New Mountain Parkway lanes and ramps open near Salyersville

SALYERSVILLE, Ky (Oct. 26, 2016) – A new bridge and three new ramps for the Mountain Parkway are opening Wednesday as construction crews move forward with projects to create a safer and better transportation corridor in Eastern Kentucky.

Crews working in the Magoffin County Central Segment of the Mountain Parkway Expansion – just west of Salyersville – recently completed a new bridge carrying the parkway across KY 30 and constructed new lanes around that interchange (Exit 72).

Starting Wednesday, construction crews will shift both eastbound and westbound traffic to newly constructed lanes between exits 72 and 75 of the Mountain Parkway. This switch will result in the following changes for drivers:

• Both eastbound and westbound traffic between mile points 72 and 75 will follow a new path along a cross-country corridor that eliminated several curves along the existing parkway. Vehicles on this path will travel on the future eastbound lanes of the parkway and construction crews build the future westbound lanes.
• Vehicles traveling east on the Mountain Parkway will have access to a new exit ramp at the KY 30 interchange (Ramp A on the map above).
• A new ramp (Ramp B on the map) is opening to allow vehicles on KY 30 to enter the Mountain Parkway to travel east toward Salyersville and Prestonsburg.
• A new ramp (Ramp C on the map) also is opening to serve westbound traffic exiting the parkway at KY 30.

“All of these changes are being made to improve safety and traffic flow along this vital corridor,” said Marshall Carrier, a KYTC engineer who is project manager for the Mountain Parkway Expansion. “Although we’re not quite finished with our work around KY 30, travelers can see how the parkway and interchanges are being modernized and improved.”

The Magoffin Central segment of the Mountain Parkway Expansion runs from just west of mile point 70 to just east of mile point 75. Construction work in this segment is ongoing, as construction workers build new bridges and ramps and pave new roadway to expand the parkway to four lanes. Work in this area will continue through next year.

The speed limit has been reduced in this area for the safety of construction crews and travelers. Drivers are urged to use caution.

About the Mountain Parkway Expansion

The Mountain Parkway Expansion is a 46-mile transportation improvement project that will create a wider, safer connection between Eastern Kentucky and the rest of the Commonwealth. It is a key transportation project designed to close the only gap in a 400-mile, four-lane, high-speed corridor for commerce and mobility across Kentucky from Pikeville to Paducah. The project will widen 30 miles of the existing parkway to four lanes and extend the parkway by about 16 miles between Salyersville and Prestonsburg.

For additional information, go to www.mtnparkway.com. Project updates may also be found on Facebook (www.facebook.com/mtnparkway) and Twitter (@MtnParkway). A project office is open in Magoffin Plaza in Salyersville; call (606) 349-8160 for hours.