I-69 to be signed in Kentucky this fall

[RoadWarrior56]

As far as I know, I-66 is more or less dead at least for the present, Kentucky put it out of its misery several years ago due to lack of funding.  Plus, I didn't notice any other states very interested in it in the first place.  IMHO, it is one of the most ridiculous proposals for an interstate route I have ever seen anyway.  It is not a direct route, and it doesn't connect any major population areas, and it doesn't even leave Kentucky.

As far as I-69 is concerned, I would not be surprised to see it completed south to Memphis from Indianapolis within the next 15 years, whether it goes all the way to Mexico or not.  Even just that northern section would complement the interstate grid very nicely. 

[mukade]

At the bridge I am referring to, there is a non-existent acceleration lane that is the main issue.  You come up to the bridge on the ramp, you then have to yield or stop and then you have to directly enter the through traffic lane.

It is not just a question of no shoulders on the bridge.  This location is a hazard right now and it should be fixed whether or not the Pennyrile was designated I-69.  In fact, this section of the Pennyrile was originally constructed as a section of US 41 up to 10 years before the rest of the Pennyrile was built.  This section of roadway reflects late 1950's standards.

The KY 56 interchange is also insanely dangerous. It may not be busy, but it is still unacceptable. I drove it last fall and almost got rear-ended as I was stopped trying to merge into the freeway. I don't think there are services there so it probably gets less traffic, thank goodness.

[hbelkins]

The KY 56 interchange is also insanely dangerous. It may not be busy, but it is still unacceptable. I drove it last fall and almost got rear-ended as I was stopped trying to merge into the freeway. I don't think there are services there so it probably gets less traffic, thank goodness.

Not sure of the top of my head, but is that one of the old cloverleafs where a toll plaza used to be?

[mukade]

Yep, it is. It was bad timing, but as I was merging two school buses and two semis were coming down the right lane with a pickup right on my tail. The road was actually not too busy when I drove it.

[RoadWarrior56]

Yes, the Sebree exit is where there was a toll plaza..........it cost a dollar as I recall.  There was another one was just north of Hopkinsville.

[roadman65]

As far as I know, I-66 is more or less dead at least for the present, Kentucky put it out of its misery several years ago due to lack of funding.  Plus, I didn't notice any other states very interested in it in the first place.  IMHO, it is one of the most ridiculous proposals for an interstate route I have ever seen anyway.  It is not a direct route, and it doesn't connect any major population areas, and it doesn't even leave Kentucky.

As far as I-69 is concerned, I would not be surprised to see it completed south to Memphis from Indianapolis within the next 15 years, whether it goes all the way to Mexico or not.  Even just that northern section would complement the interstate grid very nicely. 

I did not think either there was a need for I-66, if it were to be built I-50 would have been the most logical number.

Yeah, I believe that from Memphis to Indy will get built by say 2030.  That I would like to see anyway also.  I think it is a great corridor like I-49 from Shrevport to Kansas City is as well.  Just like I-69 south of Memphis, I could care one way or the other if US 90 gets upgraded to interstate from NO to Lafayette. 

[formulanone]

I traveled from Evansville, IN to Paducah, KY two weeks ago, and drove on the section of the Pennyrile Parkway and Western Kentucky Parkway that comprises a lot of the "future" I-69 routing. A few observations:

1) Google Maps may call it I-69, but none of the Pennyrile and only about 1/3 of the Western Kentucky Parkways were signed with the Interstate shield. In the latter case, it was co-signed with the blue parkway shields. On-ramps didn't seem to denote it much, either.

2) "Future Interstate" medium-sized signs are posted a little afterwards, for roughly every other exit.

3) Some construction on the WKP east of Paducah, at around Princeton, was down to one lane. The Interstate shields were visible between the two construction zones.

4) So what if there's no guardrail in the center median, or there's only roughly 10-15 feet between sections? Not much traffic.

5) Seem to be really narrow on/off-ramp loops that have little space to permit traffic going on and off the parkway at nearly the same time. Again, not much traffic, so its not as if older Interstates don't have the same phenomenon.

Took a few crappy pics (figuring out a point-and-shoot that doesn't zoom nicely), maybe I'll post a few later.

[hbelkins]

5) Seem to be really narrow on/off-ramp loops that have little space to permit traffic going on and off the parkway at nearly the same time. Again, not much traffic, so its not as if older Interstates don't have the same phenomenon.

Those were where the toll booths used to be located beneath the overpasses. Entering and exiting traffic had to stop to pay toll, so there was no need for an acceleration/deceleration lane a long merge lane. These will be corrected along the future interstate portions of the parkway.

[formulanone]

^ Ah, didn't know that!