Published: August 20, 2009 11:02 pm      

$20M I-64 project to begin soon

Improvements aimed at roadway longevity

ASHLAND — A $20.1 million rehabilitation project on an eight-mile stretch of Interstate 64 in Boyd County will focus on repairing and improving the ridability and safety of the roadway to ensure its longevity.

Work on the project is expected to begin in the next several weeks, according to Allen Blair, a spokesman with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Highway District 9.

“This $20 million project will provide a lot of improvements that will safeguard the highway for decades to come,” said Blair. “That includes not only a new surface but better ditching and drainage and shoring up the embankments where they show signs of weakness and failure.”

Mountain Enterprises was awarded the $20 million contract for the road improvements, which will take place through next summer.

The work will take place between just east of Coalton to the U.S. 23 interchange just before the state line bridge that spans the Big Sandy River. West Virginia owns the span and no work will be performed on that bridge as part of this project, Blair said.

The eight-mile section of roadway is the last stretch of I-64 in the district, which stretches from Bath County to the West Virginia state line, to be rehabilitated, he said. The entire stretch will be resurfaced but that portion of the project won’t begin until next year, Blair said.

Repairs to four slips along the roadway — two on the eastbound side and two on the westbound side — along with drainage and ditching improvements will be completed first.

“The contractor plans to begin late next week moving in equipment and then it’s likely by the first week of September you’ll see traffic control barrels going up on the road as work begins,” Blair said.

Rehabilitation on the slips and drainage is expected to start in the next few weeks.

Work on the underside of several overpasses near the stateline and U.S. 23 interchange will also begin in the next few weeks but the work will not affect traffic, according to Blair.

Once contractors reach the resurfacing portion of the contract next spring, traffic patterns will be more greatly affected, he said.

“I-64 is a very important artery for economics, travel and tourism and that section of highway we realize is a very big commuter route. We want to make sure it stays in great shape, and one way to do it is to make sure we have a good surface and that there isn’t anything that threatens the roadway,” Blair said. “This will ensure it remains a good highway for decades to come.”

In addition to the $20.1 million project in Boyd County, transportation officials also announced this week they have awarded contracts for an additional $4 million in improvements within District 9.