A contractor for The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) plans to shift westbound Interstate 24 traffic Wednesday, Dec. 20 from a temporary diversion onto the new alignment in the Interstate 24/Purchase Parkway Exit 25 Interchange work zone in Marshall County.
Starting about 8 p.m. Wednesday the contractor plans to close the westbound lanes of I-24 from Exit 27 to Exit 25. This closure along what is now a diversion is to transition I-24 westbound traffic to the new alignment. I-24 westbound traffic will be detoured down U.S. 62 westbound to the Purchase Parkway southbound to the Exit 52-B entry ramp to re-enter I-24 Westbound.
Message Boards are in-place to guide motorist along the detour. This temporary detour of I-24 westbound traffic will allow the contractor to complete connections to the new alignment during the overnight hours.
The westbound lanes of I-24 are expected to re-open along the new alignment no later than 6 a.m. Thursday. The US 62 Exit 27 westbound entry ramp to I-24 will remain closed after this traffic shift.
Motorists should be alert for workers changing traffic control during this traffic shift Wednesday night. Motorists who regularly travel US 62 at Calvert City should be aware that this temporary detour of I-24 westbound traffic will create heavy traffic between I-24 Exit 27 and the Purchase Parkway intersection. There will be an enhanced police presence in the area.
Motorists should be alert for substantial changes in traffic flow this traffic shift will create for westbound traffic on Interstate 24. There should be minimal impact on eastbound traffic in the work zone.
While this traffic shift will move I-24 westbound traffic to the new alignment, there is still a significant amount of work to complete before other portions of the new interchange can be fully operational. It continues to be an active work zone.
Ramp closures within the construction zone remain in place with traffic following marked detours
This traffic shift is part of a larger work zone along I-24 in Marshall County between the 25 and 27 mile marker and along the Purchase Parkway between the 49 and 52 mile marker at the I-24 Exit 25 Interchange. Reconstruction of the Exit 25 interchange is aimed at allowing I-69 to be extended southward along the parkway in the future.
The I-24/Purchase Parkway Exit 25 work zone includes a 55 mile per hour speed limit with an enhanced enforcement presence and double fines for citations. Some of the crossovers and more restricted sections of the parkway in this work zone have a 45 mph work zone speed limit for safety.
Jim Smith Contracting of Grand Rivers is the prime contractor on the $37.8 million interchange reconstruction project. The new I-24/I-69 interchange at Calvert City has a target completion date of July 1, 2018.