Kentucky

[Georgia Guardrail]

Had a question about the Newtown Pike Widening in Lexington, KY. 

I know they are going to build an underpass for the Legacy Trail to go under Newtown Pike. 

Will this be a tunnel or an actual bridge?  I'm assuming a tunnel.

[wriddle082]

They have mostly wrapped up the I-75 lane closures in northern Madison County!

https://www.wkyt.com/2025/10/15/i-75-lanes-madison-county-reopen-135m-project-nears-completion/

Seems to me this was yet another poorly managed project, in that they had no real reason to institute a constant 55 mph work zone speed limit 24/7.  Why doesn't KYTC use variable work zone speed limit signs like Ohio and North Carolina do, so that the speed limit can be raised up to 65 or something more reasonable when there are no workers present?  Heck, in one I-485 widening project in South Charlotte that's taking forever, the variable work zone speed limit signs stay at 70 (the normal limit along the whole beltway) when no workers are present.  I think a lot of the issue with this work zone is that a southbound truck going down a hill towards the Clay's Ferry Bridge going 55 cannot maintain enough momentum to keep going 55 once they're on the bridge and going uphill, thus slowing down everyone behind them.  Maybe I'm wrong here, but it seems to me like a higher limit when appropriate would have relieved the traffic backups a good bit.

[ibthebigd]

If they would just finish the Newtown Pike to Paris Pike section.They haven't worked on it in awhile.

[seicer]

KY 61 Corridor Study

The objective of the study was to identify and evaluate potential concepts to improve safety for all users, reduce traffic congestion at key intersections, enhance multi-modal transportation options, and incorporate Complete Streets guidance on KY 61 in Jefferson County. The study begins at Commerce Crossings Drive (MP 1.395) and ends at Briden Avenue (MP 8.400). [Essentially between Interstates 264 and 265 in Louisville.]

[wriddle082]

If they would just finish the Newtown Pike to Paris Pike section.They haven't worked on it in awhile.

I think they're close on that one, but it's a tricky project.  They have to maintain three lanes in each direction during peak hours, and there's not a whole lot of room to work in.  What surprises me is that they somehow aren't going to replace the KY 57 Bryan Station Road overpass because I didn't think there was enough room between all of the bridge piers for eight lanes, but I suppose they're going to sacrifice the shoulders.  The KY 353 Russell Cave Road overpass appears to have just enough room underneath it for all of the lanes and shoulders.

[hbelkins]

Facebook scuttlebutt is that the unfinished portion of US 460 in Pike County is going to open next weekend.

The signs on US 23 that previously read KY 3174 with no destinations listed have been replaced.

[seicer]

Very nice.

Those bridges that have been vastly underused are already in need of painting!

[Cody606]

Looks like it has been confirmed, new US-460 at "Pikeville" (decidedly not Pikeville) Pyramid opens this weekend.

[hbelkins]

Facebook scuttlebutt is that the unfinished portion of US 460 in Pike County is going to open next weekend.

The signs on US 23 that previously read KY 3174 with no destinations listed have been replaced.

So much for the Facebook-linked image staying up.

Looks like it has been confirmed, new US-460 at "Pikeville" (decidedly not Pikeville) Pyramid opens this weekend.

There's a ribbon-cutting ceremony planned for tomorrow and the road is supposed to open on Friday.

At this point, I don't know if there will be two US 460s posted in the field for awhile, if KYTC will get the "Alternate US 460" signs posted along the old route, or there'll be a situation like there was for awhile at the NC/TN border on I-26 when US 23 was discontinuous until North Carolina decided to sign US 23A on the old road south of Sams Gap.

Earliest I can get up to see the new route is next weekend, but it may be awhile longer before I can drive it and check on signage in the field.

[Rothman]

Facebook scuttlebutt is that the unfinished portion of US 460 in Pike County is going to open next weekend.

The signs on US 23 that previously read KY 3174 with no destinations listed have been replaced.

So much for the Facebook-linked image staying up.

Looks like it has been confirmed, new US-460 at "Pikeville" (decidedly not Pikeville) Pyramid opens this weekend.

There's a ribbon-cutting ceremony planned for tomorrow and the road is supposed to open on Friday.

At this point, I don't know if there will be two US 460s posted in the field for awhile, if KYTC will get the "Alternate US 460" signs posted along the old route, or there'll be a situation like there was for awhile at the NC/TN border on I-26 when US 23 was discontinuous until North Carolina decided to sign US 23A on the old road south of Sams Gap.

Earliest I can get up to see the new route is next weekend, but it may be awhile longer before I can drive it and check on signage in the field.

*snickers about the two KY 15s in Whitesburg*

[wriddle082]

At this point, I don't know if there will be two US 460s posted in the field for awhile, if KYTC will get the "Alternate US 460" signs posted along the old route, or there'll be a situation like there was for awhile at the NC/TN border on I-26 when US 23 was discontinuous until North Carolina decided to sign US 23A on the old road south of Sams Gap.

What about KY 80?  Can the old route be signed as KY 80 only?  The new signage at the Pikeville Pyramid interchange only references US 460 (drove by it today).

[Rothman]

At this point, I don't know if there will be two US 460s posted in the field for awhile, if KYTC will get the "Alternate US 460" signs posted along the old route, or there'll be a situation like there was for awhile at the NC/TN border on I-26 when US 23 was discontinuous until North Carolina decided to sign US 23A on the old road south of Sams Gap.

What about KY 80?  Can the old route be signed as KY 80 only?  The new signage at the Pikeville Pyramid interchange only references US 460 (drove by it today).

I thought KYTC numbered old alignments with a four-digit state route number.

[NE2]

At this point, I don't know if there will be two US 460s posted in the field for awhile, if KYTC will get the "Alternate US 460" signs posted along the old route, or there'll be a situation like there was for awhile at the NC/TN border on I-26 when US 23 was discontinuous until North Carolina decided to sign US 23A on the old road south of Sams Gap.

What about KY 80?  Can the old route be signed as KY 80 only?  The new signage at the Pikeville Pyramid interchange only references US 460 (drove by it today).

I thought KYTC numbered old alignments with a four-digit state route number.

No. They number old alignments with whatever number is free, or in this case they could simply keep KY 80.

[Rothman]

At this point, I don't know if there will be two US 460s posted in the field for awhile, if KYTC will get the "Alternate US 460" signs posted along the old route, or there'll be a situation like there was for awhile at the NC/TN border on I-26 when US 23 was discontinuous until North Carolina decided to sign US 23A on the old road south of Sams Gap.

What about KY 80?  Can the old route be signed as KY 80 only?  The new signage at the Pikeville Pyramid interchange only references US 460 (drove by it today).

I thought KYTC numbered old alignments with a four-digit state route number.

No. They number old alignments with whatever number is free, or in this case they could simply keep KY 80.

Eh, true.  Just thought of KY 321...but was thinking of the other four digit numbers already used down there along US 23 and when US 460 construction was starting to complete chunks.

[hbelkins]

Facebook scuttlebutt is that the unfinished portion of US 460 in Pike County is going to open next weekend.

The signs on US 23 that previously read KY 3174 with no destinations listed have been replaced.

So much for the Facebook-linked image staying up.

Looks like it has been confirmed, new US-460 at "Pikeville" (decidedly not Pikeville) Pyramid opens this weekend.

There's a ribbon-cutting ceremony planned for tomorrow and the road is supposed to open on Friday.

At this point, I don't know if there will be two US 460s posted in the field for awhile, if KYTC will get the "Alternate US 460" signs posted along the old route, or there'll be a situation like there was for awhile at the NC/TN border on I-26 when US 23 was discontinuous until North Carolina decided to sign US 23A on the old road south of Sams Gap.

Earliest I can get up to see the new route is next weekend, but it may be awhile longer before I can drive it and check on signage in the field.

*snickers about the two KY 15s in Whitesburg*

Actually, the two KY 15s in Whitesburg are KY 15 (the bypass on the west side of downtown) and Business KY 15/KY 15X (the old route through the center of town.) The KY 15X postings were originally done by contractors when the bridge just southeast of the northern terminus of the bypass was rebuilt. Postings along the business route often omit the "Business" banner.

The same is true in Hazard, where not every posting of the business route has a "business" banner.

At this point, I don't know if there will be two US 460s posted in the field for awhile, if KYTC will get the "Alternate US 460" signs posted along the old route, or there'll be a situation like there was for awhile at the NC/TN border on I-26 when US 23 was discontinuous until North Carolina decided to sign US 23A on the old road south of Sams Gap.

What about KY 80?  Can the old route be signed as KY 80 only?  The new signage at the Pikeville Pyramid interchange only references US 460 (drove by it today).

There's an issue of route number continuity, since Virginia plans to sign the old alignment as Alternate US 460. My guess is that KY 80 will remain signed on the old route, along with Alternate 460, especially since KY 80 becomes VA 80 at the state line.

At this point, I don't know if there will be two US 460s posted in the field for awhile, if KYTC will get the "Alternate US 460" signs posted along the old route, or there'll be a situation like there was for awhile at the NC/TN border on I-26 when US 23 was discontinuous until North Carolina decided to sign US 23A on the old road south of Sams Gap.

What about KY 80?  Can the old route be signed as KY 80 only?  The new signage at the Pikeville Pyramid interchange only references US 460 (drove by it today).

I thought KYTC numbered old alignments with a four-digit state route number.

No. They number old alignments with whatever number is free, or in this case they could simply keep KY 80.

Depends on what's available. When US 460 between Salyersville and Paintsville was relocated in the 1970s, KY 40 was extended west from Paintsville along old 460 (which, ironically, was originally KY 40 before 460 was extended into Kentucky in the 1950s.)

Similarly, when a new alignment of US 150 was built southeast of Stanford, KY 78 was extended along the old path of 150.

[Rothman]

Facebook scuttlebutt is that the unfinished portion of US 460 in Pike County is going to open next weekend.

The signs on US 23 that previously read KY 3174 with no destinations listed have been replaced.

So much for the Facebook-linked image staying up.

Looks like it has been confirmed, new US-460 at "Pikeville" (decidedly not Pikeville) Pyramid opens this weekend.

There's a ribbon-cutting ceremony planned for tomorrow and the road is supposed to open on Friday.

At this point, I don't know if there will be two US 460s posted in the field for awhile, if KYTC will get the "Alternate US 460" signs posted along the old route, or there'll be a situation like there was for awhile at the NC/TN border on I-26 when US 23 was discontinuous until North Carolina decided to sign US 23A on the old road south of Sams Gap.

Earliest I can get up to see the new route is next weekend, but it may be awhile longer before I can drive it and check on signage in the field.

*snickers about the two KY 15s in Whitesburg*

Actually, the two KY 15s in Whitesburg are KY 15 (the bypass on the west side of downtown) and Business KY 15/KY 15X (the old route through the center of town.) The KY 15X postings were originally done by contractors when the bridge just southeast of the northern terminus of the bypass was rebuilt. Postings along the business route often omit the "Business" banner.

The same is true in Hazard, where not every posting of the business route has a "business" banner.

Yeah, I know that.  But, like you say, KY 15 Business is pretty much signed as KY 15 right in the middle of and through town.  I think the shields at the northern intersection with KY 15 are the exception, not the rule by far.

[wriddle082]

^

I think signing the business route at the termini and forgetting the BUSINESS banner in the middle of the business district is a common issue in a lot of states except for maybe Virginia, where they seem to be more thorough about such things.  I'm pretty sure Tennessee often forgets the BUSINESS banners, as does South Carolina and sometimes North Carolina.