From Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Department of Highways District 9:

Adopt-a-Highway groups poised to ‘summer scrub’ roadsides, help preserve scenic beauty of the commonwealth
Spring Clean Week in northeast Kentucky is June 6-12

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Volunteers will be out in force soon to “summer scrub” state highways throughout Kentucky. The Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has announced that the Adopt-a-Highway Summer Scrub Week will be held June 6-12.

“The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet appreciates the efforts of our Adopt-a-Highway volunteers who help keep our highways and communities beautiful and litter-free,” Acting Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock said.

[Read Full Text]

The two westbound lanes of Interstate 64 are closed at the Catlettsburg exit after they sank about a foot due to an embankment failure: Associated Press: 2 interstate lanes sink in northeastern Ky (Sept. 21, 2009) , Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Department of Highways District 9: Westbound Interstate 64 remains closed at Catlettsburg; Crews expediting repairs; eastbound traffic unaffected (Sept. 21, 2009) 

Work is expected to begin this summer on a project to reconstruct the I-64/KY 180 interchange in Boyd County: Ashland Daily Independent: Summer to kick off I-64 Cannonsburg interchange overhaul (Jan. 15, 2006) 

Nearly a half-million dollars in improvements—including resurfacing and installation of reflectors—are slated for US 60 in Boyd County: Ashland Daily Independent: Resurfacing, markers slated for area roads (May 19, 2005) 

Work to repaint Ashland’s twin Ohio River bridges is expected to begin this summer. A project to repaint the 13th Street Bridge is expected to begin this summer, and work to repaint the 12th Street Bridge is expected to begin in 2007.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Ohio River bridges to get facelift (March 21, 2005) 

Records show that US 23 is the state’s deadliest roadway: Lexington Herald-Leader: Memorials every few miles on U.S. Highway 23 (Jan. 9, 2005) 

The city of Ashland will change sections of 15th and 16th Streets into two-way thoroughfares: Ashland Daily Independent: Plans for street repairs tightened (Oct. 27, 2004) 

Ashland’s Sixth Street reopened this week after being closed since late July for a widening project. The project is related to the new Melody Mountain shopping development—a development that will include a Wal-Mart, Outback, and O’Charley’s.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Sixth Street open again (Oct. 15, 2004) 

Gov. Fletcher and Transportation Secretary Bailey have appointed chief highway engineers for nine of the Division of Highways' twelve districts.

• Edward “Ted” Merryman has been appointed as Chief Highway Engineer for districts 1 and 2. Previously, Merryman was chief highway engineer for district 2. [more information ]
• Greg Meredith has been reappointed as Chief Highway Engineer for district 2. [more information ]
• Gary M. Raymer, P.E. has been appointed as Chief Highway Engineer for district 4. [more information ]
• David Jones, P.E. has been appointed as Chief Highway Engineer for district 6. [more information ]
• Jim Rummage, P.E. has been appointed as Chief Highway Engineer for district 7. [more information ]
• Katrina O. Bradley, P.E. has been appointed as Chief Highway Engineer for district 9. [more information ]
• Samuel H. Beverage, P.E. has been appointed as Chief Highway Engineer for districts 10 and 11. [ more information ]

More information: WKYT: Gov. Fletcher Hires New Highway Engineers (June 29, 2004) , Associated Press: Fletcher appoints top highway engineers (June 30, 2004) , Hardin County News-Enterprise: Highway engineer appointed in E'town (June 30, 2004) , Maysville Ledger-Independent: New KTC Engineer Sees District as Unique (July 2, 2004) 

The Ashland Daily Independent reports that right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation work will soon begin for the I-64/KY 180 interchange reconstruction project. Tentative plans are for construction to start next year and finish in 2007: Ashland Daily Independent: Changes in store for interchange (June 11, 2004) 

The 60-day regular session of the Kentucky General Assembly ended on April 13. Thirteen bills relating to transportation were passed into law during the 2004 regular session. Click “read full text” below for summaries of each bill.

[Read Full Text]

Transportation Cabinet Secretary Bailey told state legislators on Wednesday that no projects were cut from this year's version of the Six Year Highway plan; however, some projects have delayed due to the states budget problems.

The list of projects is too long to list here; however, some notable projects are listed below.

• $118 million for the Louisville-Southern Indiana Bridges Project. Some of this money will be raised by selling bonds that would be repaid when promised federal funding is allocated for the project.
• $78 million for reconstruction of the Owensboro bypass to the east of its current alignment. This is meant to improve access to the William H. Natcher Bridge.
• Widening of I-64 from Louisville to Shelbyville.
• Widening of I-65 from the Tennessee State Line to Bowling Green.
• Widening of I-75 in Scott and Grant counties.
• Southern extensions of both the Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway and the William H. Natcher Parwkay.

A notable absence from the list is funding for replacing the I-71/I-75 Brent Spence Bridge over the Ohio River; however, the project remains on the unscheduled needs list and officials claim that it is still a priority. Construction on the project is still over a decade away.

This year the transportation cabinet has split the list into projects that will receive federal funding and projects that will not receive federal funding. Projects that will be funded only by the state are expected to be delayed and will be prioritized by need.

[Read Full Text]

A section of US 23—which is designated the Country Music Highway through the entire state—was named in honor Bluegrass Musician Melvin Goins today. Goins is a resident of Boyd County.

More information: Ashland Daily-Independent: Boyd's Melvin Goins to get stretch of music highway (Feb. 19, 2004) 

Update (Feb. 21, 2004): More information: Ashland Daily-Independent: Goins added to Country Music Highway (Feb. 20, 2004) 

Ashland’s Highlands Museum & Discovery Center is seeking to a federal grant that would in part be used to provide more information about the affect of transportation on the development of the region.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Transportation in spotlight (Feb. 6, 2004) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will hold an open house meeting to discuss changes to the KY 180/I-64 interchange from 5p.m. to 7 p.m. next Thursday, Sept. 11, at Boyd County High School.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Changes coming for interchange (Sept. 3, 2003) 

Two-hundred-and-sixty-two photographs of Kentucky's roads have been added to this website. The new photo galleries include:

• Bridges of the Ohio River - Several of Kentucky's 40 bridges across the Ohio River.
• William H. Harsha Bridge Photographs - Photographs of Kentucky's first cable stayed bridge: the William H. Harsha bridge near Maysville.
• I-64 - Sherman Minton Bridge - The I-64 and US 150 bridge over the Ohio River in Louisville.
• Shortway Bridge - The Old KY 1120 bridge over the Licking River between Kenton and Campbell Counties.
• I-65 - John F. Kennedy Bridge - The I-65 bridge over the Ohio River at Louisville.
• US 31 - George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge (Second Street Bridge) - The US 31 bridge over the Ohio River at Louisville.
• I-65 - Miscellaneous Images
• KY 30 - Miscellaneous Images - Photographs of the new section of KY 30 under construction in Laurel County.
• I-65 Warren County Construction - June 29, 2001
• I-65 Warren County Construction - May 22, 2002
• I-65 Warren County Construction - August 15, 2002
• I-65 Warren County Construction - July 5, 2003
• I-75 - Miscellaneous Images - Includes photographs of I-75 widening projects south of Lexington.
• William H. Natcher Bridge - October 26, 2002
• William H. Natcher Bridge - February 8, 2003
• Louisville - Miscellaneous Images
• KY 3 and KY 645 - Inez - January 3, 2003
• AA Highway - Miscellaneous Images
• KY 67 - Miscellaneous Images
• KY 80 - Miscellaneous Images - Along KY 80 in Pulaski and Laurel Counties.
• KY 101 and KY 259 - Edmonson County - November 18, 2001 - A new section of KY 259 and KY 101 under construction in Edmonson County.
• US 23 - Miscellaneous Images
• US 60 - Miscellaneous Images - Photographs of the Cumberland and Tennessee River bridges.

A few new images have been added to the KentuckyRoads.com - Miscellaneous Signs and KentuckyRoads.com - General Images galleries as well.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has released the I-64 Strategic Improvement Plan . The plan covers possible upgrades to the entire length of Interstate 64 through the state.

The entire length of I-64 in Kentucky has been designated the Purple Heart Trail. The Military Order of Purple Heart has undertaken an effort to have each of the 50 states and Puerto Rico designate one of their highways to honor recipients of the Purple Heart. Kentucky will erect 24 signs designating the Purple Heart Trail: one at each of I-64's entrances to the state and signs in each county along I-64.

More information: KYTC Press Release 

As reported earlier, a new turn lane was added at the intersection of Winchester Avenue and 13th Street in Ashland to provide better access to the Simeon Willis Bridge over the Ohio River. The new turn lane appears to be working as intended.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: New turn lane on Winchester makes difference (Aug. 9, 2002) 

Thanks to Sherman for the link.

The Kentucky Department of Highways will modify the interserction of Winchester Avenue and 13th Street in Ashland to provide two turn lanes for cars turning onto the Simeon Willis Bridge over the Ohio River.

More information: The Daily Independent: Road work set to change Winchester (Aug. 2, 2002) 

H.B. Elkins suggests in two articles in the Usenet newsgroup misc.transport.road that work being done along the KY 7 corridor in Eastern Kentucky will eventually lead to a London-Ashland Highway similar to the Alexandria-Ashland Highway in Northern Kentucky.

More information: Re: Southern OH/ Eastern KY Roadtrip  and Re: KY: Expansion of KY 7 - Grayson-London Link 

According to this article  from the Ashland Daily Independent a redesign of the exit 185 on I-64 at KY 180 is being considered. The interchange has been the site of numerous fatalities. If approved by the state legislature, construction could start in 12 to 18 months.

Work has begun to improve safety on US 23 near Catlettsburg. The work is aimed at preventing rock slides along the route. Lanes will be closed periodically through out the project which is expected to be completed in September.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent (Feb. 21, 2002) 

The Ashland Daily Independent reports in this article  that ODOT will close the Ironton-Russell Bridge between Ironton, OH and Russell, KY will be closed if temperatures drop to around 5 degrees below zero. This is due to concerns about the steel structure of the bridge. The University of Cincinnati has been conducting tests on the 80-year-old structure since 1999.

The Ashland Daily Independent reports in this Dec. 30, 2001 article  that the KYTC is testing SMA asphalt on a stretch of US 23 in Boyd and Lawrence counties. SMA asphalt is an idea imported from Europe and is designed to handle heavy traffic and large trucks.

The Ashland Daily-Independent reports in this Sept. 5, 2001 article  that a new Flying J has opened off of I-64 in Cannonsburg. Roadgeeks seem to like Flying J's for some reason.

The Ashland Daily-Independent reports in this Sept. 5, 2001 article  that a new access ramp to the Ashland Town Center Mall from US 23 has opened.

The Ashland Daily Independent reports in this August 14, 2001 article  that changes will be made at the US 23 and I-64 interchange to alleviate congestion caused by coal trucks.