For Immediate Release-- Second round of median cable barriers to be installed on I-24 Project to take about 3 months to complete PADUCAH, Ky. (July 18, 2014) – A project to install median cable barriers along a section of Interstate 24 in Christian County will ramp up starting Monday, July 21.Installation of an additional section along I-24 in McCracken and Marshall counties is expected to start in mid-August. A 15-mile section of I-24 in Christian County, between the 70 mile marker and mile point 85.3 was completed this summer. The next round of median cable barrier will run from the U.S. 41-Alternate Interchange at Exit 86 in Christian County extending eastward to the Kentucky-Tennessee State line at mile point 93.373 -- a distance of 7.84 miles. Once work on that section is substantially complete, the contractor plans to move to Interstate24 near Paducah to install median cable barriers from mile point 1.5 near the I-24 Ohio River Bridge in McCracken County extending eastward to mile point 17.920 near the KY 787 Overpass in Marshall County. The work will require median shoulder closures and segmented short lane restrictions at times. The contractor plans to complete as much of the work as possible in the median with intermittent lane restrictions at night to help minimize traffic disruptions. “Median cable barrier has been developed over the years to provide an extra margin of safety for motorists. The cables reduce the likelihood of vehicles involved in a crash crossing the median into oncoming traffic,” said Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) District 1 Chief Engineer Mike McGregor. “While rare, crossover crashes have the potential to be catastrophic, often with serious injuries and fatalities.” Kentucky has about 146 miles of barrier installed -- most of it along interstates and parkways in urban areas. Locations selected for barrier installation are based on police crash reports. As barriers have been added to areas with higher traffic and crash rates, more rural sections have qualified under the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). In the last four years, there have been 13 fatal crashes on the 93 miles of I-24 through western Kentucky. Five of those involved crossover collisions -- two in McCracken County (2010, 2011) and three in Christian County (two in 2011, one in 2013). There were no crossover crashes recorded on I-24 in Kentucky during 2012. As a comparison, heavily traveled interstates in Louisville/Jefferson County recorded 26 crossover fatality crashes in about a four-year period prior to barrier installation. That number dropped to one after installation. Kentucky has budged $3 million for median barrier installation this year. The average cost per mile is about $113,000. As work starts on the two sections, KYTC engineers are reminding motorists to be alert for shoulder and lane restrictions in the work zone. The work zone for median cable barrier installation includes a 55 mph speed limit with double fines and an enhanced enforcement presence. The installation crew will work mainly, Monday through Friday, anytime weather permits. Whenever possible, work requiring lane restrictions will be completed at night to minimize traffic disruptions. The work zone will be taken down for the Labor Day holiday weekend travel period. As the new section of median cable barrier nears completion, KYTC and the contractor will schedule a training session for police, ambulance, fire-rescue, wrecker operators, and other emergency personnel on the new feature and the best way to safely remove vehicles that hit it. George B. Stone Company, LLC, is the prime contractor on the $3.1 million project. Work along the Christian County section will start Monday and should be completed around Labor Day. Installation of the McCracken and Marshall County section should begin in mid-August with an anticipated completion date around Nov. 1. For more information on the median cable barrier being installed along I-24 go tobrifenusa/files/main.html.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Jul 2014 15:31:36 +0000
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