Commonwealth of Kentucky
Transportation Cabinet

Purchase Parkway Work Zone Activity in Graves County Ramps Up Starting Today

15 ft. maximum load width restriction at 1.3mm near Fulton

PADUCAH, Ky. (March 4, 2024) – A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is resuming work along an extended work zone on the Purchase Parkway starting today.

This work zone includes a 15ft maximum load width restriction at mile point 1.3 near Fulton.  The restriction on the Canadian National Railroad Overpass will be for both northbound and southbound traffic and extends the entire 175 ft. length of the bridge deck.

The 15 ft. maximum load width restriction on the Purchase Parkway is to allow upgrades to the overpass barrier walls.  The load width restriction is expected to remain in place until March 29th.

As a reminder, there are still lane restrictions at various bridges and overpasses along the 21 miles of the Purchase Parkway between the Kentucky-Tennessee State Line at Fulton (0.0mm) and the U.S. 45/KY 80-Bypass Exit 21 Mayfield Interchange.  Work at additional locations will ramp up in coming weeks as weather allows.

There is a 55 mph work zone speed limit with an enhanced police presence in areas where construction crews are present.

The KY 339 Wingo Exit 14 interchange has been converted to a modern modified-diamond interchange with extended ramps designed for high-speed interstate traffic.  The project includes improvements to Exit 1 and Exit 2 at Fulton, bridge deck and barrier wall upgrades, as well as guardrail and drainage work all along the parkway from Fulton to Mayfield.  Traffic is running on base courses of asphalt at several locations as some of the reconstructed ramps and interchanges await the addition of a final driving surface near the end of the project.

On completion late this year, Interstate 69 will be extended along the final 21 miles of the existing parkway to the Kentucky-Tennessee State Line.

Jim Smith Contracting of Grand Rivers is the prime contractor on this $33.9 million project.  The target completion date for all of the upgrades is December 15, 2024.

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