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More I-69 Signs To Appear Across Western Kentucky

More I-69 Signs To Appear Across Western Kentucky
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By West Kentucky Star Staff
Jan. 26, 2015 | FRANKFORT, KY
By West Kentucky Star Staff Jan. 26, 2015 | 10:00 AM | FRANKFORT, KY
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 2 Chief Engineer Kevin McClearn is optimistic Interstate 69 can be extended up the Pennyrile Parkway from Madisonville to Henderson by the end of the year.

During McClearn’s recent presentation to the Madisonville Lions Club, members had questions about changes to exit numbers along the route.   McClearn said I-69 will bring new numbers to all exits along the Pennyrile from Mortons Gap to Henderson.

“We plan to meet the requirements mapped out in an official agreement between KYTC and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to allow us to place I-69 signs along 41.8 miles of the Pennyrile, allowing it to officially become a part of the Interstate system,” McClearn said.  “Once we have our list of projects completed or under contract, we can request approval to move ahead with the required signage and new exit numbers.  We expect to gain that approval this summer.”

Interchange numbers are determined by the official mile point at which they are located, and since the roadway will drop its association with the Pennyrile Parkway designation, the mile points will change to appropriately match the continuation of I-69 to Henderson.

I-69 now terminates at mile point 106.41 where it meets the Pennyrile Parkway and Western Kentucky Parkway near Nortonville in southern Hopkins County.  As it is officially extended to the north, there will be corresponding changes in the exit numbers.

“Just as it took some time to adapt to new exit numbers where I-69 runs along the former Western Kentucky Parkway through Lyon, Caldwell and Hopkins counties, it will take some time for the signs to go up and for drivers to get used to new exit numbers along the Pennyrile,” McClearn said.

I-69 will bring the following shift in exit numbers along the Pennyrile.  McClearn noted that the agency now knows what those changes will be:

KY 813 Mortons Gap Exit 37 to Exit 108
KY 2171 Earlington/Madisonville Exit 40 to Exit 111
KY 70 Madisonville/Central City Exit 42 to Exit 114
KY 281 Madisonville Exit 44 to Exit 116
U.S. 41 Madisonville Exit 45 to Exit 117
KY 260 Hanson Exit 49 to Exit 120
KY 136 Calhoun/Slaughters Exit 54 to Exit 125
KY 56 Sebree/Owensboro Exit 63 to Exit 134
KY 416 Robards/Niagara Exit 68 to Exit 140
KY 425 Henderson Bypass Exit 76 to Exit 148 A & B

McClearn said a similar effort is being made in KYTC District 1 to gain approval to push I-69 southward along the Purchase Parkway toward Fulton where exit numbers will also change.  He noted the biggest piece of the puzzle remaining on Kentucky’s I-69 Corridor is a bridge connection to cross the Ohio River to Indiana between Henderson and Evansville.

“As you know, the Indiana Department of Transportation gained approval to officially extend I-69 down the former I-164 Spur to the U.S. 41 Interchange.  That puts it just over a mile north of the U.S. 41 Twin Bridges at Henderson,” McClearn said.  “The final 13 miles to cross the river and reach that connection point will perhaps be the most challenging segment of I-69 for us and our INDot neighbors.”

McClearn said once all of the 10 major I-69 contracts totaling $260 million in upgrades are either completed or under construction, he expects FHWA to allow Kentucky to move ahead with appropriate signage and mile point changes.  About $110 million of the necessary work is under contract.


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