Widening of I-75 in Grant and Scott Counties may start next year: (Convington) Kentucky Post: Interstate widening to start (Feb. 16, 2006) 

CSX Transportation has agreed to construct a bridge on Eagle Tunnel Road over the former site of the railroad’s Eagle Tunnel. The tunnel was day-lighted following a partial collapse of the tunnel in January: Grant County News: Eagle Tunnel gets bridge (Oct. 12, 2005) 

Work will soon begin to widen another 4.4 miles of I-75 between Lexington and the Ohio River. Eaton Asphalt Paving Co was recently awarded a $22.49 million contract to widen a section of the highway in Grant County; when this project is complete only 14.6 miles of the 94 mile Ohio River to Lexington section of the highway will be left to be widened.

More information: Cincinnati Enquirer: I-75 about to get new lanes; Work starts Monday to widen stretch from N.Ky. to Lexington (July 16, 2005) 

A new connector route has opened in the Grant County city of Dry Ridge. The new route connects I-75 with US 25: Grant County News: Dry Ridge bypass opens (July 7, 2005) , (Covington) Kentucky Post: New Dry Ridge bypass is drawing accolades (Sept. 7, 2005) 

A new bypass around the Grant County community of Dry Ridge will soon be open to traffic. A dedication ceremony was scheduled for today.

More information: Cincinnati Enquirer: Dry Ridge bypass may spur business; New highway serves growing Grant County (June 28, 2005) 

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 Cincinnati Enquirer reports that—along with other interstate widening projects—the I-75 widening project in Scott and Grant Counties has been delayed by the legislature’s failure to pass a budget: Cincinnati Enquirer: New lanes for I-75 on hold (June 10, 2004) 

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.

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A new interchange at Barnes Pike near Williamstown in Grant County was officially opened during a ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 7.

More information: KYTC Press Release: Governor Patton Officially Opens Barnes Pike Interchange (Oct. 9, 2003) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has released the final report for the conceptual feasibility study for the Northern Kentucky Outer Loop, and the finding is that such an outer loop is not feasible.

The proposed route would connect with I-74 in Indiana, pass into Kentucky at the Markland Dam in Gallatin County, travel east-west across Kentucky, cross the Ohio River into Ohio at the William H. Harsha bridge near Maysville, and connect with a proposed extension of I-74 in Ohio. A two-year long study of this route found that the entire route would not be financially feasible in Kentucky; however, the study found that several segments of the route would have an independent of utility. The study divided the route into six sections and assigned them the following priorities:

1. US 127 to I-75 - 15.1 miles (Owen and Grant Counties)
2. I-71 to US 127 - 6.8 miles (Gallatin/Carroll and Owen Counties)
3. I-75 to US 27 - 17.6 miles (Grant and Pendleton Counties)
4. US 27 to KY 9 - 29 miles (Pendleton, Bracken, and Mason Counties)
5. Indiana to I-71 - 7 miles (Carroll/Gallatin Counties)
6. KY 9 to Ohio - 2.9 miles (Mason County)

The study found that construction of a proposed highway (Indiana State Road 101) from I-74 in Indiana to the Markland Dam would improve the usability of the Indiana to I-71 segment of the Outer Loop.

The release of the report does not guarantee that anything will be built. Construction is dependent on future funding.

More information: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Division of Planning: Proposed Interstate 74 

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The KYTC has posted a new newsletter  concerning the construction of the Northern Kentucky Outer Loop.

Consideration of routes for the Northern Kentucky Outer Loop has been narrowed to a five to ten mile corridor stretching from the Markland Dam in Gallatin County to the Ohio River near Maysville. The road will not be part of I-74; however, it is being studied as part of an effort to extend I-74 eastward from Cincinnati.

From http://www.kytc.state.ky.us/news/dryridge.htm :

COVINGTON, Ky.-- (September 16, 2002) –Transportation Secretary James Codell III along with local and state officials held a groundbreaking ceremony in Dry Ridge today to celebrate the beginning of construction of the East Dry Ridge Connector. Rifle Coal Company, in joint venture with Judy Construction Company, has been awarded the $9.5 million contract and will start construction by September 21, 2002. The project includes the construction of a new three lane connector route from US 25 south of Dry Ridge…east of the Norfolk Southern Railroad…then over the Norfolk Southern Railroad before tying into KY 22 near the I-75 Interchange. Secretary Codell said the new connector will benefit the people of Dry Ridge in three ways. "This new route will provide better access to the Dry Ridge Industrial Park…provide a safer way for motorists to cross the railroad tracks and…alleviate traffic congestion through the downtown area."

According to this article , planners in the Cincinnati area are studying possible improvements to the I-75 corridor. I-75 is considered to be the most heavily traveled truck route in North America.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has released this newsletter  (PDF format) that discuss a feasibility study of an I-74 "Northern Kentucky Outer Loop" that could possibly serve Carroll, Gallatin, Owen, Grant, Pendleton, Bracken and Mason counties.