Story - The Meade County Messenger


Vol. 115, No. 32	August 6, 2008

Baffled by barrels?
Bypass construction expected to end later this month

By LARRY SEE JR.
Messenger Staff

Baffled by barrels? So you don’t think orange and white are the favorite colors for a community that bleeds green and white?

Take solace, fellow drivers, The two-year-long construction project along the Brandenburg Bypass is expected to end – yet this month.

“The contract schedule is the end of August,” Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District Four spokesperson Becky Judson said.

“However, there was a problem with the availability of asphalt binder for the blacktop, but the situation has been resolved and it won’t affect the completion of the project.”

Judson also said the construction costs weren’t affected.

According to several industry Web sites asphalt binder functions as an inexpensive, waterproof, thermoplastic adhesive. In other words, it acts as the glue that holds the road together. In its most common form, the binder is simply the residue from petroleum refining.

In addition, thanks to efforts from local officials and community residents, the intersection of KY 228 and the Bypass will receive a stop signal.

Judson said the light would be installed “as soon as funds were available and a change order was processed.”

In a related matter, motorists traveling into Brandenburg along KY 448 will be allowed to enter via a one-way road access, but those leaving the city must go to the Bypass and continue their trip southward via a new traffic arrangement.

Judson said state officials had to change the superelevation of the curve this year, causing additional construction to tie into the slip ramp.

Motorists might notice the fact signal lights are synchronized allowing them to react to traffic flow. The change was made possible due to pole-mounted cameras, Judson said.

“The cameras on top of the signal poles are for detection of vehicles and serve to activate the signals to change,” she said. “Until the loops are installed in the new pavement, this is the method being used.”

Judson confirmed, other than minimal traffic delays, there were no other project setbacks.

“When completed, the roadway will be a five-lane section with continuous left turn lanes the entire length,” Judson said.

“Several of the intersections will have exclusive left turn lanes. All intersections should be open and no one access will be closed except when the final asphalt course is laid, and that will only be momentary while the asphalt is rolled.”

Judson also said the section of roadway between the Ohio River bridge and Old Ekron Road was substantially completed last year.

“The work was completed with the exception of the final surface and some shoulder work,” she said. “The barrels are necessary for traffic control when the final surface is laid.”

In an unrelated matter, Judson said, as far as she knew, the bid-letting for the Riverport Road improvements was still on for September.

Members of the Riverport Authority have been working at securing the remaining funding for the improvements, which delayed the bid-letting.

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