Efforts to reconstruct U.S. Highway 60 from Morganfield to Henderson take another step forward this week as consultants and state employees gear up to do expanded environmental studies. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's Department of Highways received appropriate environmental approval for one route, but that approval was rescinded pending a full environmental review for additional routes. According to District Two Transportation Engineering Branch Manager for Pre-Construction Everett Green, residents along two alternate routes and an additional route not previously studied will receive official notification that state employees and consultants will need access to their property to complete those surveys. That notification will come in the form of a letter from Green to landowners to be mailed this week.

"In May, 2003, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approved the Environmental Document for this section of U.S. 60 and issued a Finding of no Significant Impact (FONSI). In November 2003, FHWA rescinded the FONSI until further environmental studies are completed on all proposed routes. At that time there were no funds available for these studies," Green said. Funding has now been authorized to complete those environmental surveys. The Kentucky Six-Year Highway Plan contains projects to reconstruct U.S. 60 from the Morganfield Bypass in Union County to the KY 425 Bypass in Henderson County with bypasses around Waverly and Corydon. Following almost a year delay to gain funding, Green is asking property owners for their cooperation to allow the studies to move forward quickly to avoid delaying the project further.

"State employees and personnel of consultant companies under contract with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will be in the two county area in the coming weeks and months gathering data and information on the alternate routes under consideration and to update information already gathered," Green said. "We appreciate the cooperation of area property owners as our field personnel request right of entry upon private property to conduct the necessary studies."

Work on the environmental surveys is expected to begin immediately. The U.S. 60 project is an effort to improve safety and connectivity, and support economic development by improving transportation in the region.

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