From Kentucky Tranportation Cabinet Department of Highways District 4 (Sept. 11, 2012):

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From the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Department of Highways District 4:

Transportation Cabinet to upgrade Bluegrass Parkway guardrail

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (Aug. 13, 2010) — The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has awarded a $1.36 million contract to upgrade guardrail along a 27-mile stretch of the Martha Layne Collins Bluegrass Parkway in Nelson and Washington counties.

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Construction could begin on the proposed 60-mile Heartland Parkway in 2008: Central Kentucky News-Journal: Heartland Parkway now in state road plan (Feb. 22, 2006) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has recommended that the proposed “Heartland Parkway” between Columbia and Springfield be constructed by widening KY 55, US 68, and KY 555 to four lanes along their existing route.

More information: Central Kentucky News-Journal: Heartland Parkway could be a little closer (March 6, 2005) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet recently presented three options for the so-called Heartland Parkway in central Kentucky between Columbia and Springfield.

• Option 1 would construct a new interstate-like highway between the Cumberland Parkway and Blue Grass Parkway. The new highway would follow a corridor roughly two miles to the west of KY 55/US 68/KY 555.
• Option 2 would widen the existing KY 55/US 68/KY 555 route to four lanes.
• Option 3 would keep the current KY 55/US 68/KY 555 route at two lanes, but add passing lanes every three miles.

Area residents expressed a wide variety of opinions about the three options at the recent public meetings.

More information: Lebanon Enterprise: Opinions vary about Heartland Parkway options (August 19, 2004) 

A meeting presenting a number of proposals for the Heartland Parkway brought a variety of responses: Central Kentucky News Journal: Opinions vary about Heartland Parkway options (Aug. 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) 

Team Taylor County executive director Kevin Sheilley recently reported at a meeting of the Campbellsville/Taylor County Industrial Development Authority that he believes planning for the Heartland Parkway is still on track: (Campbellsville) Central Kentucky News Journal: FOL building may be demolished (June 6, 2004) 

• Heartland Parkway  in Central Kentucky. (more information )
• KY 44  in Bullitt County.
• KY 88  in Hart and Grayson Counties.

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a transportation project authorization bill containing a number of Kentucky projects. Including:

The Louisville-Southern Indiana Bridges Project

• $7 million for continuing the Brent Spence Bridge replacement study
• I-65 connector route in Warren County
• Pennyrile Parkway extension in Christian County
• The Heartland Parkway
• I-66 northern bypass of Somerset

The Senate has passed a similar bill. Differences between the two bills must now be reconciled and passed by both houses before going before the president for his approval or veto.

More information: Courier-Journal: Bill with bridges money held up (Apr. 1, 2004)  , Business First of Louisville: House passes bill with funding for bridges project (Mar. 29, 2004) , Cincinnati Post: $7M for bridge a drop in bucket (Apr. 3, 2004) , Kentucky New Era: $8 million approved for parkway extension (Apr. 3, 2004) , Central Kentucky News-Journal: Parkway is closer to reality (Apr. 4, 2004) 

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that greater Cincinnati area projects are fairing poorly in the bill: Cincinnati Enquirer: Local roads kicked to the curb (Apr. 2, 2004) 

Transportation officials have revealed three options for a proposed route between Columbia and Springfield. The proposed route has been called the Heartland Parkway and would pass through Adair, Taylor, Marion and Washington Counties.

One option would see the construction of the an interstate-type highway between the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway and the Blue Grass Parkway.

A second option would widen a route along KY 55, US 68, and KY 555 to four lanes.

A third option would simply add one mile of passing lanes to every three miles of road along KY 55, US 68, and KY 555 between the two parkways.

Current highway plans include no funding for the project other than this initial study.

More information: Central Kentucky News-Journal: Heartland Parkway -- Three options unveiled for 60-mile road (March 14, 2004) 

The last few months have seen the renaming of two parkways and the AA Highway. The Kentucky Post editorialized the situation: Kentucky Post: The name game (Sept. 17, 2003) 

Materials from recent public meeting concerning the proposed Heartland Parkway have been posted on the transportation cabinet's web site. The proposed corridor will follow KY 55 and KY 555 from the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway to the Martha Layne Collins Blue Grass Parkway.

More information: KYTC Division of Planning: Heartland Parkway 

At Gov. Patton's direction, the Blue Grass Parkway will be officially renamed the Martha Layne Collins Blue Grass Parkway in a ceremony to be held on Thursday. Martha Layne Collins was Kentucky's first (and currently only) woman governor. She was governor from 1983 to 1987. This leaves only the Audubon Parkway to have its original name.

More information: Associated Press: Blue Grass Parkway to be renamed in honor of Collins (Sept. 16, 2003) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will hold a series of public meetings to discuss the construction of a new four lane divided highway between Springfield and Columbia along the KY 55/KY 555 corridor.

• Sept. 2 - Lebanon
• Sept. 4 - Columbia
• Sept. 8 - Springfield
• Sept. 11 - Campbellsville

More information: Lebanon Enterprise: Public meeting is scheduled for Heartland Parkway discussion (Aug. 27, 2003) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has posted information about the proposed Heartland Parkway here: KY-55 Heartland Parkway 

The 2002 federal transportation spending bill includes $500,000 for the study of a proposed Heartland Parkway in Taylor, Marion, Washington and Green counties. Despite its name, this road will probably not be a toll road as my understanding is that federal law prohibits the placing of tolls on any road on which federal money has been spent. Instead, if built, this route would probably be a four lane reconstruction of KY 55. The proposed road would connect to the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway near Columbia and the Blue Grass Parkway near Springfield. More details can be found here , here , and here  (no longer online).