Interstate 69 in Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Interstate 69 is a 55.3 miles (89 km) freeway that overlaps Interstate 24
from Calvert City to Eddyville, and the Western Kentucky Parkway
from Eddyville to the Breathitt-Pennyrile Parkway at Madisonville. Eventually, I-69 will pass through the western part of the U.S. state of Kentucky
. The proposed route for the remainder of I-69 in Kentucky runs approximately 145 miles (233.4 km) utilizing segments of existing parkways and a 17 miles (27.4 km) overlap with Interstate 24
.
I-69 has been divided into three of sections of independent utility (SIUs) through Kentucky. SIUs 5 and 6 encompass existing freeways. Federal legislation has designated the route for these sections and Kentucky is in the process of installing I-69 signs on the route. SIU 4 includes a new bridge over the Ohio River between Henderson and Evansville, Indiana, which is currently stalled due to lack of funding. The proposed funding formula calls for Kentucky to finance 2/3 of the projected $1.4 billion bridge, while Indiana would pay for the remaining third.
as a future spur (I-X69) of I-69 once necessary upgrades are completed. President Bush signed the bill on June 6, 2008, and I-69 signs may begin appearing on the Parkways during the summer of 2008.
On June 6, 2008 President George W. Bush
signed the SAFETEA-LU Technical Corrections Act of 2008 into law. This legislation applies the I-69 designation to the following roadways:
Although the aforementioned freeway segments have been legally defined as I-69, it is unclear at this point as to whether or not they are signed as such due to conflicting reports on I-69 signage from the state and local officials and the local public. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet indicated in May 2008 that they planned to sign the parkway segments as I-69 as soon as President Bush signed HR-1195 into law. In contrary, a September 25, 2008 article in the Evansville Courier-Press indicates that while I-69's route has been defined, the FHWA has not yet authorized Kentucky to start erecting I-69 signs. However, comments from readers on this article suggest that I-69 signs may already be in place on the Pennyrile Parkway.
announced that I-69 will encompass 130 miles (209 km) of existing parkways and a 17 miles (27 km) segment of Interstate 24. To reflect this decision by state and federal officials, crews began erecting Future Interstate 69 signs along the following highway segments:
A recent engineering study for SIU 5 identified current conditions along the Pennyrile and Western Kentucky Parkways. The report identified seven overpasses that fell short of the 16-foot minimum vertical clearance
necessary for Interstate Highways. An additional 28 mainline bridges were identified for not meeting the minimum horizontal clearance of 38 feet (11.6 m). Most—if not all—of the aforementioned bridges were built during construction of the Parkways in the 1960s and are nearing the end of their serviceable lifespans and are due to be replaced. The main issues concerning the 16 interchanges in SIU 5 are short acceleration/deceleration lanes (the average is 615 feet (187.5 m) while Interstate standards mandate 1200 feet), and tight curve radii at interchanges with loop ramps. A particular challenge will be reconfiguring the cloverleaf interchange between the Pennyrile and Western Kentucky Parkways in Madisonville to accommodate the future movement of traffic primarily between points north and points west.
According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
2006 Six-Year Transportation Plan Executive Summary, the KYTC "has recently completed a study of the parkway upgrade needs from Interstate 24 to Henderson" (SIU 5). The summary further stated that "Continuing work on Interstate 69 in Kentucky will depend upon the financial support that can be garnered for the project through federal reauthorization and appropriations processes." The Transportation Plan estimated that the cost of upgrading the parkways would cost around $700 million.
Nonetheless, the required improvements may be performed on individual segments of the parkways when the existing road surfaces reach the end of their life-spans, in what are known as "Pavement Preservation Projects." During a pavement preservation project, the existing pavement is removed, repairs are made to the highway's sub-base, and the road is then resurfaced. During such a project bridges and overpasses may be rehabilitated or replaced, drainage systems are upgraded, and other modifications are made to improve safety on the road without completely reconstructing it, allowing it to remain at least partially open during construction.
Two projects on the Pennyrile Parkway
and the Western Kentucky Parkway
in Hopkins County are evidence that Kentucky is taking this approach. In 2007, work is expected to begin on a $14.9 million project to replace 7 miles (11 km) of pavement on the Pennyrile Parkway segment slated for the I-69 designation. A similar $23 million project in 2005 replaced and upgraded 11 miles (18 km) of pavement on the Western Kentucky Parkway west of the interchange with the Pennyrile Parkway, which is also slated to become part of I-69 and I-66
as well.
Several public meetings were held in towns along the Parkways in late November and early December 2007 where Kentucky officials provided detailed information on upgrading the Parkways including changes to the projected cost for the upgrades. The adjusted cost of upgrading the parkways in SIUs 5 and 6 was pegged at around $300 million, significantly lower than initial estimates of $700 million. Of that $300 million price tag, high-priority projects account for about half ($145 million) of the total cost. Kentucky transportation officials also raised the idea of applying for a waiver that would allow the parkways to immediately be signed as I-69, making the parkways eligible for federal Interstate Highway funds to complete the upgrades. Without the I-69 designation the parkway sections slated to become I-69 are not eligible for Interstate Highway funds for upgrades. Kentucky officials announced that no funding for I-69 was included in the 2008-2014 Transportation Improvement Plan, and many legislators believe that tolls will be required to finance upgrades to the parkways.
In January 2010, Governor Steve Beshear
released the latest draft Six-Year Plan for consideration by the Kentucky Legislature. The proposed plan includes the reconstruction of several interchanges on the Pennyrile and Western Kentucky Parkways. The proposed work would upgrade the intechanges to Interstate standards as required to get the parkways signed as I-69. If the plan is approved and funded, the interchange work would begin in 2012 and be finished by 2015.
for 17 miles (27 km), then turn southwest on the Purchase Parkway. Interstate 69's designation along the Julian M. Carroll Purchase Parkway from I-24
to the Tennessee state line at South Fulton was written into law with the Fiscal Year 2002 Transportation Appropriations Bill
. However, many of the same issues that are being addressed in SIU 5 arise in SIU 6 as well, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky will likely approach upgrading the Purchase Parkway in a similar fashion once funding becomes available. The massive interchange with US-45
and US-51 at the Tennessee state line in South Fulton is the main challenge for completing SIU 6.
Kentucky is the only state that will be routing almost its entire portion of I-69 over existing freeways, allowing the state to avoid years of costly environmental studies, thereby enabling the KYTC to upgrade the Parkways to I-69 as soon as funding becomes available. Technically, the State of Kentucky could request a waiver from the AASHTO that would allow the state to apply the I-69 designation to its parkways before upgrades are completed. This would only be done if adjoining segments in Tennessee or Indiana are completed first.
Purchase Parkway
were all originally built as toll road
s when they opened in the 1960s. As the parkways' construction bonds were paid off, the tolls were removed; the Western Kentucky Parkway became a freeway in 1987, and the other two roads became free in 1992. To fund over $700 million to upgrade substandard segments of the parkways and fund a new $800 million Ohio River crossing for I-69, Kentucky transportation officials are considering reinstating tolls on the parkway segments over which I-69 is routed.
Interstate 24
Interstate 24 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. It runs diagonally from Interstate 57 to Chattanooga, Tennessee, at Interstate 75....
from Calvert City to Eddyville, and the Western Kentucky Parkway
Western Kentucky Parkway
The Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway is a controlled-access highway running from Elizabethtown, Kentucky to near Eddyville, Kentucky. It intersects with Interstate 65 at its eastern terminus, and Interstate 24 at its western terminus. It is one of nine highways that are part of the...
from Eddyville to the Breathitt-Pennyrile Parkway at Madisonville. Eventually, I-69 will pass through the western part of the U.S. state of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. The proposed route for the remainder of I-69 in Kentucky runs approximately 145 miles (233.4 km) utilizing segments of existing parkways and a 17 miles (27.4 km) overlap with Interstate 24
Interstate 24
Interstate 24 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. It runs diagonally from Interstate 57 to Chattanooga, Tennessee, at Interstate 75....
.
I-69 has been divided into three of sections of independent utility (SIUs) through Kentucky. SIUs 5 and 6 encompass existing freeways. Federal legislation has designated the route for these sections and Kentucky is in the process of installing I-69 signs on the route. SIU 4 includes a new bridge over the Ohio River between Henderson and Evansville, Indiana, which is currently stalled due to lack of funding. The proposed funding formula calls for Kentucky to finance 2/3 of the projected $1.4 billion bridge, while Indiana would pay for the remaining third.
Federal Legislation Designating Parkways as I-69
On May 2, 2008 the House of Representatives passed HR-1195 (SAFETEA-LU Technical Corrections Act of 2008) which designates the Breathitt Parkway from Henderson to Madisonville, and the Western Kentucky Parkway from Madisonville to I-24 at Eddyville as I-69. It further designates the Audubon ParkwayAudubon Parkway
The Audubon Parkway is a four-lane controlled-access freeway connecting the cities of Henderson and Owensboro, Kentucky....
as a future spur (I-X69) of I-69 once necessary upgrades are completed. President Bush signed the bill on June 6, 2008, and I-69 signs may begin appearing on the Parkways during the summer of 2008.
On June 6, 2008 President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
signed the SAFETEA-LU Technical Corrections Act of 2008 into law. This legislation applies the I-69 designation to the following roadways:
- Pennyrile ParkwayPennyrile ParkwayThe Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway is a controlled-access highway from Henderson to Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The parkway begins at Henderson as a continuation of the limited-access U.S. Route 41 at exit 81; the northernmost three miles of the Pennyrile Parkway are signed as US 41...
from just south of the Audubon ParkwayAudubon ParkwayThe Audubon Parkway is a four-lane controlled-access freeway connecting the cities of Henderson and Owensboro, Kentucky....
(possible Future Interstate 369) in Henderson to the Western Kentucky Parkway near Madisonville - Western Kentucky ParkwayWestern Kentucky ParkwayThe Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway is a controlled-access highway running from Elizabethtown, Kentucky to near Eddyville, Kentucky. It intersects with Interstate 65 at its eastern terminus, and Interstate 24 at its western terminus. It is one of nine highways that are part of the...
from the Pennyrile Parkway to Interstate 24 near Eddyville - Interstate 24Interstate 24Interstate 24 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. It runs diagonally from Interstate 57 to Chattanooga, Tennessee, at Interstate 75....
from Eddyville to the Purchase Parkway near Calvert City - Purchase ParkwayPurchase ParkwayThe Julian M. Carroll Purchase Parkway is a controlled-access highway running from Fulton, Kentucky to Calvert City, Kentucky, near Kentucky Dam, for a length of 52 miles...
from Interstate 24 to the US-51 interchange at the Tennessee state line
Although the aforementioned freeway segments have been legally defined as I-69, it is unclear at this point as to whether or not they are signed as such due to conflicting reports on I-69 signage from the state and local officials and the local public. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet indicated in May 2008 that they planned to sign the parkway segments as I-69 as soon as President Bush signed HR-1195 into law. In contrary, a September 25, 2008 article in the Evansville Courier-Press indicates that while I-69's route has been defined, the FHWA has not yet authorized Kentucky to start erecting I-69 signs. However, comments from readers on this article suggest that I-69 signs may already be in place on the Pennyrile Parkway.
SIU 5
On May 15, 2006, Kentucky Gov. Ernie FletcherErnie Fletcher
Ernest Lee "Ernie" Fletcher is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Kentucky. In 1999, he was elected to the first of three consecutive terms in the United States House of Representatives; he resigned in 2003 after being elected the 60th governor of Kentucky and served in that office...
announced that I-69 will encompass 130 miles (209 km) of existing parkways and a 17 miles (27 km) segment of Interstate 24. To reflect this decision by state and federal officials, crews began erecting Future Interstate 69 signs along the following highway segments:
- Western Kentucky ParkwayWestern Kentucky ParkwayThe Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway is a controlled-access highway running from Elizabethtown, Kentucky to near Eddyville, Kentucky. It intersects with Interstate 65 at its eastern terminus, and Interstate 24 at its western terminus. It is one of nine highways that are part of the...
(between I-24 and Pennyrile Parkway, 38 miles (61 km)) - Pennyrile ParkwayPennyrile ParkwayThe Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway is a controlled-access highway from Henderson to Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The parkway begins at Henderson as a continuation of the limited-access U.S. Route 41 at exit 81; the northernmost three miles of the Pennyrile Parkway are signed as US 41...
(between Western Kentucky Parkway and Interchange 63, 25 miles (40 km))
A recent engineering study for SIU 5 identified current conditions along the Pennyrile and Western Kentucky Parkways. The report identified seven overpasses that fell short of the 16-foot minimum vertical clearance
Interstate Highway standards
Standards for Interstate Highways in the United States are defined by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials in the publication A Policy on Design Standards - Interstate System...
necessary for Interstate Highways. An additional 28 mainline bridges were identified for not meeting the minimum horizontal clearance of 38 feet (11.6 m). Most—if not all—of the aforementioned bridges were built during construction of the Parkways in the 1960s and are nearing the end of their serviceable lifespans and are due to be replaced. The main issues concerning the 16 interchanges in SIU 5 are short acceleration/deceleration lanes (the average is 615 feet (187.5 m) while Interstate standards mandate 1200 feet), and tight curve radii at interchanges with loop ramps. A particular challenge will be reconfiguring the cloverleaf interchange between the Pennyrile and Western Kentucky Parkways in Madisonville to accommodate the future movement of traffic primarily between points north and points west.
According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is Kentucky's state-funded agency charged with building and maintaining U.S...
2006 Six-Year Transportation Plan Executive Summary, the KYTC "has recently completed a study of the parkway upgrade needs from Interstate 24 to Henderson" (SIU 5). The summary further stated that "Continuing work on Interstate 69 in Kentucky will depend upon the financial support that can be garnered for the project through federal reauthorization and appropriations processes." The Transportation Plan estimated that the cost of upgrading the parkways would cost around $700 million.
Nonetheless, the required improvements may be performed on individual segments of the parkways when the existing road surfaces reach the end of their life-spans, in what are known as "Pavement Preservation Projects." During a pavement preservation project, the existing pavement is removed, repairs are made to the highway's sub-base, and the road is then resurfaced. During such a project bridges and overpasses may be rehabilitated or replaced, drainage systems are upgraded, and other modifications are made to improve safety on the road without completely reconstructing it, allowing it to remain at least partially open during construction.
Two projects on the Pennyrile Parkway
Pennyrile Parkway
The Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway is a controlled-access highway from Henderson to Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The parkway begins at Henderson as a continuation of the limited-access U.S. Route 41 at exit 81; the northernmost three miles of the Pennyrile Parkway are signed as US 41...
and the Western Kentucky Parkway
Western Kentucky Parkway
The Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway is a controlled-access highway running from Elizabethtown, Kentucky to near Eddyville, Kentucky. It intersects with Interstate 65 at its eastern terminus, and Interstate 24 at its western terminus. It is one of nine highways that are part of the...
in Hopkins County are evidence that Kentucky is taking this approach. In 2007, work is expected to begin on a $14.9 million project to replace 7 miles (11 km) of pavement on the Pennyrile Parkway segment slated for the I-69 designation. A similar $23 million project in 2005 replaced and upgraded 11 miles (18 km) of pavement on the Western Kentucky Parkway west of the interchange with the Pennyrile Parkway, which is also slated to become part of I-69 and I-66
Interstate 66
Interstate 66 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. As indicated by its even route number, it runs in an east–west direction. Its western terminus is at Middletown, Virginia, at an intersection with Interstate 81; its eastern terminus is in Washington, D.C., at an...
as well.
Several public meetings were held in towns along the Parkways in late November and early December 2007 where Kentucky officials provided detailed information on upgrading the Parkways including changes to the projected cost for the upgrades. The adjusted cost of upgrading the parkways in SIUs 5 and 6 was pegged at around $300 million, significantly lower than initial estimates of $700 million. Of that $300 million price tag, high-priority projects account for about half ($145 million) of the total cost. Kentucky transportation officials also raised the idea of applying for a waiver that would allow the parkways to immediately be signed as I-69, making the parkways eligible for federal Interstate Highway funds to complete the upgrades. Without the I-69 designation the parkway sections slated to become I-69 are not eligible for Interstate Highway funds for upgrades. Kentucky officials announced that no funding for I-69 was included in the 2008-2014 Transportation Improvement Plan, and many legislators believe that tolls will be required to finance upgrades to the parkways.
In January 2010, Governor Steve Beshear
Steve Beshear
Steven Lynn "Steve" Beshear is an American politician who is the 61st Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. A Democrat, Beshear previously served in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1974 to 1979, was the state's Attorney General from 1980 to 1983, and was Lieutenant Governor from...
released the latest draft Six-Year Plan for consideration by the Kentucky Legislature. The proposed plan includes the reconstruction of several interchanges on the Pennyrile and Western Kentucky Parkways. The proposed work would upgrade the intechanges to Interstate standards as required to get the parkways signed as I-69. If the plan is approved and funded, the interchange work would begin in 2012 and be finished by 2015.
SIU 6
From Eddyville, I-69 will follow I-24Interstate 24
Interstate 24 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. It runs diagonally from Interstate 57 to Chattanooga, Tennessee, at Interstate 75....
for 17 miles (27 km), then turn southwest on the Purchase Parkway. Interstate 69's designation along the Julian M. Carroll Purchase Parkway from I-24
Interstate 24
Interstate 24 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. It runs diagonally from Interstate 57 to Chattanooga, Tennessee, at Interstate 75....
to the Tennessee state line at South Fulton was written into law with the Fiscal Year 2002 Transportation Appropriations Bill
Appropriation bill
An appropriation bill or running bill is a legislative motion which authorizes the government to spend money. It is a bill that sets money aside for specific spending...
. However, many of the same issues that are being addressed in SIU 5 arise in SIU 6 as well, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky will likely approach upgrading the Purchase Parkway in a similar fashion once funding becomes available. The massive interchange with US-45
U.S. Route 45
U.S. Route 45 is a north–south United States highway. US 45 is a border-to-border route, from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico. A sign at the highway's northern terminus notes the total distance as ....
and US-51 at the Tennessee state line in South Fulton is the main challenge for completing SIU 6.
Kentucky is the only state that will be routing almost its entire portion of I-69 over existing freeways, allowing the state to avoid years of costly environmental studies, thereby enabling the KYTC to upgrade the Parkways to I-69 as soon as funding becomes available. Technically, the State of Kentucky could request a waiver from the AASHTO that would allow the state to apply the I-69 designation to its parkways before upgrades are completed. This would only be done if adjoining segments in Tennessee or Indiana are completed first.
Reinstate tolls?
The Pennyrile Parkway, Western Kentucky Parkway, and Julian M. CarrollJulian Carroll
Julian Morton Carroll is a politician from the US state of Kentucky. A Democrat, he is presently a member of the Kentucky Senate, representing Anderson, Franklin, Woodford, and part of Fayette counties. From 1974 to 1979, he served as the 54th Governor of Kentucky, succeeding Wendell H. Ford, who...
Purchase Parkway
Purchase Parkway
The Julian M. Carroll Purchase Parkway is a controlled-access highway running from Fulton, Kentucky to Calvert City, Kentucky, near Kentucky Dam, for a length of 52 miles...
were all originally built as toll road
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
s when they opened in the 1960s. As the parkways' construction bonds were paid off, the tolls were removed; the Western Kentucky Parkway became a freeway in 1987, and the other two roads became free in 1992. To fund over $700 million to upgrade substandard segments of the parkways and fund a new $800 million Ohio River crossing for I-69, Kentucky transportation officials are considering reinstating tolls on the parkway segments over which I-69 is routed.