MURRAY, Ky. (July 5, 2022) — The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has selected the preferred alternatives for improvements along North 16th Street from and including the Five Points Intersection extending northward to the KY 121 intersection in Murray.  This is along the northwest edge of the Murray State University Campus.

The planned enhancements are designed to improve safety, reduce congestion, and add pedestrian and bicycle-friendly features at the intersection and along North 16th Street.

The five-leg roundabout alternate was selected at the Five Points intersection (North 16th Street, Chestnut Street/College Farm Road, and Coldwater Road). This alternative was shown as intersection Alternative 2 at the public meeting. North 16th Street will be widened between Five Points and KY 121 to include a two-way-left-turn-lane, 5-ft sidewalk to the west, and a 10-ft shared use path to the east.

Alternative two was selected as the preferred alternate and includes roadway profile adjustments to correct a substandard vertical curve near Valentine Street. Exhibits showing the preferred alternatives can be viewed on the project website at https://transportation.ky.gov/DistrictOne/Pages/Public-Meeting.aspx.

KYTC District 1 Chief Engineer Kyle Poat said that public input played an essential role in the selection process.

“Our KYTC engineers, design staff, and project consultants made these decisions based on input gathered from the public meeting held on May 24, 2022,” Poat said.  “The public meeting in Murray was attended by approximately 50 local citizens who provided written comments. Additional input came from 19 responses gathered from a public survey published online.”

The project team carefully reviewed the comments and survey results. More than 55% of respondents preferred the five-leg roundabout at the intersection and over 90% of responses favored the widening with vertical correction near Valentine Street for the North 16th Street improvements.

“We appreciate those who took the time to attend the public meeting, review the displays and provide both in-person and online input on this project,” Poat added.  “Public input plays an important role in project development and shaping the final improvements.”

The detailed design phase of the project is expected to begin in September 2022 and right-of-way acquisition is anticipated to start in late 2023.