MORE THAN 200 ATTEND KENTUCKY EAST END APPROACH
OPEN HOUSE
March 2007 – Interest in design plans for the Kentucky East End Approach section appeared to be at a high pitch Feb. 22, 2007, when approximately 200 area residents turned out for an open house at Springdale Community Church. The public came to review, and comment on, preliminary line and grade plans and aesthetic design guidelines.
Bridges Project officials and members of the H.W. Lochner, Inc., design team were on hand to answer questions about the route the Kentucky East End Approach will take through the Prospect/Harrods Creek area. Engineers also shared plans for incorporating aesthetically complementary design elements. Questions and comments touched on a wide range of subjects, including the KY 841 off-ramp relocation, the exploratory tunnel, projected design timetables, noise barrier analyses and historic and environmental preservation. Comments and concerns collected at the event will be reviewed by members of the Lochner design team, Community Transportation Solutions and the Bi-State Management Team.
Large displays illustrated the design, showing attendees its planned route and height as it passes through the area. The exhibits showed different perspectives of the approach, including an overview indicating key design features and a profile. Representatives from the East End Bridge design team were also on hand, displaying a 3-D model of the bridge type that will span the Ohio River and discussing next steps in the bridge design process.
“Reaching preliminary line and grade is an important milestone in the design process and it was important that we conveyed that accomplishment, and maintained the flow of information, to the public,” said Jerry Leslie, Kentucky East End Approach project manager with H.W. Lochner. “This stage in the process means that we are about 30 percent of the way through with our design work. This was a great opportunity to let citizens of eastern Jefferson County know that real progress is being made in the overall design process and keep them apprised of our work at U.S. 42/KY 841.”
Once work at the U.S. 42/KY 841 intersection is completed, work will begin on the exploratory tunnel in summer 2007. The exploratory bore beneath U.S. 42 will provide design engineers with important geotechnical information that will be used in design of the eventual six-lane, 2,000-foot tunnel.