The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has adopted the mission to enhance the lives of those who use Kentucky's transportation system by preventing crashes that result in fatalities and serious injuries. KYTC is implementing various safety countermeasures through projects on Kentucky highways to prevent deaths and serious injuries. B&N has utilized our nationwide safety experience and local knowledge on 11 task orders for KYTC under this on-call contract.
Three task orders were focused on roadway departure crashes. B&N analyzed historical crash data and collected field data using a GPS camera to better understand trends along the US 42 corridor in Trimble County and the KY 185 corridor in Warren County. Both projects led to implementable solutions, which were developed into construction plans by the B&N team. US 42 improvements consisted of superelevation slope improvement and relocation of hazards in the clear zone, such as drainage headwalls. KY 185 utilized similar methods but needed a different approach for implementation. This project implemented minor widening along the corridor, creating a more forgiving template for roadway users. The widening also required that hazards such as headwalls near the roadway be relocated.
The third roadway departure project was a different sort of undertaking. This project was a district-wide analysis for KYTC District 1 in western Kentucky. Crash data and existing conditions were analyzed to develop district-wide recommendations for reactive and systemic improvements. Potential improvements included curve widening, pavement widening, curve realignment, guardrail, striping, warning signage and recommendations for future study on corridors. There were no clear "easy wins," and additional analysis was needed to identify improvements.
Three projects involved analyzing existing intersections and proposing new intersection types for safer travel at these locations. B&N utilized Safety Performance for Intersection Control Evaluation (SPICE) to evaluate the predicted safety performance of different intersection types and Capacity Analysis for Planning of Junctions (CAP-X) to evaluate preferred alternatives for a given intersection by predicting their respective operational performance. All three locations ultimately proposed roundabouts for implementation. Construction plans were developed for KY 686 and KY 713 in Montgomery County, and the roundabout construction was completed. In Woodford County, three roundabouts were proposed at KY 341 at the I-64 off-ramps and KY 341 and US 421/US 62. The Woodford County roundabouts may be programmed for future implementation. In Scott County, at US 62 at US 421, options for a single roundabout or a peanut roundabout are moving forward for further analysis and implementation.
KY 1865 (New Cut Road/Taylor Blvd) in Louisville was a five-mile-long safety study to propose safety and multi-modal improvements for this corridor. Safety analysis and capacity analysis were combined with public input and existing conditions analysis to determine potential interaction modifications, roadway typical section and multi-modal improvements. Potential improvements were coordinated with Louisville Metro, Olmsted Parks (Iroquois Park), Jefferson County Public Schools and the Transit Authority of River City. Funding under the 2024 Highway Plan will allow this project to progress into the next phase.
The remaining tasks may seem like minor improvements, but each can impact safety in these districts. In KYTC Districts 2 and 6, traffic signal enhancements were evaluated. These enhancements would include implementing flashing yellow arrows and backplates on signal heads. These improvements can help drivers better perceive and understand traffic signals on these corridors.
In Districts 6, 10 and 12, B&N supported KYTC's initiative to help eliminate wrong-way drivers on our roadways. Enhanced striping and signing along ramps and adjacent roadways will help drivers better understand which interstate ramp terminals are exits or entrances and direct them to the appropriate locations for entering these limited-access facilities.