US 460/Appalachian Corridor Q in Pike County, Ky.

[Rothman]

Announced today -- the new section of US 460 between KY 80 and the Virginia state line will open on Nov. 16. I don't know what numbering will be applied to the road, but since it connects to VA 80 on the other side of the state line, I'm guessing KY 80 for now with the US 460 designation not coming until the entire route is finished.

I'm curious if the old VA 80 will remain in the primary system as 80 Bus for Elkhorn City or some other designation.

I'll try to get down there sometime after it opens and see how it's signed. I know the other end of the route, between KY 195 and US 23, is signed KY 3174.

Is KYTC wedded to the idea of KY 80 running border to border? If not, in the long term, it would make sense to truncate KY 80 at where it joins US 23/US 460.

I don't see a compelling reason for a Business 80 at Elkhorn City. Extend KY 197 out to the future US 460. For now, it probably makes sense to move KY 80/VA 80 onto the new road even if it gets rolled back in a couple years.

My guess is that when the four-lane US 460 is finally finished, the current two-lane remains KY 80 from Shelbiana to the state line, and US 460 alone goes on the new alignment. But since it's obvious that Kentucky will get the route finished between Pikeville and the state line before Virginia gets it finished on to Grundy, they might do the reverse for awhile -- sign KY 80 on the four-lane that will end at Breaks, and keep US 460 on the two-lane that goes to Grundy. Then when Virginia finishes its portion, flip the designations.

I am still thrown off by the rerouting of KY 3 over KY 302.  KY does some strange stuff, so I wouldn't lay a bet on anything.

[hbelkins]

More news. The final section of the Kentucky portion of the route, the bridge over KY 80, is going to bid this month.

Press release link.

Project proposal link.

This project grants the contractor 850 working days. That's typically April through November of each year. This is easily going to take three to four years to complete.

[Tom958]

Tangential to the topic, but I'd like to know more about this little bridge over Russell Fork. It appears to be directly in the path of the last section of the route, though surely it could be bridged over along with the river and the railroad.

[seicer]

It's a former C&O Railroad spur up Beaver Creek to a tipple. I'm not sure why it was redecked or what it serves.

[rickmastfan67]

It's a former C&O Railroad spur up Beaver Creek to a tipple. I'm not sure why it was redecked or what it serves.

There's a house on that side of the river if you move the map a little bit to the North of there.

[hbelkins]

Possibly to allow access to a mining operation.

A bridge to the south of that was built to allow access to a waste area from the excavation going toward the state line.

[seicer]

New photos of Corridor Q have been posted at one of my sites: https://www.facebook.com/bridgestunnels/posts/453414549909444