, but there's been a bill proposed that would basically codify the SHIFT prioritization process that has been used for the last three years. It would also create a state transportation board similar to what Virginia has, and that board would choose the cabinet secretary and the projects that would move forward. The board would require Senate confirmation, and House members are already speaking out against it, saying it would weaken the House's influence in selecting and funding projects.

(Personal observation follows...)

I don't know Jim Gray. I've never met Jim Gray. All I know about him professionally and politically is that he ran a construction company that was never involved in building roads, and that he was mayor of Lexington and ran unsuccessfully for the Democrat nomination for Congress in the 6th District last year.

Kentucky has no professional requirements for cabinet secretary positions. The former secretary was a PE, but his experience was with public utilities. He did well. His predecessor was a career KYTC engineer, the one before him was a longtime legislator, and the one before him was a mayor and a longtime president of the Kentucky League of Cities. All brought different perspectives and experiences to the table.

[hbelkins]

^^^^^^^^^
Its seems like the now-overused/trite phrase ".....stay in your lane, bro....."  might actually be applicable and even appropriate in the situation illustrated above.   

The effectiveness of this message, and the sentiment behind it, was well-received. But TPTB made it clear that they want pre-approval for future such messaging campaigns.

There is a list of messages that have gotten the OK from some oversight group (NTSB, NHTSA, FHWA, I'm not sure who else may have been involved) and from what I'm told, those messages were on that list.

This location has been the site of several wrecks since construction began, mostly from inattentive drivers. Traffic patterns frequently change.

[Rothman]

They do not do transportation projects. Plus, Grey has not been involved in any ethic scandals and as mayor, and had no trouble resigning as CEO and Chairman of the company founded by his father (he stayed on in an advisory role). He's still in that role today.

Helps to have friends in high places.

[seicer]

They do not do transportation projects. Plus, Grey has not been involved in any ethic scandals and as mayor, and had no trouble resigning as CEO and Chairman of the company founded by his father (he stayed on in an advisory role). He's still in that role today.

Helps to have friends in high places.

Jim Gray is a friend and he has not been embroiled in any sort of scandal, but continue believing in your personal vendetta (with zero evidence to back up your assertions) against a well-liked entrepreneur, mayor, and LGBT+ advocate. His track record of managing large-scale construction projects and overseeing a well-respected engineering and construction company speaks for itself.

[Rothman]

It's not a vendetta.  Just as you may be biased by your friendship with him, I'm biased by my experience with businessmen entering the public arena and an almost inevitable progression towards their companies benefitting from such -- even if they follow all legal procedures.

[seicer]

It's not a vendetta.  Just as you may be biased by your friendship with him, I'm biased by my experience with businessmen entering the public arena and an almost inevitable progression towards their companies benefitting from such -- even if they follow all legal procedures

Like entrenched contractors, engineers, and politicians who meddle in state DOT's, like NTSDOT? Or the New York State Thruway? The Mario Cuomo bridge renaming didn't just happen, nor was it suspiciously under-cost (and now embroiled in a lawsuit). I'm sure you were keeping tabs in your home base as much as you have been with Kentucky.

[Rothman]

It's not a vendetta.  Just as you may be biased by your friendship with him, I'm biased by my experience with businessmen entering the public arena and an almost inevitable progression towards their companies benefitting from such -- even if they follow all legal procedures

Like entrenched contractors, engineers, and politicians who meddle in state DOT's, like NTSDOT? Or the New York State Thruway? The Mario Cuomo bridge renaming didn't just happen, nor was it suspiciously under-cost (and now embroiled in a lawsuit). I'm sure you were keeping tabs in your home base as much as you have been with Kentucky.

Corruption knows no state lines.

[edwaleni]

It's not a vendetta.  Just as you may be biased by your friendship with him, I'm biased by my experience with businessmen entering the public arena and an almost inevitable progression towards their companies benefitting from such -- even if they follow all legal procedures

Like entrenched contractors, engineers, and politicians who meddle in state DOT's, like NTSDOT? Or the New York State Thruway? The Mario Cuomo bridge renaming didn't just happen, nor was it suspiciously under-cost (and now embroiled in a lawsuit). I'm sure you were keeping tabs in your home base as much as you have been with Kentucky.

Corruption knows no state lines.

The next time you drive on I-24 from Kentucky to Illinois, you can say that again (and again.....)

[seicer]

One of the best things about Kentucky is that it usually has a divided house/senate/governorship, so there are always compromises, debates, and checks-and-balances. The last four years were anything but that. We are getting off-topic at this point, and pointing accusations about someone who is only a few days into their new job is just asinine. Let's leave that for other forums.

[qguy]

It's not a vendetta.  Just as you may be biased by your friendship with him, I'm biased by my experience with businessmen entering the public arena and an almost inevitable progression towards their companies benefitting from such -- even if they follow all legal procedures.

I think a much greater problem is career politicians becoming extremely wealthy when their public salaries don't seem to support their accumulation of wealth.

[hbelkins]

It's not a vendetta.  Just as you may be biased by your friendship with him, I'm biased by my experience with businessmen entering the public arena and an almost inevitable progression towards their companies benefitting from such -- even if they follow all legal procedures.

It's the nature of political appointments in Kentucky. But in this case, Gray was chosen because of his experience as Lexington mayor -- and his maximum campaign donations to the new governor -- and not because of his professional experience in a non-highway-related construction company. His firm primarily built commercial buildings.

As stated earlier, I don't know Jim Gray. I'm sure I will meet him at some point due to the nature of my job. I didn't vote for the new governor. I don't have much use for Gray's politics. But I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

LGBT+ advocate.

Not sure what that has to do with running the Transportation Cabinet. I don't see that as a qualifying characteristic. There are already scores of prohibitions against sexual harassment or discrimination. His sexuality should not be a factor in how he runs the agency. And I hope that it does not become a factor.

[Rothman]

It's not a vendetta.  Just as you may be biased by your friendship with him, I'm biased by my experience with businessmen entering the public arena and an almost inevitable progression towards their companies benefitting from such -- even if they follow all legal procedures.

I think a much greater problem is career politicians becoming extremely wealthy when their public salaries don't seem to support their accumulation of wealth.

The two problems are not exclusive.

[JMoses24]

Northern

Interstates, Expressways & Parkways

New outer auxiliary lane on I-71/75 from SR 536 north to U42 (C 2024).
New interchange at I-275 and Graves Road - future Exit 7 (C 2022).

The auxiliary lanes for I-71/75 from KY 536 to US 42 is already under construction northbound. The southbound side is slated to be constructed next year. Simultaneously, work is soon to begin on a pair of new Double Crossover Diamond interchanges at Mt Zion (KY 536) and Richwood Road (KY 338) later in the year.

The I-275/Graves Road interchange will begin construction later this year with expected completion in 2022.

Driving NKY Progress

Northbound is done. New signage has gone up over the auxiliary lane which is now an exit only lane to US 42. What gets me is why the 1 mile and the second are both on such big gantries.

https://imgur.com/gallery/FeNGIDS

[hbelkins]

Northern

Interstates, Expressways & Parkways

New outer auxiliary lane on I-71/75 from SR 536 north to U42 (C 2024).
New interchange at I-275 and Graves Road - future Exit 7 (C 2022).

The auxiliary lanes for I-71/75 from KY 536 to US 42 is already under construction northbound. The southbound side is slated to be constructed next year. Simultaneously, work is soon to begin on a pair of new Double Crossover Diamond interchanges at Mt Zion (KY 536) and Richwood Road (KY 338) later in the year.

The I-275/Graves Road interchange will begin construction later this year with expected completion in 2022.

Driving NKY Progress

Northbound is done. New signage has gone up over the auxiliary lane which is now an exit only lane to US 42. What gets me is why the 1 mile and the second are both on such big gantries.

https://imgur.com/gallery/FeNGIDS

Possibly going to add some signage for the other lanes at some point in the future?

[Tom958]

I was looking at various APD and APD-type four-lane highways in mountainous eastern Kentucky, and I noticed that quite a lot of the mileage has paved, mountable, traversable medians, but marked two-way left turn lanes are relatively rare. Is it legal to use such medians as left turn lanes? Or, if not legal generally tolerated?

[hbelkins]

I was looking at various APD and APD-type four-lane highways in mountainous eastern Kentucky, and I noticed that quite a lot of the mileage has paved, mountable, traversable medians, but marked two-way left turn lanes are relatively rare. Is it legal to use such medians as left turn lanes? Or, if mnot legal generally tolerated?

They're commonly used as such. One of these projects (a portion of US 23) was built years ago as a federal "demonstration" project. I'm not sure exactly what concept was being demonstrated; possibly the mountable median.

[seicer]

Saw this tidbit in a KYTC District 12 post about the installation of new reflectors.

"Yes, These are replacing raised markers, many of which have been demolished or damaged by the type of traffic on our highways( SUVs, heavy trucks, and such). Inlaid markers cannot be torn from the pavement or crushed like raised ones can. Also, during the next cycle of striping, we are changing from the type of paint used in recent years back to thermoplastic. This will make a huge difference. Briefly, the paint now on the roads has teeny, tiny pieces of ground glass in it. When headlights hit the glass, it reflects back to the driver so that you can see the lines clearly at night. However, if the glass is wet, the reflection diffuses and goes in different directions, which is why we can't see the lines at night. Thermoplastic works much better in areas like ours where we have moisture on the road more often than not (condensation from fog, for example; it doesn't have to be heavy rainfall)."

Looks like thermoplastic is back to being used, at least in District 12.

[jnewkirk77]

Saw this tidbit in a KYTC District 12 post about the installation of new reflectors.

"Yes, These are replacing raised markers, many of which have been demolished or damaged by the type of traffic on our highways( SUVs, heavy trucks, and such). Inlaid markers cannot be torn from the pavement or crushed like raised ones can. Also, during the next cycle of striping, we are changing from the type of paint used in recent years back to thermoplastic. This will make a huge difference. Briefly, the paint now on the roads has teeny, tiny pieces of ground glass in it. When headlights hit the glass, it reflects back to the driver so that you can see the lines clearly at night. However, if the glass is wet, the reflection diffuses and goes in different directions, which is why we can't see the lines at night. Thermoplastic works much better in areas like ours where we have moisture on the road more often than not (condensation from fog, for example; it doesn't have to be heavy rainfall)."

Looks like thermoplastic is back to being used, at least in District 12.

They're using thermoplastic in D2 as well, on parts of US 60 that were resurfaced late in '19, and the recently-rebuilt I-165 from Ohio County into Daviess County. The inlaid markers have been going in for the past 3 or 4 years. The first ones I saw were on KY 2831 in Owensboro (Frederica Street, formerly US 431) and they've been installing them whenever there's been a resurfacing project.

(EDIT: Sorry, I goofed on I-165 and typed 65 originally ... no coffee yet this morning. LOL!)

[wriddle082]

Saw this tidbit in a KYTC District 12 post about the installation of new reflectors.

"Yes, These are replacing raised markers, many of which have been demolished or damaged by the type of traffic on our highways( SUVs, heavy trucks, and such). Inlaid markers cannot be torn from the pavement or crushed like raised ones can. Also, during the next cycle of striping, we are changing from the type of paint used in recent years back to thermoplastic. This will make a huge difference. Briefly, the paint now on the roads has teeny, tiny pieces of ground glass in it. When headlights hit the glass, it reflects back to the driver so that you can see the lines clearly at night. However, if the glass is wet, the reflection diffuses and goes in different directions, which is why we can't see the lines at night. Thermoplastic works much better in areas like ours where we have moisture on the road more often than not (condensation from fog, for example; it doesn't have to be heavy rainfall)."

Looks like thermoplastic is back to being used, at least in District 12.

I really wish NC would use thermoplastic markings!  Since they can't seem to keep the freeway lighting working anywhere in Charlotte, the thermoplastic lines would help!

Anyway, regarding the new way that KTC installs reflectors, it used to be that KY was the only state where I had seen this done.  Last week on I-85 a few miles north of US 70 in Durham County, NC, I saw a one mile stretch where it looks like they installed some new reflectors KY-style, possibly for testing purposes.  Yesterday I drove that same stretch southbound and that side didn't have them installed, so it's northbound only.

[seicer]

On I-75 north of Georgetown after a repaving project, they were testing out the spacings of the reflective bollards - bunching them up on corners/curves and spacing them out further on the straight-aways.

[wriddle082]

On I-75 north of Georgetown after a repaving project, they were testing out the spacings of the reflective bollards - bunching them up on corners/curves and spacing them out further on the straight-aways.

That's interesting.  I know that OH spaces their reflectors out to one every three dashes, unlike most states that use one every other dash.  GA and FL use one between every single dash, and MS appears to use them between every single dash in the vicinity of exits and going around curves, otherwise every other dash.