Mountain Parkway Expansion starting major construction work in Morgan County

Latest project will improve roadway and interchanges on 8.2-mile segment in Eastern Kentucky

WEST LIBERTY, Ky. (Jan. 23, 2017) – Contractors are starting work along another major stretch of the Mountain Parkway Expansion.

“This project continues the safety and mobility improvements we are making to this important transportation artery for Eastern Kentucky,” said Marshall Carrier, a KYTC engineer who is the project manager for the Mountain Parkway Expansion.

Work will begin this week in the Morgan County Segment, an 8.2-mile section of the parkway in Wolfe, Morgan and Magoffin counties.

The improvements include:

• Widening the parkway to four lanes between mile points 56 and 65

• Improving and modernizing the Lee City/West Liberty interchange (Exit 57)

• Making improvements to the KY 134 interchange (Exit 60)

• Reconstructing and eliminating an “S” curve near the Morgan/Magoffin county line.

A joint venture between Hi-View LLC and Haydon Bridge Company LLC was awarded a construction contract in December by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for the four-year project.

Starting this week, construction crews will place signs that roadway work is underway. Initial work will include clearing areas along the parkway where construction will occur and placing temporary barrier walls to protect workers and the traveling public.

The speed limit in the area will be reduced to 45 mph, and short stoppages could occur during barrier wall placements. However, no other traffic impacts are expected in the coming weeks.

Construction work also is underway along more than 8 miles of roadway to east of the Morgan County Segment, in the Magoffin County Central and Restaurant Row segments of the expansion. Recently, crews completed work around the Gifford Road interchange (Exit 70). The new interchange will serve a planned industrial park in Magoffin County.

“Motorists can already see how the parkway is being improved, and the Morgan County project continues the positive momentum we’ve made to expand and transform this vital corridor,” Carrier said.