History of I-66 Southern Kentucky Corridor

[FutureInterstateCorridors]

Many road fans still believe the Future I-66 TransAmerica Highway will be built.  This concept has faded into history with FHWA closing the books.

The Federal Highway Administration officially cancelled any further planning and construction of Future I-66 in eastern Kentucky to West Virginia on June 21, 2018.  This permanently closed Future I-66 Southern Kentucky Corridor, the only designated interstate in the Trans America Corridor Highway.  Congress designated the Louis Nunn-Cumberland Parkway as Future I-365 from I-65 to Sommerset August 5, 2021, part of the cancelled "I-66 Southern Kentucky Corridor".

The FHWA, as the lead Federal agency, in cooperation with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), is rescinding the Record of Decision (ROD) and the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposal to construct a segment of Interstate 66 in Pike County, Kentucky and Mingo County, West Virginia. The Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was published in the Federal Register on March 15, 2000. The ROD was issued October 27, 2003. The FHWA has determined, in conjunction with the KYTC, that the ROD and the FEIS for the project shall be rescinded for the following reasons:

1) No foreseeable connection to the (U.S. 52) King Coal Highway (in West Virginia)
2) Significant (environmental) impacts of the 2003 Selected Alternative (route)
3) Other regional (highway) improvements meet the purposes and needs of the project
4) Lack of funding for the construction of the project

FHWA and KYTC Rescission of the Record of Decision and Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for Interstate 66 Southern Kentucky Corridor

[FutureInterstateCorridors]

The FHWA cancelled "66 Corridor" studies, the western leg of the "Future I-66 Southern Kentucky Corridor" in 2015.  "66 Corridor" was heavily opposed by environmentalists and farmers in southern Illinois.  The Illinois Department of Transportation made several attempts to build the highway, even considering dropping the interstate option for a four-lane expressway.  Opposition was still heavy against any highway whatsoever.

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will not be prepared for the 66 Corridor Project in Alexander, Johnson, Massac, Pulaski, and Union Counties, llinois; Ballard and McCracken Counties, Kentucky; and Cape Girardeau, Scott, and Mississippi Counties, Missouri...The FHWA, in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), published a notice of intent to prepare a Tier 1 EIS in the Federal Register dated May 21, 2014 (Volume 79, Number 98, pp. 29261–29262) to evaluate the need for an improved transportation system between Paducah, Kentucky and I–55 in Missouri.
 
The project is being cancelled and no further activities will occur for the 66 Corridor Project at this time.

FHWA Cancels the 66 Corridor Project

"66 Corridor" was basically the hope of business interest and local politicians to build Future I-66 to Cape Giraudeau Missouri.

To this day, Cape Giraudeau is the only city hoping to revive Future I-66.

Cape Girardeau's website for TransAmerica Corridor

[hbelkins]

I-66 lives on in the Kentucky state highway plan.

https://transportation.ky.gov/Program-Management/Pages/2024-Enacted-Highway-Plan.aspx

(Page 195)

[Rothman]

Ah, the holder-on projects that end up in state transportation plans.  They never die.

[hbelkins]

Even without I-66 being built, the extension of the Cumberland Parkway to the new KY 80/KY 461 interchange will still happen. The design of that interchange was such that the through traffic westbound on KY 80 will continue on the new alignment.

The widening of the Daniel Boone Hal Rogers Parkway between London and Hazard is still active, although any references to it as I-66 have been removed.

[seicer]

Correct. The long-range corridor plans have KY 80 being widened or reconstructed between Somerset and London because of traffic counts, the Hal Rogers Parkway being widened between London and Hazard because of safety and economic development rationales, and the KY 461 corridor being widened because of traffic counts. Whether or not it is branded as Interstate 66 or not, these are noteworthy and worthy upgrades.

[FutureInterstateCorridors]

Kentucky did an impressive job building its "parkway" toll-roads.  Unfortunately it was not completed, leaving two significant gaps, the Bluegrass Parkway ending just west of Lexington and the Cumberland Parkway at Sommerset.  KYTC did want to complete the Bluegrass Parkway to I-64, but the horse-breeding farmers stopped the highway at U.S. 60.  The Cumberland Parkway had to cross the Daniel Boone National Forest, which was a major obstacle for KYTC to connect to London, especially when I-66 was proposed along the route.  Congress changed the interstate designation to I-365 from I-65 to Somerset.  Upgrading Hal Rogers or KY 80 to U.S. 23 is not likely in the foreseeable future, and KYTC decided to concentrate on upgrading the Mountain Parkway from I-64 to U.S. 23 to serve the people in Eastern Kentucky. 

[english si]

Most of I-66 that didn't already have interstate status got added again to the High Priority Corridors (it was added in the original bill as Corridor 3) with future 3di numbers:

91   Western Kentucky Parkway   The portion of the Western Kentucky Parkway between Interstate 69 in the west (near Nortonville, Kentucky) to Interstate 165 (formerly the William H. Natcher Parkway) in the east   ISTEA mandates that route be Interstate 569

97   Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Expressway (sic)   Cumberland Parkway from I-65 in Barren County to U.S. 27 in Somerset, Kentucky   IIJA mandates this route be Interstate 365

The William H. Natcher Parkway isn't there, but the whole thing to Owensboro became I-165 in 2019, so it's already done (though more a legacy of Owensboro's push for I-67 running via the city than I-66 using the bottom half).

The Western KY Parkway HPC/I-569 ending at I-165 and not going all the way to I-65 is a clear legacy of I-66.

[The Ghostbuster]

Hopefully, Interstate 569 will eventually be extended to Interstate 65. If the western 77-mile segment of the Western Kentucky Parkway becomes part of the Interstate System, the eastern 60-mile segment of the WKP should as well.

[hbelkins]

Correct. The long-range corridor plans have KY 80 being widened or reconstructed between Somerset and London because of traffic counts, the Hal Rogers Parkway being widened between London and Hazard because of safety and economic development rationales, and the KY 461 corridor being widened because of traffic counts. Whether or not it is branded as Interstate 66 or not, these are noteworthy and worthy upgrades.

I have never encountered congestion on KY 80 between London (once you get past the traffic signals west of I-75) and Somerset. There are plenty of passing/truck lanes on existing ADHS corridor. There's no need for a four-lane facility along that route, much less a new limited-access freeway.

I wonder if the new interstate designation (365) will end at US 27 or if it will be carried on the to-be-built route all the way to the KY 80/KY 461 interchange?

I'm really surprised that Hal Rogers hasn't pushed for the interstate-ification of the Mountain Parkway. A few ramps would need to be lengthened, but the only major work that would need to be done is to reconstruct Exit 40 at Pine Ridge.

[froggie]

I have never encountered congestion on KY 80 between London (once you get past the traffic signals west of I-75) and Somerset. There are plenty of passing/truck lanes on existing ADHS corridor. There's no need for a four-lane facility along that route, much less a new limited-access freeway.

Depending on your definiton of "congestion", I have.  I haven't hit consistent under-45mph conditons (some definitions), but I've definitly been in long platoons going low-50s that would meet the HCM definition of LOS E or F on a 2-lane highway.

IMO, 4-laning 80 between Somerset and London is warranted, though I would agree it does not need to be freeway-grade.

[FutureInterstateCorridors]

I-66 lives on in the Kentucky state highway plan.

https://transportation.ky.gov/Program-Management/Pages/2024-Enacted-Highway-Plan.aspx

(Page 195)

The Somerset Northern Bypass in the KYTC 2024 Enacted Highway Plan is officially designated as KY-80 but in the National Highway System the legacy name for the bypass was "SOMERSET NORTHERN BYPASS (I-66)".  The highway will first get the designation KY-80 and when the Cumberland Expressway is upgraded to interstate standards, the bypass may become Interstate 365.  AASHTO and FHWA will not designate it as I-66 because Congress has designated it as I-365.
SECTION

[Molandfreak]

AASHTO and FHWA will not designate it as I-66 because Congress has designated it as I-365.
SECTION

[citation needed]

[The Ghostbuster]

There's this from 2022: https://transportation.ky.gov/Planning/Planning%20Studies%20and%20Reports/Cumberland%20Expressway%20Upgrade%20-Final%20Report.pdf. Since the Interstate 66 proposal died in 2015, Interstate 365 is the most logical number for the corridor.

[Molandfreak]

There's this from 2022: https://transportation.ky.gov/Planning/Planning%20Studies%20and%20Reports/Cumberland%20Expressway%20Upgrade%20-Final%20Report.pdf. Since the Interstate 66 proposal died in 2015, Interstate 365 is the most logical number for the corridor.

What is this regarding? The claim needing evidence is that congress passed legislation designating it as I-365. And we all know that is flat out untrue. Kentucky can still designate all of these parkways as I-66 depending on if AASHTO would approve it, they just voluntarily chose to go in a different direction after Illinois canceled further studies.

I still think the model set by US 400 to the west and US 48 to the east should have been expanded to its logical extreme rather than waiting for a complete interstate-grade corridor to come through.

[Dirt Roads]

Mitch McConnell introduced Senate Bill 1091 on April 13, 2021 to designate the Louis B. Nunn Parkway as a High-Priority Corridor.  The bill died after not being taking up by committee at the end of the 117th Congress.  Indeed, the bill attempted to codify the use of I-365 as the new route number.

[Bitmapped]

There's this from 2022: https://transportation.ky.gov/Planning/Planning%20Studies%20and%20Reports/Cumberland%20Expressway%20Upgrade%20-Final%20Report.pdf. Since the Interstate 66 proposal died in 2015, Interstate 365 is the most logical number for the corridor.

What is this regarding? The claim needing evidence is that congress passed legislation designating it as I-365. And we all know that is flat out untrue. Kentucky can still designate all of these parkways as I-66 depending on if AASHTO would approve it, they just voluntarily chose to go in a different direction after Illinois canceled further studies.

I still think the model set by US 400 to the west and US 48 to the east should have been expanded to its logical extreme rather than waiting for a complete interstate-grade corridor to come through.

I think Kentucky is specifically looking for Interstate designations for their supposed economic development benefits. Most of the corridors have existing US routes or KY routes that could be (IMHO should have been) realigned onto them.