Kentucky

[seicer]

They just modified the KY 2 overpass over Interstate 64 in recent months, too.

The railings do not meet current FHWA standards without modifications. From my understanding, the barrier is not high enough and the protruding curb is a safety issue. I've seen these types of barriers retrofitted with traditional guardrails affixed to the protruding curb.

The tube railings are still used in places but are affixed atop contemporary concrete barriers such as this: https://maps.app.goo.gl/CJE4A1M7hTW5YrLn7

[seicer]

I made a several day-long trip down to south central Kentucky and got to check out some projects underway:

- US 25W is being widened to four lanes + with a median and defined access points between KY 727 west of Interstate 75 to KY 3041 (Corbin Bypass). In general, US 25W west to KY 90 could use better access management and 4' shoulders.

- US 25E on the north side of Corbin is always a hot mess of traffic and unchecked sprawl. I'm surprised the concrete pavement—original to 1968—is still around.

- There is a proposal to upgrade US 25 between Corbin and London to four lanes with partial access control at defined intersections and a (generally) depressed median - greatly needed as this is a heavily trafficked route with a high accident rate because of uncontrolled access. It includes an interchange with US 25E. Project information can be found at https://transportation.ky.gov/DistrictEleven/Pages/U.S.-25-South-Leg.aspx and https://transportation.ky.gov/DistrictEleven/Pages/Laurel-County---U.S.-25-North-Leg-.aspx

- KY 192 is being reconstructed between a point just west of Interstate 75 to US 25 in London. Intersections are being consolidated, and frontage/back roads are being built to reduce driveway access points. The road dates to 1979, and this will be the first overhaul of the road. Project information can be found at https://transportation.ky.gov/DistrictEleven/Pages/KY-192-Project-Laurel.aspx

- I got to drive KY 30 between London and US 421 at Tyner. A one-hour drive now takes 25 minutes. The new route has four lanes for the first quarter mile before narrowing down to two lanes + truck lanes on hills for the remainder of the route. KY 30 between the Hal Rogers Parkway and KY 3094, which has partial control of access, has a widened right-of-way for four-lanes.

- The Hal Rogers Parkway (Daniel Boone Parkway) could stand for widening and better access control, especially between Interstate 75 and KY 192. There is a planning project that covers it at https://transportation.ky.gov/Highway-Design/VE%20Study/VE202203_Hal%20Rogers.pdf, although I can't agree with all of the value engineering proposals, such as a roundabout at KY 30. A planning study begins this year to widen the Parkway to four lanes between London and Hazard.

- The Cumberland Parkway will be extended east from US 27 in Somerset towards the new KY 80/461 interchange at Shopville: https://halrogers.house.gov/2023/7/congressman-rogers-requests-45-million-for-northern-bypass-in-pulaski-county

- KY 461 has been greatly improved in the vicinity of KY 80. There is now partial access control and an RCUT interchange at Pin Oak Drive. Unfortunately, there is no full median barrier - just a paved median, although the Vaue Engineering Study called for a barrier median: https://transportation.ky.gov/Highway-Design/VE%20Study/VE201905%20KY80%20and%20KY461%20Interchange%20and%20KY%20461%20Widening.pdf

- Construction begins this year to widen KY 461 between US 150 and Interstate 75 in Mt. Vernon, which was built in 1985 with enough right-of-way to accommodate four lanes: https://transportation.ky.gov/Planning/Pages/Project-Details.aspx?Project=KY+461+from+US+150+to+US+25+DNA+Study

[amroad17]

I and my wife took a road trip to visit the Elderberry Company in New Albany, IN.  I decided to write this entry in the Kentucky thread because of some "road enthusiast" items observed and completed. 

The trip was fairly uneventful as far as some road trips go.  We left around 9 am and arrived at New Albany at 10:50 am.  On I-71, I observed a new interchange built but not yet opened, Exit 20.  It shows on Google maps as LaGrange Parkway, however, it is named after someone whose name I cannot remember.  Signs are posted, which appear as if they were posted within the last week.  I then got to clinch the remaining section of I-265/IN 265/KY 841 by traveling over the Lewis and Clark Bridge (and its $5.04 toll-by-plate amount) since the Sherman Minton was closed a couple of days ago.  After purchasing some items at the Elderberry store, we walked around Pearl, Market, and Spring Streets—observing the lack of stores opened and the lack of traffic on the "broken bridge".    Drove to Sellersburg, IN for lunch at the Cracker Barrel and was determined to find a way toward home without driving over the toll bridges. 

I decided to drive to Madison, IN and cross the Ohio on the Milton-Madison Bridge.  As posted in the Indiana thread, IN 56 now bypasses Madison around the north following IN 62 and US 421.  We drove the old IN 56 route into Madison.  I noticed that IN 7 ends where it used to intersect with IN 56.

After crossing into Kentucky, we took KY 36 from Milton to Carrollton—where I observed another route change.  Judging by the signage, KY 227 now ends where it intersects KY 36 just inside the southern city limits of Carrollton.  KY 36 is signed alone from there to US 42.  There is a TO KY 227 with a right arrow as one makes the turn from US 42 EB to KY 36 EB and a JCT KY 227 sign as one approaches the intersection from the north.

After getting back on I-71 NB, I decided to check out the finished Richwood road work.  The KY 338 interchange with I-75/71 is a DDI (or DDC).  The interchange with US 25 is a SPUI.  KY 338 is signed EAST-WEST here (was signed SOUTH-NORTH) which is fine since the route is East-West from here to near Rabbit Hash, where the route does become South-North.  It appears to be signed east of US 25, probably to the Richwood-Shorland intersection in the industrial area.

I also checked the progress of the Mt. Zion relocation east of US 25.  This is not yet finished as it seems as the two roundabouts were completed to their present form with traffic still two lanes.  The relocation ends about 0.25 miles west of the Bristow-Mt. Zion intersection although utility relocation has occurred around that intersection as it appears the when the next section of the project begins, the road will be relocated about 150-200 feet north of the current road. 

Traveling on Bristow north back toward Erlanger, utility relocation and tree clearing is currently underway as it appears that this section will be widened to the Mt. Zion intersection.  A welcome relief since KY 1303 (Bristow and Turkeyfoot Rds) is 4-lanes with a center turn lane from Edgewood to about 0.3 miles south of the Bristow/Turkeyfoot/Richardson intersection, where it becomes a windy two lane road next to a creek to Mt. Zion.

All in all, for a couple that does not go out as much as we used to, it was an enjoyable day of driving—a sunny, cloudless day along with a few road observations to satisfy my whims. 

[seicer]

Two new planning studies published:

• Casey and Lincoln Counties US 127 Corridor Study
• Morehead KY 32 Corridor Study

[hbelkins]

The KY 227 change is consistent with Kentucky's decision to no longer officially recognize concurrencies.

[seicer]

Interesting - so will this be like Arkansas, and they will just not sign state route concurrencies at all?

[hbelkins]

It's already a mishmash of signage practices. District 8 (Somerset) is getting away from signing concurrencies, as in many cases they will just use a "To" sign where a concurrency begins. See the KY 55 bypass of Columbia where KY 61 is concurrent, and KY 80 where it's concurrent with KY 61.

[Rothman]

It's already a mishmash of signage practices. District 8 (Somerset) is getting away from signing concurrencies, as in many cases they will just use a "To" sign where a concurrency begins. See the KY 55 bypass of Columbia where KY 61 is concurrent, and KY 80 where it's concurrent with KY 61.

Yeah, they should have just stuck with the concurrencies.  Seems silly now with the hodgepodge.

[bandit957]

The KY 227 change is consistent with Kentucky's decision to no longer officially recognize concurrencies.

Around here, they still sign concurrencies as they always did.

[hbelkins]

The KY 227 change is consistent with Kentucky's decision to no longer officially recognize concurrencies.

Around here, they still sign concurrencies as they always did.

For the most part, that's true here as well.

Of course, the KY 227 example is one of what I call a "useless" concurrency; meaning where one part of the concurrency continues (KY 36) while another part (KY 227) ends. And that's a throwback to when KY 227 was US 227. Since the lower number takes precedence over the higher number when the two routes are of equal classification, there's really no need for KY 227 to continue beyond the KY 36 intersection south of US 42.