Drivers rejoice: Interstate 75 construction near Richmond is almost finished
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kentucky Transportation Cabinet completed $13.5M I-75 upgrade in Madison County.
- Contractors paved 60,000 tons of asphalt and placed 665 cubic yards of concrete.
- Roadway reopens Friday with finishing shoulder work, striping, and reduced speeds.
Drivers traveling on Interstate 75 through Madison County have been slowed by construction in recent months.
By Friday, there will be an improvement in the flow of traffic in the area as the project is nearing completion.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet announced Wednesday that officials have almost finished the $13.5 million highway improvement project on Interstate 75 near Richmond. Contractors began removing barrels from closed northbound lanes in the northern section of the construction zone on Wednesday, and plan to remove the barrels from the southbound lanes afterward.
The barrel removal is expected to be completed, and the interstate be fully reopened, by Friday. The transportation cabinet said motorists are still encouraged to drive with caution, as there is still work to be done and there will be reduced speed limits in the area.
The project, which began in March, sought to improve all six lanes of Interstate 75 from mile marker 86 south of Richmond to mile marker 98 near the Clays Ferry Bridge.
The transportation cabinet said workers applied 60,000 tons of blacktop and formed 665 cubic yards of concrete into barrier walls.
“This project required substantial construction to provide safer, smoother travel and extend the life of the interstate so everyone can safely get to work, school, and everywhere they need to go now and well into the future,” Kelly Baker, chief district engineer for Kentucky Department of Highways District 7, said in a news release. “We appreciate the public’s patience as we’ve worked to complete these important highway upgrades.”
The final touches for the project include work along shoulders and application of thermoplastic arrows and striping. The transportation cabinet said there could be intermittent lane and ramp closures during the work, but the traffic impact is expected to be minor and in short durations.
