Closures Expected For Thunder Over Louisville and Bridge Painting

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's Department of Highways District 5 Office has announced the following closures in association with the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Thunder Over Louisville event (which is Saturday):

Clark Memorial Bridge: closed to pedestrians and motorists from 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 18 until 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 21.

The 3rd Street exit ramp: Closing at 10pm tomorrow. The 2nd Street entrance ramp will be closing at 8am on Saturday. All will be open at 6:00 a.m. Sunday.

In addition, the cabinet has announced beginning April 21 The Clark Memorial Bridge will be undergoing a makeover.

In addition to the bridge being painted, there will also be structural steel and sidewalk repairs. The contract was awarded in December to G Force Consulting for $494,494 and should be completed by July 31, 2013.

Residents can expect lane closures from 8 p.m.-5 a.m. The closures will not be allowed until May 6 (due to Derby Festival event).

The duration of these projects may be adjusted due to weather or other unforeseen delays. Call 511 or go to www.611.ky.gov for details.

Ramp From Northbound Blankenbaker to Westbound I-64 Closed April 7-13

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's (KYTC) District 5 Office has announced the closure of the ramp from northbound KY 913/Blankenbaker Parkway to westbound I-64 beginning at 7 a.m. Sunday (April 7) through 7 a.m. April 13.

The closure will allow crews to replace a cracked concrete pavement on the ramp as a part of the Blankenbaker improvement project.

As a part of the closure, there are two detours being made available:

• Eastbound I-64 to northbound I-265 (Gene Snyder) to westbound I-64 or
• Bluegrass Parkway to WattersonTrail to southbound Blankenbaker Parkway to westbound I-64

KYTC has also announced that the exit ramp from eastbound I-64 to northbound Blankenbaker Parkway (Exit 17) is scheduled for closure April 14-20, weather permitting.

The Blankenbaker Improvement Project is being completed by Gohmann Construction Inc., for $1.76 million and will be completed by June 1.

The duration of the project may change due to weather or unforseen situations. To monitor these changes as well as traffic information, go to www.511.ky.gov or call 511. You can also keep up wih the information from the District 5 Facebook page at www.facebook.com/KYTCDistrict5.

Census Bracketology Teaches About City, State Populations

With basketball season is full swing and lots of bracketology involved, we thought we'd point out a fun and educational bracket that has nothing to do with basketball.

The U.S. Census has produced a population bracketology game that allows you to test your knowledge on city and state populations. It's a fun and interesting way to learn more about relative metro or state populations.

 

The form is set up like the NCAA brackets but you are guessing which city or state will advance based upon their population size. When you get a response correct is shows up in green and mistakes show up in bright red. When the game is complete you can move the mouse over a city and get their actual population sizes.

 

The game would be great to use in a classroom setting or for those who just naturally want to learn more about populations in other cities and states. And by the way, Louisville is one of the cities listed.

 

You can find the game by going to http://www.census.gov/dataviz/visualizations/057/?intcmp=sldr1

TARC Makes Decision on Route Changes

TARC heard from local residents about various route changes and a decision has been made.

TARC announced yesterday that they will restructure six Louisville routes for improved service in some areas and cost savings in others, following a public comment period on proposed changes. The changes will take effect June 9. Click the link to view the proposals.

During the public comment period, TARC received more than 100 comments about the proposals, which were announced in early March. Based on the comments, one proposed change will not move forward, a rerouting that would have discontinued service on Route #25-Oak Street to the Nia Center at 29th and Broadway.

Route #25 will merge with Route #55-Westport Road, as proposed, to create a cross-town link between west and east Louisville but with the Nia Center as part of the route. Some passengers said they wanted service to the Nia Center, where they can easily transfer to other routes, buy TARC tickets and passes and shop at a nearby grocery.

In addition, Route #55-Westport Road will no longer travel downtown but passengers will have the ability to transfer to routes serving downtown.

Other changes include more frequent and direct service between downtown and the Louisville International Airport. TARC will also eliminate a loop to the downtown Medical Center on the Fourth Street route due to low ridership.

The changes, which will save about $1.8 million a year, were designed so TARC ptions would remain available to passengers impacted.

But be advised TARC will provide more frequent and direct service between the airport and downtown on Route #2-Second Street, which will no longer travel south of the airport to UPS Worldport. The UPS facility will be added to Route #18, which travels Dixie and Preston Highways.

In addition, the Second Street route will no longer travel on Preston Street, instead making a more direct link to downtown primarily on Third and Second streets. Route #27-Hill Street will be realigned to cover the area of Preston now served by the Second Street route. The Hill Street route will no longer travel on Burnett and Shelby streets and Delor and Texas avenues.

On the Fourth Street route north of Central Avenue, bus arrival times of every 10 minutes would be maintained from 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. and TARC would reduce service to every 15 minutes from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

TARC will also reduce frequency from every 15 minutes to every 20 minutes from 7-9 p.m. on Dixie and Preston Highways (Route #18). Buses will still arrive every 15 minutes from 6 a.m. – 7 p.m. except south of Park Place Mall on Dixie Highway where buses will arrive at stops every 30 minutes from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Detailed descriptions and maps of the changes will be provided at www.ridetarc.org in upcoming days.

Lane Closures Beginning Tomorrow on Blankenbaker

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has announced that pavement repairs and operational improvements at the Interstate 64/KY 913 (Blankenbaker Parkway) interchange in Louisville beginning Wednesday. The work will include building an additional lane on northbound Blankenbaker Parkway and to replace cracked concrete pavement on two of the I-64 ramps.

In addition, a third lane will be constructed on northbound Blankenbaker Parkway between Bluegrass Parkway and the entrance ramp to eastbound I-64. This lane will provide direct access to eastbound I-64 and will be signed as an “exit only” lane. 

Concrete pavement will be replaced on the ramp from northbound Blankenbaker Parkway to westbound I-64 and on the ramp from eastbound I-64 to northbound Blankenbaker Parkway.  To accomplish this work, these ramps will each be closed for a six day period.  The dates for these closures have not been decided and will be based on construction progress and weather forecasts. 

Other improvements included in the project are:

• Replacement of concrete pavement on southbound Blankenbaker Parkway between the eastbound I-64 exit ramp and Bluegrass Parkway
• Lengthening of the left turn lane on southbound Blankenbaker Parkway to eastbound I-64
• Lengthening of the left turn lane on northbound Blankenbaker Parkway to Gateworth Way (across from Ellingsworth Lane)
• Replacement of the asphalt median with a decorative stamped concrete

Construction beginning tomorrow with lane closures on Blankenbaker Parkway between Bluegrass Parkway and Ellingsworth Lane (mile points 2.3 and 3.0).  These lane closures are scheduled for Wednesday – Friday this week from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

Lane closures are also scheduled for this weekend from 7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 22 until 6:00 a.m. on Monday, March 25.  Due to the construction work and limited turning radius, large commercial vehicles will be restricted from turning right from southbound Blankenbaker to westbound Bluegrass Parkway and from turning right from westbound Bluegrass Parkway onto northbound Blankenbaker Parkway.

During the entire project, lane closures are prohibited during weekday peak traffic hours between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. 

The starting date and duration of work may be adjusted if inclement weather or other unforeseen delays occur.  Dial 511 or log on to 511.ky.gov for the latest in traffic and travel information in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.  You can also get traffic information for the District 5 counties at www.facebook.com/KYTCDistrict5.

 

Lane Closures on I-65 in Indiana Tomorrow and Wednesday Evening

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) has announced that there will be temporary lane restrictions on I-65 in Clark County beginning tomorrow evening.

The Hoosier Company will be installing temporary barrier walls for construction of Dynamic Message Board (DMS) foundations on I-65 northbound at the 2.8 mile marker. Lanes affected will be the inner and outer most travel lanes.

This work will continue Wednesday night for the southbound lanes at the same location. Lane restrictions will take place during the evening hours between 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. each night. Barrier wall placement will close shoulders at both locations until work is completed.

INDOT reminds motorists to follow the posted work zone speed limit, use caution and consider worker safety when traveling through a work zone. For the latest news and information about INDOT, please visit www.in.gov/indot or www.trafficwise.in.gov .

KYTC Announces Ramp, Lane Closures in Jefferson and Bullitt Counties

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has announced the following lane and ramp closures:

• Interstate 64 between mile points 20 and 23: 7:30 p.m.-midnight tonight. Crews will be making pavement repairs. The right and center lanes will be closed.
• Interstate 65 South in Bullitt County: 7 p.m.  to midnight tonight. Pavement repairs will be made from mile points 117 to 115. Left and center lanes will be closed.
• Slip Ramp from I-264 East to KY 22 (Old Brownsboro Road): 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow. Crews will be performing corrective work to the curb and shoulder pavement at the new spur off Exit 22. Motorists can access KY 22 via the exit ramp from I-264 East to US 42 (Exit 22) and turn right from 42 to Old Brownsboro Road and proceed onto KY 22.
• Exit Ramp from I-64 East to I-264 East: 8 p.m. tomorrow until 6 a.m. Monday. The signed detour for I-64 East to I-264 East will be to take I-264 West to the Breckenridge Lane South Exit (Exit 18A) and access I-264 Eastbound. Crews will be doing pavement repairs.

The starting date and duration of the work on each of these closures may be adjusted due to weather or other unforseen issues. For more information or to check their status, call 511 or go to www.511.ky.gov or go to the District 5 Facebook page at www.facebook.com/KYTCDistrict 5.