Kentucky bill would rename "parkways" to "freeways"

[bandit957]

Why???

S.B. 136 is a bill in Kentucky that would rename all the formerly toll "parkways" to "freeways." For instance, the Audubon Parkway would become the Audubon Freeway, etc.

So is this a really pressing issue?

[GreenLanternCorps]

Why???

S.B. 136 is a bill in Kentucky that would rename all the formerly toll "parkways" to "freeways." For instance, the Audubon Parkway would become the Audubon Freeway, etc.

So is this a really pressing issue?

No, it's a Marketing gimmick.

Douglas Adams had the best comment on marketing departments...

http://hitchhikers.wikia.com/wiki/Sirius_Cybernetics_Corporation

[seicer]

It would be nice if a bill would be introduced to give some of these parkways back their unique logos.

Mountain Parkway


Mountain Parkway expansion, which will follow along KY 114 to Prestonsburg. I suspect this logo is just for promotional purposes, but one can only hope!



Daniel Boone Parkway, now the Hal Rogers Parkway.

[Rothman]

I would kill to get my hands on the old Mountain Parkway shield, with the Hal Rogers banner.

[hbelkins]

I can confirm that the Mountain Parkway Expansion logo sign is just that; a promotional/marketing thing.

There are three old-style Mountain Parkway signs remaining in the wild of which I am aware. All three are located in towns at busy intersections that would make acquisition by means of questionable legality a bit difficult.

I have a second-generation (logo in the square instead of the cutout circle), uninstalled, Daniel Boone Parkway sign in my office.

I would kill to get my hands on the old Mountain Parkway shield, with the Hal Rogers banner.

I think you mean Bert T. Combs.

As for the bill itself, I haven't seen it, but it would require another wasteful massive resigning such was done when the signage was changed to the current format. I understand that was done in an attempt to proliferate the "Kentucky Unbridled Spirit" logo, but as big of a supporter as I was of Gov. Fletcher and his administration and his Transportation Cabinet leadership, I think this was a mistake.

[Rothman]

Of course I meant Bert T. Combs. *sigh*

Today over yet?

[froggie]

^ It's always Beer:30 somewhere...

[The Ghostbuster]

Which are those multiple highways with the parkway name closer to? Freeways or Parkways? In any event, the name "parkways" has been a part of the Kentucky highway system for decades. There's no need for a parkways-to-freeways name change.

[hotdogPi]

Which are those multiple highways with the parkway name closer to? Freeways or Parkways? In any event, the name "parkways" has been a part of the Kentucky highway system for decades. There's no need for a parkways-to-freeways name change.

Some of them have at-grade intersections and are therefore not full freeways.

[hbelkins]

Which are those multiple highways with the parkway name closer to? Freeways or Parkways? In any event, the name "parkways" has been a part of the Kentucky highway system for decades. There's no need for a parkways-to-freeways name change.

Some of them have at-grade intersections and are therefore not full freeways.

Only the Hal Rogers, which is, for the most part, a Super-2. There's one at-grade on the Mountain Parkway's two-lane section, but it will be eliminated in favor of an interchange in the widening project.

Of course, the problem with the Mountain Parkway is that the extension from Salyersville to Prestonsburg may end up being a widening of KY 114 with all of its at-grades, and even if they build a limited-access road on a new alignment, you've got the segment in Salyersville that's going to have a bunch of traffic lights.

In terms of terminology, the routes are definitely not like the NYC parkways, which prohibit commercial traffic.

[Bitmapped]

If KYTC is going to do anything, I think giving the routes numbers would make the most sense. The names don't show up on maps well, and now that some are Interstates, the dam has broken in terms of posting numbers.

[Rick Powell]

In terms of terminology, the routes are definitely not like the NYC parkways, which prohibit commercial traffic.

A "parkway" is best defined by Merriam-Webster - "a broad landscaped highway" which the Kentucky parkways certainly are, although some would want to limit their definition by adding "traversing a park". I see no harm in re-signing the parkways to "freeway" where the definition fits, as part of normal sign replacement, but seems like an unwise expenditure to go off on a sign-changing spree. Besides, the Kentucky "parkways" have their own historic charm, and would lose a little bit if they were re-named like everyone else's freeway.

[Stephane Dumas]

I'm surprised then they didn't called them "turnpike" like the former Kentucky Turnpike back then.

[Avalanchez71]

I like the traditional names.  They should just use the numbers like in Florida with an auxiliary banner.

[Brandon]

I like the traditional names.  They should just use the numbers like in Florida with an auxiliary banner.

Hell, they could do that along the Pennyrile and Western Kentucky Parkways where it's I-69.  KTC could even follow *gasp* IDOT here:

{69} NORTH
        Pennyrile Pkwy
Henderson

[seicer]

Yes - text would be far better. It's darn near impossible to read out the shields at high speeds in many cases - and the same goes for other states.

[Henry]

There are lots of bad ideas for renaming highways, and this is definitely one of them.

[jnewkirk77]

I don't have ideas for all of them, but here's what I would like to see:

• Move U.S. 60 to the Audubon
• Re-extend Kentucky 54 to Henderson on the current U.S. 60
• Extend I-71 south to E-town concurrent with I-65, then put I-71 on the WKP over to I-69.
• Commission I-171 on the BGP.

[jeffandnicole]

In terms of terminology, the routes are definitely not like the NYC parkways, which prohibit commercial traffic.

A "parkway" is best defined by Merriam-Webster - "a broad landscaped highway" which the Kentucky parkways certainly are, although some would want to limit their definition by adding "traversing a park". I see no harm in re-signing the parkways to "freeway" where the definition fits, as part of normal sign replacement, but seems like an unwise expenditure to go off on a sign-changing spree. Besides, the Kentucky "parkways" have their own historic charm, and would lose a little bit if they were re-named like everyone else's freeway.

It's also a little subjective, and can change based on whatever the locality wants to use.

The Ben Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia is only half tree-lined, has traffic lights at every intersection, and even has a circle named Logan Square.

In this bill's case, renaming them seems like some anal person consistently contacted their elected officials complaining that they're free, so they should be freeways.

[hbelkins]

Actually, I'm guessing that there's an economic development factor in play here.

If parkways have the stigma of not being full interstate-quality freeways, then perhaps someone wants the name changed to freeway.

One of the sponsors is from Owensboro, so I understand the concern there. The other is from northern Kentucky, however, which isn't served by any parkways.

[Stephane Dumas]

I don't have ideas for all of them, but here's what I would like to see:
Extend I-71 south to E-town concurrent with I-65, then put I-71 on the WKP over to I-69.[/li][/list]

I thought of the same thing about a I-71 extension on the WKP and multiplex it with I-65 to reach I-69.  The main upgrade would be some interchanges, mainly the cloverleaf of WKP/I-65.

Edit: Some folks on Google maps seem to have the nostalgy of the Kentucky Turnpike era. They referred I-65 from Elizabethtown to Louisville as Kentucky Turnpike. http://archive.is/xpytb

[jnewkirk77]

I don't have ideas for all of them, but here's what I would like to see:
Extend I-71 south to E-town concurrent with I-65, then put I-71 on the WKP over to I-69.[/li][/list]

I thought of the same thing about a I-71 extension on the WKP and multiplex it with I-65 to reach I-69.  The main upgrade would be some interchanges, mainly the cloverleaf of WKP/I-65.

Edit: Some folks on Google maps seem to have the nostalgy of the Kentucky Turnpike era. They referred I-65 from Elizabethtown to Louisville as Kentucky Turnpike. http://archive.is/xpytb

I kinda like that little nugget of history.  I'd love to see a historical marker somewhere along the way to remind motorists of what once was. 

[SP Cook]

If KYTC is going to do anything, I think giving the routes numbers would make the most sense. The names don't show up on maps well, and now that some are Interstates, the dam has broken in terms of posting numbers.

THIS.

When they were toll roads, names made some sense, as ordinary people accept named toll roads.  Named ordinary highways in one state and one state only just make no sense.  They do not show up well on maps, make giving directions difficult, and are confusing to non-locals, particularly with the overburden of politician names added on.   

Just move the nearby route number (KY 80 as an example) and forget about it. 

[Avalanchez71]

They already have internal state route numbers.  You could unmask them. 

[sparker]

They already have internal state route numbers.  You could unmask them. 

Q1:  "How do I get to your place?"
A1:  "Take Kentucky 9007 until............."
Q2 (interruption): "Take what?"
A2: "Yeah, it used to be the Hal Rogers Parkway!  Was the Daniel Boone for a while."
Q3: "So they changed it to a really weird number that nobody's gonna remember?"
A3: "Uhh....I guess so."
Q4: "What a stupid concept!"

......sorry; had to finish off the Python theme carried over from another thread.