Misplaced Pages

U.S. Route 60 in Kentucky

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.

U.S. Route 60 ( US 60 ) is a major U.S. Highway in the American state of Kentucky . In the early days of the U.S. Highway System, US 60 was originally to be numbered as US 62. Following extensive lobbying and complaints filed by Kentucky governor William J. Fields to the American Association of State Highway Officials , the route was re-designated as US 60 before the system was finalized. In Kentucky, US 60 parallels the Ohio River (the northern boundary of the state). US 60 enters Kentucky from Cairo, Illinois , traveling northeast to Louisville , then takes a direct eastward route (near Interstate 64 , I-64) to rejoin the Ohio River in downtown Ashland, Kentucky . Both US 60 and US 23 run concurrently from Ashland to Catlettsburg where US 60 turns east and enters Kenova, West Virginia . US 60 is the longest route in Kentucky, running 495 miles (797 km) across the width of the state, passing through 22 of Kentucky's counties and through the cities of Paducah , Henderson , Owensboro , Louisville , the state capital of Frankfort , and Lexington .

#497502

79-470: US 60 is concurrent with US 51 and US 62 from the Ohio River bridge to the town of Wickliffe . At Wickliffe, US 60 separates from the other routes and heads generally northeast toward the city of Paducah . Between Wickliffe and Paducah, the towns of Barlow , La Center and Kevil are situated along the route. In Paducah, US 60 intersects with I-24 , and I-24's business loop enters

158-508: A ribbon-cutting ceremony, along with the KY 55 and US 127 interchanges along I-64. The group of three headed to Florence and performed ribbon-cutting exercises, resulting in this portion of I-75 becoming the first one to be opened formally to the public. On December 19, several days later, the southernmost portion of the 21.5-mile (34.6 km) segment of I-75 at the KY 22 interchange in Dry Ridge

237-706: A beltway encircling Cincinnati . As with all other Interstate, US, and state highways in Kentucky, I-75 is maintained by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for its entire length. Annual average daily traffic counts in 2022 ranged from a peak of 196,929 vehicles per day concurrent with I-71 at the I-275 interchange in Erlanger to a low of 33,001 vehicles per day from Williamsburg to the Tennessee state line. The route

316-741: A branch of the Eagle Creek to reach an interchange with KY 32 near Sadieville . As I-75 bypasses Sadieville to the west, it crosses the main Eagle Creek and continues through rural land, entering Grant County and coming very close to the border with Owen County as well. At milepost 144, it intersects KY 330 and passes along the shoreline of a nearby lake and after eight miles (13 km), has an interchange with KY 36 for Owenton and Williamstown . The Interstate passes by more lush farmland for another 5 miles (8.0 km) to Dry Ridge , where it meets KY 22 / KY 467 (Broadway Street), which both serve

395-562: A brief concurrency with the U.S. Highways. The three routes turn northwest to cross the Kentucky River on the Clays Ferry Bridge and enter Fayette County . I-75 then separates from both U.S. Highways and turns slightly northwest to enter Lexington . As it approaches Lexington, I-75 gradually begins entering the commercial developments of the city. After passing the neighborhood of Autumn Ridge , its first interchange in downtown

474-483: A bypass route around downtown Louisville, US 60 Alt. used several existing roads running through Louisville to get between the east and south sides of town without having to travel through the heavily congested downtown or west ends of town. US 60 Alt. runs northeast to southwest from St. Matthews to Shively ; including a stretch on one of Frederick Law Olmsted's last remaining parkways, Eastern Parkway . Before its completion and designation as I-264 in 1984,

553-526: A complaint was registered by Kentucky governor William J. Fields over the placement of the US ;60 designation, being unhappy no major U.S. Highways ending with the number "0" were planned through his state. Major U.S. Highways ending in "0" were planned to be the main east–west routes of the system. The two closest major east–west routes, US 50 and US 70 , were planned to run through states located north and south of Kentucky. Fields therefore proposed

632-678: A demonstration against the Confederate -held position at Columbus, Kentucky , in January 1862. Troops from the post joined in capturing Fort Henry in February 1862. It served as a Union supply post for operations in the western theater of the war. A 90-foot-tall (27 m) cross, the Fort Jefferson Memorial Cross at the Confluence, was completed in 2000 on Fort Jefferson hill. Wickliffe

711-456: A distance of about 115 miles (185 km). The interchange of I-71/I-75 and I-275 has seen a push to be renovated. In an August 2019 survey from the 5th to the 19th, approximately 2,278 people provided a response to the survey, with 79% of respondents using the interchange several times a week or even several times a day, and 63% of respondents using the interchange for work-related travel. Many respondents also frequently cited several issues at

790-462: A distance of about 7.29 miles (11.73 km). It also involved adding two new bridges along US 25 over I-75 and providing truck climbing lanes at the steep portion of the roadway near the Wood Creek Lake reservoir to reduce accidents caused by trucks. The southern portion, located at mileposts 28.9 to 33.2, was projected to be widened from four to six lanes too, and also reconstruct the bridges over

869-616: A hill overlooking the Mississippi River one mile south of present-day Wickliffe. The fort was intended to protect what was then the western boundary of the infant United States from raids by the British Army and Native Americans . It was abandoned in 1781 after a siege by the Chickasaw . The site later served as a Union Army post during the Civil War . General Ulysses S. Grant directed

SECTION 10

#1733094219498

948-456: A parclo with KY 371 (Buttermilk Pike), and then alternates between northeast and east directions for the next several miles. In the meantime, it bypasses both Fort Mitchell and Fort Wright to the north and has an interchange with US 25/US 42/US 127 upon entering Covington , then parallels them. I-71/I-75 turns back north and descends a steep incline, known as "Cut-in-the-Hill" for an interchange with 12th Street and 5th Street, both heading for

1027-442: A program, including undetermined mileage through the westernmost portion of Kentucky as well as an authorized route between Cairo, Illinois and Nashville, Tennessee to build in the state. As of November 24, 1957, I-75 was the longest single Interstate stretch in the program which costed a total of $ 350,277,000. While the program would take approximately 13 to 16 years, the length of I-75 was mostly complete to standards, running from

1106-480: A ribbon-cutting tour that if construction continued at a constant rate of speed, then the Interstate could be fully completed by 1972. Ward also said that I-75 from Cincinnati to Richmond could be ready for travel around 1964. I-75 between Clays Ferry and Richmond had already been built, and the bypass at Frankfort helped shorten the driving time between Lexington and Louisville anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes. The state as

1185-431: A second time. Bypassing Mount Vernon to the north, I-75 passes along the shoreline of Lake Linville and continues to parallel US 25. Approximately 10 miles (16 km) after this, the Interstate enters the rocky Pottsville Escarpment to reach Madison County and from here, descends into the flat Bluegrass region . I-75 has an interchange with KY 21 (Paint Lick Road) near the city of Berea . After avoiding Berea to

1264-485: A sharp left turn into a steep grade down to the Ohio River—;about 370 feet (110 m) in four miles (6.4 km). Accidents are usually attributed to a combination of speeding, curvy lanes, poor weather, longer stopping times for trucks traveling downhill, and traffic congestion. The area earned the sobriquet "Death Hill" shortly after I-75 opened in 1962. By 1968, a total of 23 people died in crashes on

1343-653: A sharp turn to the west and nears the Daniel Boone National Forest . Near the Wood Creek Lake reservoir, I-75 approaches Livingston and provides indirect access to US 25 via KY 909 . Continuing northwest, I-75 crosses the Rockcastle River , entering Rockcastle County . The Interstate turns a bit north and parallels a small stream for 9 miles (14 km) before reaching a direct interchange with US 25. I-75 then turns northwest again and meets US 25

1422-442: A three-mile (4.8 km) portion at Mount Vernon was opened and connected to US 25 at both ends, providing a bypass around the city and relieving a bottleneck for many travelers. By May 16, 1969, I-75 through Corbin was finished and opened for traffic, officially completing the Interstate as a whole. I-75 has undergone multiple projects and alignments since its establishment. The Clays Ferry Bridge which carries I-75 traffic across

1501-424: A weigh station to the Eagle Creek bridges. Although the total project would cost about $ 23.5 million total, the state would contribute $ 2.3 million not in federal grant money. In northern and southern Laurel County, the state helped widen the roadway of the Interstate from four to six lanes. The northern portion of the project, located at milepost 40.7 to 48, involves the segment running from south of KY 909 to London,

1580-449: A whole decided that the I-75 corridor would cut between Berea, Richmond, Mount Vernon, and Corbin on its way to Tennessee, paralleling that of US 25. The decision would be pending "for a few weeks", as the state was required to get approval from the federal government before proceeding ahead even if the suggestion was approved. On October 25, another 19-mile (31 km) stretch of the Interstate

1659-625: Is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs 1,786.47 miles (2,875.04 km) from Miami Lakes, Florida to the Canada–United States border at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan . In the U.S. state of Kentucky , I-75 runs through the eastern half of the state, from the Tennessee state line near the city of Williamsburg to the Ohio state line near Covington . The Interstate serves

SECTION 20

#1733094219498

1738-606: Is designated as the Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Trail for its entire length. I-75 enters Whitley County, Kentucky from Tennessee near the city of Williamsburg . Skirting the foothills of the Cumberland Plateau , the Interstate briefly parallels Clear Fork and crosses it before reaching the welcome center. Curving left, I-75 crosses Clear Fork again near Saxton and begins paralleling US 25W . 8 miles (13 km) later, I-75 reaches its first interchange in

1817-615: Is located at 36°58′00″N 89°05′13″W  /  36.966600°N 89.086822°W  / 36.966600; -89.086822 on the east bank of the Mississippi River , about two miles south of its confluence with the Ohio River , near its easternmost point. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.0 km ), of which 0.008 square miles (0.02 km ), or 0.58%,

1896-526: Is part of the Paducah, KY-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area . The city of Wickliffe is the site of a Mississippian culture village now known only as Wickliffe Mounds . The village was occupied from around 1100-1300 AD. Today, Wickliffe Mounds is a state historic site and home to a research center and museum. In 1780 during the Revolutionary War , General George Rogers Clark established Fort Jefferson on

1975-507: Is water. As of the census of 2000, there were 794 people, 327 households, and 216 families residing in the city. The population density was 578.3 inhabitants per square mile (223.3/km ). There were 384 housing units at an average density of 279.7 per square mile (108.0/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 94.33% White , 1.76% African American , 0.13% Native American , 0.88% Asian , 0.25% Pacific Islander , and 2.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.26% of

2054-516: Is with KY 1973 (Iron Works Pike), providing indirect access to US 25, before entering Scott County a short distance later and crossing a stream known as Cane Run. Exiting the Lexington urban area and meandering its way through farmland, I-75 makes a turn to the northeast, then the northwest as it crosses the north branch of the Elkhorn Creek approaching Georgetown . Its first interchange there

2133-435: Is with Man o' War Boulevard . It then stays in a northwest direction as it also passes near a hospital part of Baptist Health . The Interstate turns to the north and has an interchange with US 60 (Winchester Road), which leads to downtown. I-75 curves northwest again and has an interchange with I-64 , which merges with I-75, beginning a concurrency and retaining I-75's exit numbers. The highways jog northwest through more of

2212-417: Is with US 460 (Paris Pike) and then it immediately intersects with US 62 (Cherry Blossom Way). After its interchange with Lexus Way (exit 127), the Interstate reaches a rest area and interchanges with KY 620 (Cherry Blossom Way) a short distance later. The northbound lanes then reach a truck weigh station as I-75 begins paralleling US 25 again. I-75 passes through lush greenery and farmland, then crosses

2291-682: The Bluegrass Parkway , US 60 is one of the major routes through Lexington. Shortly after entering Fayette County, the road becomes a 6 lane heavily traveled highway, known as Versailles Road. It passed Bluegrass Airport and Keeneland before intersecting with Lexington's beltway, New Circle Road. It is now a 4 lane road going into downtown Lexington. After downtown, it once again becomes a 6 lane road now known as Winchester Road. It passes several suburbs of Lexington before entering northern Hamburg and then intersects I-75 and from there roughly parallels I-64 and goes to Winchester and passes very near

2370-527: The Cincinnati metropolitan area . From here, it passes Florence and interchanges with KY 536 (Mount Zion Road) and rolls by the campus of Gateway Community and Technical College . The route continues through more suburban development and at milepost 180, reaches a parclo interchange with US 42 / US 127 for downtown Florence. As it bypasses the city to the west, I-71/I-75 has a southbound interchange for Mall Road, which connects to Florence Mall . Passing near

2449-525: The Eastern Kentucky Coalfield at its southernmost stretch and passes near the Daniel Boone National Forest in London . Of the six states which I-75 passes through, the segment in Kentucky is the second-shortest, at 191.78 miles (308.64 km) long. I-75 parallels the older U.S. Route 25 (US 25) and U.S. Route 25E (US 25E) corridors for its entire length in Kentucky. The Interstate was part of

U.S. Route 60 in Kentucky - Misplaced Pages Continue

2528-745: The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 , with a section of it from the Ohio River at Covington to an unknown location north of Richmond being the first segment of the Interstate Highway, opened in 1957. Unfinished portions of the highway were eventually completed in increments, with the very last section being opened in 1969. Due to the rapid growth and high traffic volume in the Lexington metropolitan area and Northern Kentucky, many widening projects and renovations have been undertaken on I-75 since then. The Interstate has one auxiliary route , I-275 ,

2607-523: The Mountain Parkway but does not intersect with it. It proceeds to Mount Sterling , Morehead , past Carter Caves State Resort Park , on to Grayson and finally to Ashland . US 23 southbound follows US 60 eastbound into Catlettsburg , where they split at 35th Street. US 23 southbound continues straight as a four-lane highway, while US 60 eastbound turns onto 35th Street, passes Oakland Avenue, and enters Kenova, West Virginia via

2686-689: The Billy C. Clark Bridge. When the first finalized proposal for the U.S. Highway System was presented by the Bureau of Public Roads in December 1925, the route between Ozark, Missouri and what would become U.S. Route 52 (US 52) in West Virginia near Ashland, Kentucky was originally proposed as US 62. The US 60 designation was proposed along a different highway from Los Angeles, California to Chicago, Illinois via Tulsa, Oklahoma . On December 8, 1925,

2765-711: The Corbin campus of Eastern Kentucky University . I-75 bypasses Corbin to the west and heads slightly to the east through forests to cross the Laurel River , a branch of the Laurel River Lake , and enters Laurel County . From here, it reaches an interchange for access to US 25 for the first time and US 25E near Corbin. North of the interchange, the Interstate crosses the Laurel River once more. Beyond this, I-75 continues for about 1 mile (1.6 km) or so before crossing over

2844-556: The Henry Watterson Expressway connecting Dixie Highway (US 31W/US 60) and Shelbyville Road (US 60) was signed US 60 Bypass. After passing Shelbyville , it continues through the state capital of Frankfort , becomes four lanes and then heads more south than east toward Versailles . In Versailles, US 60's eastbound lanes are very briefly the westbound lanes of US 62, which runs more south than west at that point. After turning east and intersecting

2923-513: The Interstate were fully complete, while 35 miles (56 km) were still under construction. The sections open included from the Tennessee state line to near Williamsburg, and from Richmond to Covington. The stretch from Corbin to near Roundstone in Rockcastle County was still undergoing construction, and right-of-way acquisition as well as engineering were on process in parts of Rockcastle, Laurel, and Whitley counties. By December 30, 1967,

3002-426: The Interstate. By contrast, in the western part of the state, US 60 is not paired with an Interstate Highway and serves a much more independent purpose, connecting communities located along and near the Ohio River . Wickliffe, Kentucky Wickliffe is a home rule-class city and the county seat of Ballard County , Kentucky , United States. The population was 670 at the 2020 census . Wickliffe

3081-460: The Kentucky River was fully opened to traffic on December 2, 1963, at a cost of $ 2,450,000. The bridge, which was designed for southbound travelers, faces parallel with the older bridge made of riveted truss . It was made of welded truss and resulted in Kentucky having the highest bridges east of the Mississippi River , with a length of 250 feet (76 m) across the body of the river. The bridge

3160-551: The Little Laurel River, a tributary of the Laurel River and reaching a truck weigh station. Another 4 miles (6.4 km) pass by before I-75 reaches London and intersects with KY 192 . From here, I-75 avoids London to the west and briefly after that, intersects KY 80 (which carries a part of the Hal Rogers Parkway ). Just after this interchange, I-75 closely parallels US 25 from East Bernstadt . The Interstate makes

3239-419: The Little Laurel River, both of which I-75 crosses. The southern portion of the project was completed on November 30, 2021, while the northern portion was completed on July 16, 2022. Currently, the section of I-64/I-75 in Lexington is also undergoing widening; this segment was a length of 2.3 miles (3.7 km), extending from milepost 112.9 to 115.2 and at a cost of $ 48 million. The project is estimated to widen

U.S. Route 60 in Kentucky - Misplaced Pages Continue

3318-670: The Newport News to Springfield route. Following the change, Avery opposed removing "US 60" from the Los Angeles to Chicago route, stating the state Oklahoma had already undergone extensive preparation for the "US 60" designation, producing official signage and printing maps in anticipation for the new number. Avery was further upset that the decision to re-designate the Chicago to Los Angeles route had been done without his knowledge or consent. Officials from Missouri also heavily protested

3397-540: The Ohio River at Covington to an unknown point north of Richmond in Madison County. This resulted in a 70-mile (110 km) gap left to be filled in, as the other segment of I-75 in Laurel County, just north of Corbin, would continue on to the Tennessee state line, ultimately down south to Knoxville . On December 15, 1961, Bert Combs , Wilson W. Wyatt , and Henry Ward selected I-75 as one of three stretches to be in

3476-492: The US 60 designation be re-routed through Kentucky. Fields' opposition to the original numbering plan led to an arranged meeting with the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) Executive Committee in Chicago. Attending was Cyrus Avery , an AASHO committee leader representing the state of Oklahoma and a proponent of the Chicago to Los Angeles route. Avery disagreed with Fields' complaint and stated

3555-640: The US 60 designation should remain on the Chicago Los Angeles route. Following the meeting, the Executive Committee decided to retain the US 60 designation for the Chicago to Los Angeles route, taking the side of Avery. The Committee however, did attempt to rectify Kentucky's complaints by extending the eastern terminus of the proposed US 62 from its endpoint in West Virginia near Ashland to Newport News, Virginia . US 62 would also be extended from Ozark to Springfield, Missouri . Fields

3634-433: The area. The "barrier breaking" opened up a 7.75-mile (12.47 km) section of road where I-75 and I-64 covered a circle to the north and east of Lexington while an additional 5 miles (8.0 km) of I-75 was also opened in the area. This allowed travelers to drive a distance of 100 miles (160 km) from Richmond to Cincinnati. By 1966, out of its 191.6-mile (308.4 km) length, approximately 114 miles (183 km) of

3713-406: The average family size was 2.74. In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.0% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.4 males. The median income for a household in the city

3792-532: The change in numbering. AASHO officials rebutted against Avery's complaints citing he had consented to a possible number swap in the earlier Chicago meeting. Nevertheless, AASHO, tried to present a compromise to both Fields and Avery, returning the US 60 designation to the route between Los Angeles and Springfield, but re-designating the Springfield to Chicago route as "US 60N" and the Springfield to Virginia Beach route as "US 60E". Neither side agreed with

3871-415: The city concurrent with US 60. In the midtown area, the route once again meets US 62, and also meets US 45 . Once out of the city of Paducah, US 60 again veers to the northeast, generally following the Ohio River until reaching Smithland , where the route again turns to the east, passing through the small town of Burna . From Burna, US 60 passes through Salem . The next city along

3950-550: The city's commercial developments before reaching a parclo interchange with US 27 / US 68 (North Broadway). I-64/I-75 stays northwest passing some of Lexington's neighborhoods such as Radcliffe , Joyland , and Winburn before meeting KY 922 (Newtown Pike) for the Bluegrass Parkway and Blue Grass Airport . From here, the routes head almost entirely west before I-64 splits from I-75 to head for Frankfort and Louisville while I-75 continues north through rural terrain. Its next interchange roughly one mile (1.6 km) after that

4029-402: The city's district. Two miles (3.2 km) after this, it reaches the interchange with I-71 , which heads southbound for Louisville. I-71 joins I-75 in a concurrency, with both routes heading due north. Their first junction together is a diverging diamond interchange with KY 338 (Richwood Drive) for Richwood and Union . As I-71/I-75 passes the interchange, it enters Northern Kentucky and

SECTION 50

#1733094219498

4108-414: The compromise and demanded to have their way. Eventually, Avery and his allied proponents agreed to let Kentucky have "US 60" so long as the Chicago to Los Angeles Route became " US 66 " instead of "US 62". Fields had no objection to this proposal as it meant his route would now be designated as "US 60". When the finalized U.S. Highway system was approved on November 11, 1926, U.S. Route 60

4187-581: The decommissioning of US 60 within the city, and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials approved the request, making the expressway the main line of US 60. As of April 2011, signage has been changed, and US 60 now solely follows the expressway around Owensboro. Especially in the eastern and central part of the state, US 60 has been largely replaced by I-64 for long-distance travel, since both routes follow each other through much of this area. However, several cities in this area rely on US 60 to connect them to

4266-545: The downtown area. After passing the many neighborhoods of Covington, I-71/I-75 crosses the Ohio River via the lower level of the Brent Spence Bridge (southbound traffic uses the upper level) into Hamilton County, Ohio and the city of Cincinnati. As part of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 , I-75 was one of the original Interstate Highways in Kentucky when the KYTC was allotted 641 miles (1,032 km) of mileage for

4345-496: The downtown area. I-75 heads in a relatively straight direction north of the interchange, and passes the side of Boltz Lake for another seven miles (11 km) to Crittenden , where an interchange with KY 491 (Violet Road) appears. A short distance from here, the southbound lanes have a truck weigh station while I-75 turns back to the northwest. It briefly enters Kenton County then crosses into Boone County in quick succession. In Walton , I-75 interchanges with KY 16 for

4424-484: The government announced that I-75 would bypass these places to the west, avoiding their traffic lights and low speed limits and saving drivers several minutes of time. As this segment was opened, it almost connected with the already complete segment in Florence. Ward indicated however, that it was "not likely" the highway would be opened by September 1 as signs had not been installed and a formal inspection had to be done before

4503-544: The hill and the Brent Spence Bridge saw 151 crashes in the northbound direction and 121 crashes in the southbound direction, totaling 272 in all. To help reduce the number of accidents, a flashing "Steep Grade" sign was installed and a Kentucky State Police trooper was assigned to patrol just the Cut-in-the-Hill. Additionally, eight radar speed signs would be installed in 2007 to remind motorists to drive

4582-467: The hill, so a concrete wall was installed to separate northbound and southbound traffic. The wall helped reduce fatal crashes, but accidents continued, and in 1977, the hill averaged 583 automobile accidents per year. In 1986, a tractor-trailer lost control, leading to an accident that caused a Northern Kentucky University student to burn to death in his car. As a result, Governor Martha Layne Collins banned most northbound tractor-trailer traffic from

4661-417: The hill. From 1989 until 1994, $ 50 million (equivalent to $ 93.3 million in 2023 ) in reconstruction was spent to straighten the hill's S-curve and add a fourth lane for southbound traffic, and in 1995, the truck ban was lifted. Also as part of the reconstruction, ramps were added at Pike Street to give complete access, while an interchange with Jefferson and Euclid avenues was obliterated. In 2006,

4740-547: The interchange; there was often dangerous merging from I-275 to the Erlanger interchange, slow traffic along I-275 in both sides of I-71/I-75, and slowdowns on I-71/I-75 themselves on the north and south sides of the interchange. The peak travel time was shown to be between 5-7 pm. As the problem had been persisting for several years, the process to renovate the interchange was divided into five phases: planning, preliminary engineering and environmental evaluation, design, right of way and utility coordination, and construction. Currently,

4819-494: The mall and the Florence Y'all Water Tower , I-71/I-75 makes a turn to the northeast and has an interchange with KY 18 (Burlington Pike). The highway then veers even more northeast for approximately a mile while entering Kenton County again in the process. It has a parclo interchange with KY 236 (Commonwealth Avenue) and reaches a stack interchange with the long I-275 beltway. From here, I-71/I-75 continues for some distance, has

SECTION 60

#1733094219498

4898-578: The opening of the full segment. September 14 saw the dedication of 11 miles (18 km) of the Interstate from Florence to Fifth Street in Covington, allowing drivers to travel approximately 38 miles (61 km) from Covington to Williamstown, with paving on a 12-mile (19 km) section in Scott County north of Georgetown still in progress. By December 20, the Kentucky State Police announced that

4977-407: The population. There were 327 households, out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and

5056-405: The project has completed the survey and scoping study, while it is in the second phase: preliminary engineering and environmental analysis. Some widening projects have also been undertaken along the Interstate to help reduce traffic and improve flow. Around November 1990, the state received $ 21 million in funds to widen a 7.7-mile (12.4 km) section of I-75 in Scott County to three lanes from

5135-464: The roadway to eight lanes to improve traffic flow as the interchanges in Lexington experience heavy congestion. The project was let to construction on August 18, 2022, awarded on August 23, and construction is currently ongoing as of September. The stretch through Covington originally included hills and curves steeper than those recommended for Interstate Highway standards . As a result, the northbound descent into Cincinnati, known as Cut-in-the-Hill,

5214-515: The route intersects Kentucky Route 136 (KY 136), KY 425 and US 41A . US 41A is concurrent with US 60 along Green Street in the city of Henderson as it intersects with KY 812 and KY 351 . At the US 41 interchange, US 41A ends and US 60 continues alone, bypassing the cities of Owensboro , Lewisport , Hawesville , and Hardinsburg . In Fort Knox , US 60 connects with US 31W , and they remain together until downtown Louisville . Originally built as

5293-423: The route is Marion . At Marion, US 60 turns once more to the north, where it heads toward Sturgis . From Sturgis, the route continues generally northward to Morganfield . In recent years, a bypass of US 60 around the south and east sides of Morganfield has taken a great deal of traffic congestion out of the city. US 60 passes through Waverly and Corydon before reaching Henderson . At Henderson,

5372-505: The state with KY 92 for downtown Williamsburg. I-75 then meanders through more mountainous terrain and passes by a water plant before straightening out and crossing the Cumberland River . The Interstate then directly intersects with US 25W containing a roundabout at the interchange. It continues on for 10 miles (16 km) and reaches the city of Corbin where it once again meets US 25W (Cumberland Falls Highway) providing access to

5451-448: The state's second-most populous city, Lexington . Outside of it, the route is mostly rural or suburban in nature, mainly providing access to other cities via state and U.S. Highways . The major landscapes traversed by I-75 include the rolling hills and mountains of the Cumberland Plateau , the flat Bluegrass region , the urban core of Lexington, and the highly urbanized suburbs of Northern Kentucky ; it also very briefly crosses through

5530-505: The stretch of I-75 between Richmond and the Clays Ferry Bridge was open to traffic. By January 16, 1963, over $ 18 million worth of roads were dedicated by the government, being the first dedications in 1963 after a full year of construction. The dedication for I-75 at the US 25 interchange at Richmond was opened by 2 pm with an approximate cost of $ 7.37 million. On January 17, Combs said at

5609-642: The west, I-75 passes through rural fields before milepost 83, where it reaches the city of Richmond and has an exit for KY 2872 (Duncannon Lane) and passes right near a Buc-ee's truck stop. As it approaches the downtown area of Richmond, I-75 avoids it and passes off the flagship campus of Eastern Kentucky University . The route then hits suburban development and intersects with US 25/ US 421 (Robert R. Martin Bypass). Here, I-75 curves northwest and then back north as it parallels US 25/US 421. At milepost 97, it meets US 25/US 421 (Lexington Road) again, but this time starts

5688-617: Was $ 28,750, and the median income for a family was $ 35,417. Males had a median income of $ 30,556 versus $ 16,477 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 17,273. About 10.1% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line , including 16.4% of those under age 18 and 25.5% of those age 65 or over. Wickliffe has a public library , the Ballard-Carlisle County Public Library. Interstate 75 in Kentucky Interstate 75 (I-75)

5767-406: Was also dedicated, allowing drivers to use I-75 to get from Dry Ridge to Louisville along a mostly four-lane road. Around the week of August 1962, another section of the Interstate was opened from the same interchange with KY 22 at Dry Ridge to KY 36 south of Williamstown , a stretch of approximately 29.4 miles (47.3 km) while paralleling US 25. Although US 25 goes through several communities,

5846-412: Was designed with 11,397 cubic yards of concrete, 5,202,700 pounds of concrete, and 1,646,127 pounds of steel reinforcement. The Brent Spence Bridge at Covington was dedicated a day later, at a cost of approximately $ 10 million and a double-decker bridge. It was the first Ohio River bridge to be constructed in 72 years, allowing traffic to run uninterrupted from Georgetown to just south of Dayton, Ohio , at

5925-407: Was nicknamed " Death Hill ". It is a steep descent into the valley of the Ohio River between Kyles Lane and the Brent Spence Bridge leading into Downtown Cincinnati. The hill is known for its high number of automobile accidents. In 2006, the Cut-in-the-Hill averaged over seven times more accidents when compared to similar roadways in Kentucky. At the Cut-in-the-Hill, the northbound road takes

6004-418: Was not pleased with the US 62 extension and continued to campaign for US 60 to be routed through Kentucky. Fields later returned to AASHO with support from Kentucky's Congressional delegation and presented his argument to AASHO's chairman Thomas H. MacDonald on January 25, 1926. MacDonald agreed with Fields' argument and AASHO subsequently exchanged the number of the Los Angeles to Chicago route with

6083-402: Was officially dedicated to the public as well. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at 3 pm on the north end of the interchange with Combs also participating. This part was open, and the segment from Florence to Covington was expected to be open around spring of 1962 once the interchange with Fifth Street was also completed. During the same time, the stretch of I-64 from Frankfort to Shelbyville

6162-432: Was officially designated through Kentucky, giving the state a main U.S. Highway ending with the number "0". US 60 was later extended to Los Angeles on June 8, 1931. The route would later be truncated to Brenda, Arizona . Until 2010, US 60 passed through the city of Owensboro, while US 60 Bypass ( Wendell H. Ford Expressway ) skirted the city to its south. The city of Owensboro and state of Kentucky requested

6241-506: Was opened, but signs and traffic islands had not been erected yet and according to a State Highway Department official, a strip would have its opening later. With the highway almost complete, the last gap in the Interstate to Covington would be opened in approximately 30 days. On November 24, 1964, the state opened up more than $ 16 million worth of Interstate Highways in Fayette County, which involved "barrier breaking" to open up I-75 in

#497502