The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is developing engineering design plans for a proposed US 60 improvement project near Kevil. The proposed project involves the improvement of roughly six miles of US 60 near the Ballard/McCracken County line, from east of LaCenter to the existing four-lane section east of Kevil. US 60 provides the only east-west designated truck route west of Paducah, connecting to the Ohio River Bridge at Wickliffe. The purpose of the project is to improve mobility and safety for the corridor.
Additional information is available on the new project website found here, including links to provide comments or register for the March 9, 2021, virtual public hearing.
A wide range of alternatives has been studied over the past decades, culminating in the three detailed study alternatives (shown in the image below) alongside the No-Build option. These alternatives were developed to improve mobility and provide a safe connection for the traveling public. A public meeting was held in June 2019 to discuss the alternatives under consideration.
Since then, design efforts and environmental studies continued, and anticipated impacts from the recommended design have been identified in the Environmental Assessment (EA). The recommended design creates a new four-lane divided highway south of the US 60 alignment. It avoids/ minimizes impacts to environmental resources, is preferred by the public, simplifies maintenance of traffic during construction, and reduces project costs. It is shown in red above, labeled Alternative 1. More detailed drawings of Preferred Alternative 1 are available below.
Alt 1 - Roll Plot - Plan1 - Reduced
Alt 1 - Roll Plot - Plan2 - Reduced
The EA presents a history of the project, examines environmental impacts, and documents considerations in the decision-making process. It is available for review and comment via the links below. Comments are due by June 30, 2020 and should be submitted to project manager Chris Kuntz at Chris.Kuntz@ky.gov or mailed to District 1.
A - Alternatives
AllAlternatives
B - NRCS Coord
C - Noise Baseline
D - Ecological Baseline
E - SHPO Coordination
F - 2019 Public Meeting
US 60 Ballard/McCracken EA 20200204 signed
