The Appalachian Regional Commission  (an agency of the federal government) plans on rebuilding parts of US 119 and US 460 in Eastern Kentucky. Work on US 119 between Pikeville and Belfry in Pike County is currently under way. This road will cut through 6 mountains.

The reconstruction of US 460 in Pike County is another ARC project.

ARC will also be funding a 1.8 mile tunnel through Pine Mountain in Letcher County. The two-lane tunnel will be the 3rd longest vehicle tunnel in the United States.

More information: Herald-Leader: Feds committed to putting roads in Appalachia's most isolated areas (Sept. 7, 2002) 

The Natcher Bridge probably won't open until around Oct. 10. Grouting of the tables was recently completed, and now wind ties must be attached to the cables. These ties are intended to restrict the movement of the cables during high wind. Other remaining work includes pouring concrete to complete the roofs of the two towers, painting, and electrical work. The construction equipment including two large cranes must be removed.

More information: Messenger-Inquirer: Bridge likely to open in Oct. (Sept. 12, 2002) 

The joint Kentucky and Indiana group studying possible routes for the I-69 Ohio River crossing will hold an "emergency" public meeting to discuss three proposed routes for I-69 to connect Henderson and Evansville. They will have maps showing more detail than previous maps.

The meeting will be held from 4pm to 7pm Monday, September 23, at Henderson County High School.

More information:

• MyInKy.com: Possible I-69 Routes Become Clearer (Sept. 12, 2002) 
• MyInKy.com: I-69 Meetings Coming Up (Sept. 12, 2002) 
• MyInKy.com: Henderson I-69 meetings slated (Sept. 12, 2002) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has announced the following upcoming public meetings:

• Sept. 9 - Discussion of Upgrades to US 51 in Hickman County 
• Sept. 10 - Discussion of Upgrades to US 51 in Carlisle County 
• Sept. 10 - Replacement of the High Street Bridge 
• Sept. 19 - Construction of a new interchange and rest area on I-75 
• Sept. 24 - US 421 widening in Fayette County 
• Sept. 26 - US 460 Realignment in Morgan County 
• Oct. 7 - US 119 Reconstruction in Letcher County 

The need and possible locations for a new interchange on I-71 between the Gene Snyder Freeway (Interstate 265/KY 841) and the Crestwood interchange (Exit 14) will be studied. Oldham County will contribute $10,000 to the study; the state will contribute $35,000; and Hills Communities, a Jefferson County development firm, will contribute $62,000. The interchange is being studied in the hope of relieving traffic on KY 22. No plans to build an interchange are currently in the state's Six Year Highway Plan; however, that document is amended on a bi-annual basis.

More information: Courier-Journal: Need for new interchange will be studied (Jun. 13, 2002) 

New signs have been (or are being placed) along the length of the Audubon Parkway. Jason Ward, of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, reports that this work is being done through a contract with The Ruth Company.

Jacob Newkirk discusses the re-signing project in this Usenet thread . He reports that many of the signs were the original signs that were installed on the parkway when it opened in the early '70s.

H.B. Elkins posts in this Usenet message  that he has learned from Jeff Moore at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet that KY 80 will be routed along the new road currently under construction between Aurora and Mayfield. The current route of KY 80 between Aurora and KY 58 near Brewers has been renumbered as KY 402.

A new Inspector General has been named for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. The new inspector, Robert Russell, will have the ability to report either to the Transportation Cabinet Secretary or directly to the Governor. Over the last 18-months several cases of corruption have been reported in the transportation cabinet, including the scandal surrounding the repainting of the Kennedy Bridge in Louisville.

More information: Herald-Leader: Transit cabinet monitor is named (Sept. 6, 2002) 

Federal, state, and local officials have pledged that housing and community input will be taken into account during the planning and construction of an extension to Newtown Pike in downtown Lexington. 180 new homes will be constructed by non-profit agencies during the process of building the new road. The new 1.25 mile road is expected to open in 2007. The road will connect West Main Street to Patterson Street.

More information:

• Herald-Leader: Newtown Pike area gets pledge of protection (Sept. 6, 2002) 
• Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government: Newtown Pike Extension 

A transportation cabinet highway planner, Keith Damron, reports that construction of a segment of I-66 in Pike County could begin next year. The actual beginning of construction is dependent on final federal approval by the U.S. Department of Transportation and available funding. This section of I-66 is about 30 miles long and would begin at US 23 in Pikeville and extend to the West Virginia border. This road is expected to cost $1.5 billion (or $50 million per mile).

More information: Floyd County Times: Construction of I-66 could begin next year (Sept. 4, 2002) 

Plans for roads in the new Oxmoor Farm development in Jefferson County near Shelbyville Road (US 60) have upset some local residents. The plans call for connections between the new development and the adjacent neighborhoods in Jeffersontown. The article below mentions that urban planners now see connections between neighborhoods as important. It is believed that suburban congestion is a problem because neighborhoods are only connection in a few points; on the other hand older neighborhoods (such as the Old Louisville neighborhood) were laid out on a grid and have many more connections.

More information: Courier-Journal: Suburban road plan upsets some residents (Sept. 1, 2002) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will be closing several rest areas and opening a few new ones over the next few years. Two rest areas on I-64 in Shelby County, three rest areas on I-65 in Warren County and Hart County, and two rest areas on I-75 in Madison County will soon be or have already been closed; however, Kentucky is planning to build two new rest areas on I-65 in Hart County, and a one large rest area to serve both northbound and southbound traffic will be built on I-75 in Madison County. The new Madison County rest area will have parking for 400 cars, 100 trucks, and 13 oversized vehicles.

More information: Courier-Journal: Kentucky will spend millions to open new rest stops (Aug. 31, 2002) 

The article also briefly mentions the rest area on the Mountain Parkway and the service area on the Western Kentucky Parkway.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will be holding a series of four public meetings concerning the route of I-69 between Henderson and Eddyville. I-69 is expected to follow the Pennyrile Parkway and the Western Kentucky Parkway between these two cities.

More information:

• MyInKy.com: State eyes parkways for I-69 path (Sept. 4, 2002) 
• KYTC's Division of Planning: Proposed Interstate 69 
• KYTC: Announcement of Public Information Meetings 

Thanks for Chris at I69info.com  for the heads up about these meetings.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Division of Planning has posted a few new maps of preliminary study corridors for I-66 in western Kentucky.

Ballard and McCracken Counties

• Preliminary Corridors 
• More Information 

Warren and Edmonson Counties

• Bowling Green Beltline Corridors 
• I-66 Corridors 
• More Information 

From www.kytc.state.ky.us/news/stanfordribbon-cutting.htm :

Frankfort, Ky. - Governor Paul E. Patton will be joined by representatives of Lincoln County, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to dedicate the new Cedar Lake Dam and US 150 reconstruction on Wednesday, September 4th, 2002 at 2:45 p.m. ET.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place on the dam located approximately 6.5 miles west of Stanford on US 150.

New Route Numbers for Old US 231

Jacob Newkirk reports in this Usenet post  that the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will probably renumber US 231 through downtown Owensboro as Kentucky 2155.

It has also been said that the Indiana Department of Transportation will renumber old US 231 in Indiana as Indiana 161. (See here  and here .)

The Glover Cary Bridge over the Ohio River at downtown Owensboro is in Kentucky so, if current plans hold, will be part of Kentucky 2155. The stateline is on the north side of the river, and the "Welcome to Kentucky" sign is at the north end of the bridge. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will continue to maintain the 62-year old bridge.

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer Bridge Coverage

The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer ran a series of articles about the Natcher Bridge and other area bridges in their August 30, 2002 edition. You need to complete their free registration to view these articles online:

• William H. Natcher Bridge timeline 
• The men behind the names 
• Solid foundation 
• A community of vision 
• The Missing Link? 
• A long, rocky road 
• Something old ... 
• ... something new 

From www.kytc.state.ky.us/news/ChangesKYTC.htm :

FRANKFORT, KY - (August 29, 2002) - From Somerset to Pikeville, the Transportation Cabinet Districts are seeing some personnel changes.

The District 8 office in Somerset is welcoming their new Chief District Engineer Danny Jewell as Roger Coffey retires from that position. The District office is having a reception for Mr. Coffey on Friday, August 30 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. He has served District 8 for nearly 7 years and has plans to be a full-time farmer. Before joining the Somerset office, Mr. Jewell was Preconstruction Branch Manager in the Manchester District for 13 years. He has served the Cabinet for over 28 years.

In District 12, Linda Wagner Justice will accept the position of Deputy Executive Director of the Office of Construction and Operations in the State Highway Engineers Office on September 1. She has been with District 12 for 4 ½ years. Also on September 1, Danl Hall will become Acting Chief District Engineer for the Pikeville District. Mr. Hall began his career with the Pikeville District in 1998. Prior to that he served as Public Works Commissioner for Pike County Government from 1994 to 1998. He worked for Summit Engineering as Project Manager/Project Engineer from 1987 to 1994.

A selection of a route for the proposed extension to the Owensboro by-pass will be announced in about two months, according to the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer. When the preferred route is announced in October, the public will have 15 days to submit comments on the route. If the plans are finally approved, right-of-way acquisition could begin in 2003 with utility relocation in 2004 and construction in 2005.

The extension of the by-pass is expected to connect with the current by-pass near the Kentucky 54 interchange and connect with US 60 east of the US 60/KY 144 interchange.

More information: Messenger-Inquirer: Bypass extension route selection near (Aug. 25, 2002)  (free registration required)

A neighborhood group will present an alternative plan for reconstructing Clays Mill Road in Fayette County at a meeting on September 17. The time and place of the meeting has yet to be determined.

Plans exist to widen the road to three or five lanes. The crowded road is a residential corridor lined with schools and churches. Neighborhood groups oppose widening because they fear it will bring a great increase in traffic.

More information:

• Lexington Herald-Leader: New plans for Clays Mill? (Aug. 28, 2002) 
• Lexington Herald-Leader: Widening Clays Mill Road -- Letters to the Editor (Jul. 27, 2002) 
• LFUCG Division of Engineering: Clays Mill Road Scoping Study