Lt. Gov. Crit Luallen Tuesday joined state and local officials to ceremonially open the last section of the KY 16 widening project in Taylor Mill.
Construction on the 2-mile middle section began in 2012. The project area extends from Sunbrite Drive to Blackstone Court in Taylor Mill. Haydon Bridge Co., of Springfield, was awarded the $24 million contract.
“It is exciting to witness how a project starts with a vision and ends with a successful opening,” said Lt. Gov. Luallen. “The new route will improve safety and congestion along a busy corridor, especially for the students who travel this road daily.”
The entire new corridor, now complete, is 4.2 miles long. Some sections of the new roadway have five lanes, including a continuous center turning lane. Elsewhere, the new highway contains a raised grass median. The roadway also has curbs, gutters and 7-foot-wide sidewalks.
“It is exciting to witness how a project starts with a vision and ends with a successful opening. The new route will improve safety and congestion along a busy corridor, especially for the students who travel this road daily,” Lt. Gov. Luallen.
“We appreciate everyone who worked hard to make this project a reality,” said Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Taylor Mill. “With the rapid growth of our region, we are pleased to be able to provide significant infrastructure improvements to ensure safety and efficiency for our citizens.”
“This project is a huge asset to Taylor Mill and surrounding areas,” Sen. Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said. “We are thankful to all who helped with the KY 16 widening; the new route speaks volumes to economic growth in the area.”
“The widening of this important corridor in our region will help accommodate the continued growth we’ve seen in northern Kentucky over the last several years,” said Rep. Tom Kerr, R-Taylor Mill. “The expansion of Kentucky 16 will also aid in continued efforts to draw new business and help existing companies expand by improving transportation in the region.”
The project began in spring 2011 with construction on the southern section, between Klette Road and Sunbrite Drive. Construction on the northern section, from Blackstone Court to I-275, commenced in summer 2012.
The southern section was completed in spring 2013 and the northern section was completed in summer 2014. The final (center section) was completed in late summer 2015.
The southern section project area stretched 1.2 miles from Klette Road (KY 2047) to Sunbrite Drive. L-M Asphalt Partners Ltd., of Lexington, was awarded the contract for $9.8 million.
The northern section project area stretched one mile from Blackstone Court to I-275. Lawrence Construction and Leasing Inc., of Walton, Kentucky, was awarded that contract with a low bid of $7.8 million.
The cost of design, right of way, utilities and construction of all three sections is $79.2 million.