I-69 Update

by MATT HUGHES

J-E News Editor

Tuesday afternoon work crews began blasting in the area around the Sebree Interchange of the Pennyrile Parkway as part of the I-69 upgrade project.

Dumey Contracting, Inc., of Benton, MO, the prime contractor on the $10 million Pennyrile Parkway/KY 56 Interchange reconstruction project, began doing ground work in the area in October, but the nature of the land surrounding the interchange made blasting inevitable.

“The use of explosives to loosen rock to allow excavation is a major step in the toward grade and drain work required for reconstruction,” said Todd Keith, Public Information Officer for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

Dumey expects the project to require 55 seperate blasts, progressing at around two blasts per week, weather permitting.

“Rolling road blocks will be required on Highway 56 and the Pennyrile Parkway to slow and stop traffic at the time of each blast,” said Keith. “Motorists should be alert for police slowing and stopping traffic to facilitate this explosive work during daylight hours.  Some delays of 10 to 15 minutes are likely when blasting is scheduled.”

The Sebree project is slated to be completed by October 1, 2015.

The reconstruction of the Pennyrile Parkway Exit 63 Interchange is part of about $210 million in major projects aimed at gaining approval to extend Interstate 69 northward along the Pennyrile to Henderson and southward down the Purchase Parkway to Fulton.  Kentucky currently has about 55 miles of I-69 running along I-24 from Calvert City to Eddyville, then extending up the former Western Kentucky Parkway to the Pennyrile Parkway Interchange south of Madisonville in Hopkins County.

Contractors working on the New Interstate 69/Breathitt-Pennyrile Parkway Interchange in Hopkins County opened the new south bound ramp of I-69 on Monday. That ramp will carry southbound Pennyrile Parkway traffic to I-69 southbound (formerly Western Kentucky Parkway estbound). For the time being it will be one lane and restricted to 55 mph.

The WK interchange and the Mortons Gap Interchange are the last two oblsticals before I-69 sinage can be extended as far as Sebree.

That interchange is slated to be completed by mid-summer.

Reach MATT HUGHES

 at 270-667-2068 or 

matt@journalenterprise.com