PADUCAH, Ky. (April 29, 2020) — Kentucky Transportation Cabinet engineers expect a substantial section of the U.S. 68/KY 80 Construction Corridor between Cadiz and Canton in Trigg County to be ready for four-lane traffic by the end of May.
Rogers Group, the prime contractor on the project, has ramped up a final round of paving along the corridor over the last week between the KY 1489/Park Road intersection and the U.S. 68 intersection with U.S. 68-Business at the west edge of Cadiz.
According to KYTC District 1 Chief Engineer Kyle Poat, the contractor is optimistic the final driving surface along this significant section could be ready for four-lane traffic in time for summer.
“Our contractor is in the process of putting down the final asphalt driving surface. With a little help from the weather, we anticipate a number of traffic shifts as the final round of finish paving progresses,” Poat said. “We anticipate having all lanes open from Cadiz to the KY 1489/Park Road intersection in time for Memorial Day holiday traffic.”
Currently, two-way traffic is running on what will eventually be the westbound lanes of U.S. 68 along that section. Poat said as the paving of the final driving surface progresses, there may be a period when traffic is shifted to the eastbound lanes or one lane in each direction to facilitate various stages of paving, landscaping, and other finish work.
Once construction of a new intersection is completed at the entrance to Lake Barkley State Resort Park, the contractor will be concentrating efforts on the final two miles of the corridor. It extends from KY 1489/Park Road westward to Boyd’s Landing Road near the New U.S. 68/KY 80 Lake Barkley Bridge at Canton.
“We continue to urge motorists to be alert for traffic shifts and configuration changes from time to time. This construction corridor continues to be an active work zone, so appropriate caution is required,” Poat said.
The U.S. 68 Construction Corridor in west-central Trigg County covers about seven miles of U.S. 68/KY 80 between mile point 9.4 at Boyd’s Landing Road near Canton extending eastward to near the intersection with U.S. 68-Business at mile point 16.355 at the west edge of Cadiz.
Some sections of the new highway are open with two-way traffic running on base courses of pavement. Initial paving along the newly constructed westbound lanes of U.S. 68 started near U.S. 68-Business at Cadiz with the paving crew working westward.
Paving along the corridor is expected to continue for several weeks as weather allows.
Rogers Group is the prime contractor on the $54.2 million design-build project. Construction of the 7-mile-section is about 73 percent complete.
Video of construction activities along the U.S. 68 Construction Corridor is available by going to www.facebook.com/kytcdistrict1. You do not have to be a Facebook member to access this page.