Illinois gets $3.6 million to study I-66 from Paducah to I-55

[adt1982]

Long time listener, first time caller. 

Here's the DOT press release.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pressroom/fhwa1137/fhwa1137il.htm

[Revive 755]

There's also mention of funding for a Mississippi River pedestrian bridge at St. Louis on the Missouri listing, and funds to study replacing the US 51 Ohio River bridge at Cairo on the Kentucky listing.

Some of the projects seem to be awfully limited in utility.  IMHO there ought to be a lot more interstate reconstruction or bridge replacements listed.  Not that I'm against the covered bridge rehabilitations or scenic byway enhancements.

[Brandon]

Why is this one still alive?  I thought I-66 died years ago.  That's $3.6 million that would be better spent fixing I-55 from IL-53 to I-355, or adding an interchange (Airport Rd and I-55 comes to mind), or a study of a useful road like the Prairie Parkway.

[3467]

I wonder if those little projects are from the Enhancement Program.
You could add a couple of miles of passing lanes with the I-66 money or put it into the IL127 project theonly 4 lane project I have seen unfunded south of I-64. It doesnt seem the executive branch does better with earmarks than the legilative.

[Revive 755]

Why is this one still alive?

Because Illinois screwed up royally years ago when they pushed for rerouting I-24 from Scott City, MO, to I-57 at Pulleys Mill.  The corridor could also provide a better connection between current I-24 and St. Louis.

That's $3.6 million that would be better spent fixing I-55 from IL-53 to I-355, or adding an interchange (Airport Rd and I-55 comes to mind), or a study of a useful road like the Prairie Parkway.

Actually try to do something to reduce congestion in Chicagoland?  Possibly the best laugh of the night.

[RoadWarrior56]

If this facility ever got built as a freeway, it would probably be better numbered as an I-X24 rather than as the ridiculous I-66.

[hbelkins]

This doesn't need to run through Illinois at all. What's needed is a direct bridge between Kentucky and Missouri, crossing the Mississippi.

[Brandon]

This doesn't need to run through Illinois at all. What's needed is a direct bridge between Kentucky and Missouri, crossing the Mississippi.

Doesn't need to be an interstate either.  Make it a Kentucky Parkway with tolls for a few years.

[hbelkins]

Isn't LaHood from Illinois? If so, maybe he's trying to divert the alignment of I-66 out of western Kentucky. That section has been under study in KY for several years.

[Brandon]

Yep, Ray LaHood (R) is from Peoria.  I don't much like him, and have thought very little of him for many, many years now.

[ShawnP]

I don't think we will really see one of inch of I-66 built ever. Money spent now on studies is a waste. Put it towards real projects.

[NE2]

I don't think we will really see one of inch of I-66 built ever.

We already have seen part of it built, north of Somerset, KY.

[ShawnP]

Doesn't equal one inch on my map. I always thought I-66 would really help southern and eastern Kentucky. Guess they would rather have cave bats than actual jobs.

[hbelkins]

Doesn't equal one inch on my map. I always thought I-66 would really help southern and eastern Kentucky. Guess they would rather have cave bats than actual jobs.

What's really needed, after the northern bypass of Somerset is done, is the connection from Kentucky to Missouri. The existing highways (US 68/KY 80, the Cumberland Parkway and KY 80 are perfectly satisfactory from I-24 to I-75. KY 80 between London and Somerset does not need to be four lanes, much less limited access. I have driven that road many, many times and it has never been congested. The portion that is not currently four lanes has plenty of truck climbing lanes and traffic flows pretty freely on it at a speed greater than the 55 mph limit. The Daniel Boone Hal Rogers Parkway could stand some spot improvements but is still a good route between London and Hazard. East of Hazard, KY 80 is a four-lane surface route. There is no direct route from Hazard to Pikeville (SE Kentucky's two major towns) but the eventual construction of the Harold-to-Minnie Connector (KY 680) will provide a direct route from KY 80 to US 23 and eliminate some of the existing out-of-the-way northeast jog.

No new eastbound route from Pikeville to West Virginia is needed now that US 119 is completed, although the oldest four-lane part of US 119 from the foot of Coburn Mountain east through Belfry and South Williamson to the state line can be a pain at times.

[ShawnP]

Say it aint so Joe.............I'm reading road geeks saying no to new Interstate Road construction.

[Revive 755]

What's really needed, after the northern bypass of Somerset is done, is the connection from Kentucky to Missouri. The existing highways (US 68/KY 80, the Cumberland Parkway and KY 80 are perfectly satisfactory from I-24 to I-75.

What about the northern bypass of Bowling Green, instead the current doubling back connection to the Natcher via I-65?

[RoadWarrior56]

I am in general agreement with hbelkins.  If you want to build a new interstate, it should at least connect populated areas and satisfy a high traffic demand.  You don't need a new interstate across Kentucky to build a new bridge of the Mississippi.

I-66 always seemed to me not much more than a gimmick to connect several Kentucky parkways and to help spark economic development in parts of that state.  Besides, there is not much money to build more useful sections of new interstate around the country anyway, why spend it here?  If Kentucky really wants this route, why don't they build it as new sections of Parkways and charge a toll?

[hbelkins]

Say it aint so Joe.............I'm reading road geeks saying no to new Interstate Road construction.

Yes, if it's not needed and the existing roads move traffic adequately. There's no point in spending millions of dollars to bring the Cumberland Parkway up to current interstate standards because the average motorist can't tell the difference between it and an interstate. The money planned to build most of "I-66" could be much better spent in other places.

What about the northern bypass of Bowling Green, instead the current doubling back connection to the Natcher via I-65?

I'm unaware of any such plans. The thought has always been to use I-65 to connect the Cumberland to the Natcher.

I am in general agreement with hbelkins.  If you want to build a new interstate, it should at least connect populated areas and satisfy a high traffic demand.  You don't need a new interstate across Kentucky to build a new bridge of the Mississippi.

I-66 always seemed to me not much more than a gimmick to connect several Kentucky parkways and to help spark economic development in parts of that state.  Besides, there is not much money to build more useful sections of new interstate around the country anyway, why spend it here?  If Kentucky really wants this route, why don't they build it as new sections of Parkways and charge a toll?

Since the tolls were taken off the Cumberland and Hal Rogers Parkways with a federal appropriation paying off the bonds, precisely because people in the south-central and southeastern region of the state were resentful of having to pay to drive on roads that other parts of the state had without tolls, I doubt we'll ever see a new toll road constructed again in Kentucky. There is even significant resistance to putting tolls on the new bridge(s) in Louisville.

[ShawnP]

So you don't see AA highway getting upgraded thru tolls? Most resistance is on the Indiana side in fear of losing Kentucky customers. I accept them as they  will get that badly needed east end bridge.

[hbelkins]

I see no need to upgrade the AA Highway. Once you get out of the Greater Cincinnati area, there is not a lot of traffic on the road. With the exception of the Maysville area, traffic generally flows very well, and there are long-range plans to build a southern bypass of Maysville that would begin where US 62/68 intersect the AA, using the part of US 68 that is currently under construction, and then looping back around and crossing KY 11 to tie back into the AA east of Maysville.

[ShawnP]

I left for the Navy in 86 and remember them wanting a full new turnpike. Was always disappointed it never got built.

[kphoger]

I used to drive between Metropolis and Cairo every so often for work in a delivery truck.  The 2-lane road there now has lots of mining-country charm.  It's REALLY fun in the rain, let me tell you.....  Seriously, there are hardly any cars on those roads at all, though, so why the heck would a freeway be needed??

[Revive 755]

I used to drive between Metropolis and Cairo every so often for work in a delivery truck.  The 2-lane road there now has lots of mining-country charm.  It's REALLY fun in the rain, let me tell you.....  Seriously, there are hardly any cars on those roads at all, though, so why the heck would a freeway be needed??

I'm not sure a full freeway is needed, but a new Cape Girardeau area to I-24 connection might provide some relief for US 60 between Cairo and Paducah - I recall the route being somewhat busy last time I used it a few years ago.  It would also provide an alternate St. Louis area to I-24 route that doesn't require crossing the overloaded or almost always being worked on PSB - using I-255 to I-64 requires some backtracking.

[hbelkins]

I still think a Mississippi River bridge between Kentucky and Missouri is what's needed. At one time this summer, both the US 60/62 and I-57 bridges were closed. That necessitated a detour through either Cape Girardeau or Dyersburg, since I think the Hickman-Dorena ferry may also have been out of service due to high water.

[Takumi]

I still think a Mississippi River bridge between Kentucky and Missouri is what's needed. At one time this summer, both the US 60/62 and I-57 bridges were closed. That necessitated a detour through either Cape Girardeau or Dyersburg, since I think the Hickman-Dorena ferry may also have been out of service due to high water.

KY/MO 80 maybe?