KY 57, KY 70, KY 255

[treichard]

Two questions about some specific KY state route paths:

1. Until Feb. 2011, KY 57 was in two pieces, split by a lack of a river crossing south of Flemingsburg.  In Feb. 2011, the northern piece was truncated at the south end to end in Flemingsburg instead of well to its south, and the southern piece was extended northwestward to meet KY 32. 

Is KY 57 still in two pieces, or is the route cosigned with KY 32 and KY 32 Business to connect the pieces into one?

2. Do KY 70 and KY 255 continue through Mammoth Cave National Park, or are the route designations severed by the park land?  Or put another way, do the state route numbers apply in national parks even if the KYTC isn't maintaining the roads?

[hbelkins]

Two questions about some specific KY state route paths:

1. Until Feb. 2011, KY 57 was in two pieces, split by a lack of a river crossing south of Flemingsburg.  In Feb. 2011, the northern piece was truncated at the south end to end in Flemingsburg instead of well to its south, and the southern piece was extended northwestward to meet KY 32. 

Is KY 57 still in two pieces, or is the route cosigned with KY 32 and KY 32 Business to connect the pieces into one?

2. Do KY 70 and KY 255 continue through Mammoth Cave National Park, or are the route designations severed by the park land?  Or put another way, do the state route numbers apply in national parks even if the KYTC isn't maintaining the roads?

KY 57 is now one continuous route. In Nicholas County, it and KY 3325 switched places. KY 3325 now dead-ends near the southwestern bank of the Licking River, and KY 57 goes over to KY 32, where it runs concurrently with KY 32 to Flemingsburg. Signage is spotty along KY 32, and Kentucky only lists one route on concurrencies these days, but there is signage denoting the concurrency. I have photos (taken on my trip to the Dayton meet) but have not posted them yet.

KY 70 and KY 255 are not signed within the national park boundary.

[seicer]

I noticed that a while back. I took KY 57 down to the ford at Upper Blue Licks and couldn't cross the Licking River.
http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=3.46577937647715E-5&lat=38.3371725029937&lon=-83.8581667995274&year=T1953

It is a historically significant area:
http://bao.stparchive.com/Archive/BAO/BAO04262012p02.php

[hbelkins]

I noticed that a while back. I took KY 57 down to the ford at Upper Blue Licks and couldn't cross the Licking River.
http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=3.46577937647715E-5&lat=38.3371725029937&lon=-83.8581667995274&year=T1953

It is a historically significant area:
http://bao.stparchive.com/Archive/BAO/BAO04262012p02.php

I've driven down as far as possible on both sides of the river, on what used to be KY 57.

[seicer]

I must have gone at a higher water time, because I couldn't ford it with the Subaru Outback. If I had a Jeep, fording it wouldn't be much of an issue. I wonder why Kentucky can't just have ford's in some of the rural areas - no need to bridge it all.

Have you driven on all of KY 57? It seemed as if it was one of the early roads targeted for major improvements back in the 1930s-1950s, with large segments straightened, flattened and widened (to the standards then).

[treichard]

KY 57 is now one continuous route. In Nicholas County, it and KY 3325 switched places. KY 3325 now dead-ends near the southwestern bank of the Licking River, and KY 57 goes over to KY 32, where it runs concurrently with KY 32 to Flemingsburg. Signage is spotty along KY 32, and Kentucky only lists one route on concurrencies these days, but there is signage denoting the concurrency. I have photos (taken on my trip to the Dayton meet) but have not posted them yet.

KY 70 and KY 255 are not signed within the national park boundary.

Thanks for this info.

[hbelkins]

Have you driven on all of KY 57? It seemed as if it was one of the early roads targeted for major improvements back in the 1930s-1950s, with large segments straightened, flattened and widened (to the standards then).

Yes. The quality of it certainly varies. It's terrible between US 460 and KY 36. Not a bad road at all between Flemingsburg and Tollesboro.

[treichard]

I want to ask about one more state route, KY 80 through Mayfield.  Which path does it take between US 45 in the city center and KY 97 & KY 121 at the southeast part of the bypass?  KY 58 east to KY 121 south, or KY 58 east to KY 121 Business south?  Or is the route split into two pieces without a connection here? 

(The KYTC maps show only one route on any state road, so concurrent routes aren't marked to answer this question. And I'm not sure if GMSV shows the current situation via its 2008-2009 images.)

[hbelkins]

Right now, KY 80 disappears between downtown and the bypass on the southeast side of town. Or at least it did the last time I was in Mayfield. Signage may have changed between then and now.

I'm too lazy to go look up the individual pages, but you can see 2009 signage here: http://www.millenniumhwy.net/2009_OKC_Day_5/index4.html