Contractors will begin nighttime paving operations along US 62 from Moody Drive to the AA Highway at Maysville this week as viaduct reconstruction and the out-of-town traffic detour continue between Fourth Street and Forest Avenue downtown.
Beginning about 6 p.m. Monday, May 11, paving crews started to fill in and pave previously excavated sections in the closed eastbound lanes of US 62 toward downtown. Work is expected to start at the AA Highway and move eastward to Moody Drive. Entrances at businesses and parking lots will be closed overnight as paving machines move past. They will reopen each morning.
Also this week, contractors expect to start nighttime pavement reconstruction at US 62’s signalized intersections in the same eastbound work zone. Those areas had been left intact during initial excavation to lessen traffic impacts.
Beginning Wednesday night, May 13, crews will close the eastbound side of each intersection one by one, excavate the old roadway then rebuild and repave. During closures, traffic needing access to affected side streets – Maple Leaf Road, for example – will have to detour. Intersections will reopen the following morning.
Intersection work is expected to start at the AA Highway and move eastward toward Moody Drive, and will take place overnight in the closed eastbound driving lanes only.
Through traffic on US 62 will not be affected by either mainline paving or intersection reconstruction, and will remain one lane each direction with a center turning lane.
Upgrades along a second section of US 62 — the viaduct between Fourth Street and Forest Avenue near downtown — that began April 29 is continuing with concrete removal and pavement replacement now requiring all eastbound traffic toward downtown to remain in that eastbound lane.
All westbound out-of-town traffic remains detoured via US 68-Clyde Barbour Parkway along the following routes:
• Traffic on Forest Avenue (KY 10), Third Street (KY 8) or from US 62-Simon Kenton Bridge out of town: Follow West Third Street-KY 8 West to US 68-Clyde Barbour Parkway, turn left onto West US 68 to the AA Highway (KY 9), then follow the AA east back to the US 62-AA intersection. (Through traffic on US 62 needing to access US 68 toward Lexington should follow the same detour using KY 8 to US 68, but should remain on US 68 past the AA Highway.)
• East Fourth Street (KY 2518) traffic will not be able to access US 62 for the first half of the closure period, and should reroute through downtown or use West Fourth Street (KY 2516). Watch signs for changes.
Local traffic may also use KY 2516 (Fourth), KY 2519 (Lexington) or other downtown routes to access US 62 west, but those will not be marked as detours and are not suitable for commercial traffic. Also, access from KY 11 to US 62 in both directions is being maintained. All KY 11 traffic will be routed to the stop sign, and may turn left up US 62 hill toward the AA Highway or turn right toward downtown.
Because as many as 17,000 vehicles each day travel US 62 at Maysville, slow traffic and delays are likely during the project in all work zones and along detour routes. Motorists should plan travel accordingly.
Work on US 62 at Maysville is part of a $4.4 million Kentucky Transportation Cabinet reconstruction of a mile and a half of the highway from the ground up to eliminate old sub-surface concrete for a smoother ride and to improve stability of the highway for future traffic needs. For more information, and to view a photo story that explains work being done, please visit Kentucky Department of Highways District 9’s US 62 web page here or visit District 9 online here.
From KYTC