West Ky. 914, Northern Bypass open tomorrow

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Traffic-control signals at this intersection of the former Cumberland Parkway and Ky. 914 will be activated tomorrow. The western end of Ky. 914 to be opened tomorrow extends across the intersection to the new northern bypass (I-66). Ky. 914 extends southeasterly from the intersection through Saline and Oak Hill to U.S. 27 at Beacon Hill Baptist Church. Bill Mardis photo

September 8, 2010

by Bill Mardis Commonwealth Journal The Commonwealth Journal Wed Sep 08, 2010, 08:00 AM EDT

Somerset —

Motorists, beginning after rush hour tomorrow (Thursday), will be able to use most of the new northern bypass (I-66) as well as the western end of Ky. 914 (southwestern bypass) from Ky. 80 at Saline to the northern bypass.

Traffic-control signals at the intersection of Ky. 914 and the former Cumberland Parkway will be activated tomorrow. Just west of this point, at North Hart Road, is the beginning of a half-mile section of former Cumberland Parkway that will be barricaded and abandoned on Friday.

The only part of the new sections of highways that won’t open tomorrow is eastbound lanes of the northern bypass (I-66) from Ky. 914 west to Fishing Creek. These lanes will open a day later, on Friday.

Also, on Friday, the section of old Cumberland Parkway from just east of Fishing Creek bridge east to North Hart Road will be closed. Barricades will go up as soon as the eastbound lanes of the new northern bypass open.

Engineers say traffic on the northern bypass will be restricted to two-lanes up and down eastern Fishing Creek hill for a time while work continues at the transition point where Cumberland Parkway evolves into I-66.

Bill Chaney, branch manager for project delivery and preservation for the Kentucky Department of Highways’ District 8, said the traffic changes will be made each day after the morning rush hour.

Probably the most immediate effects of closing a section of Cumberland Parkway will be felt by western Pulaski countians who use the parkway to come to Somerset.

Though Thursday, eastbound motorists from the west to Somerset will continue to use two-way eastbound lanes of Cumberland Parkway from Fishing Creek bridge to North Hart Road, and then on four lanes to Somerset. On Friday, barricades will forever close Cumberland Parkway from North Hart Road to Fishing Creek. The parkway from 914 east to Somerset is now designated Ky. 80 and will remain in use.

When the aforementioned section of the parkway closes, eastbound motorists headed to Somerset will veer slightly north onto the realigned Cumberland Parkway (now I-66). Then, they will take exit 86 onto a newly constructed 2,000-foot-long ramp to the signaled intersection at Ky. 914 and the old Cumberland Parkway. At this point, they will turn left and travel 2.5 miles east on the existing parkway (now Ky. 80) to U.S. 27 at traffic light No. 3 in northern Somerset.

There is a second Somerset exit off I-66 at U.S. 27 two miles north of Somerset. Exit 88A leads south on U.S. 27 to Somerset and exit 88B leads north on U.S. 27 to Stanford and Lexington.

Western Pulaski countians, going home after work or shopping, may take the former Cumberland Parkway (now Ky. 80) from traffic light No. 3 on U.S. 27 and travel west 2.5 miles to a signaled intersection and access ramp at Ky. 914. The ramp will lead onto the northern bypass (I-66) and then west to the Nancy interchange.

Of course, Ky. 914 circles Somerset on the south and west sides and leads to the signaled intersection with the old parkway and onto a ramp leading to the northern bypass. Access to Ky. 914 is from several roads, including Oak Hill, Slate Branch and others.

Opening of the western section of Ky. 914 will complete southwestern and southeastern bypasses extending south through the Oak Hill community; southeast across U.S. 27 at Beacon Hill Baptist Church; than as the southeastern bypass across Ky. 1247 and Ky. 769 to Ky. 80 east of Somerset.

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