A Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) planned along a section of U.S. 641 between Murray and Hazel in Calloway County is expected to be ready for construction to start sometime around Memorial Day.
Jim Smith Contracting Company, LLC, of Grand Rivers, is the prime contractor on a $1.21 million project that includes low-cost safety improvements to existing U.S. 641 milepoint 0.498 at the intersection of E.W. Miller Street in Hazel, extending northward to milepoint 3.556 at the KY 1828/Midway Road intersection, a distance of about 3 miles.
“The planned scope of work includes spot improvements at curves, roadway edge improvements, smoothing of pavement, extending the width of drainage structures, updated signage, guardrail upgrades and other safety enhancements,” said KYTC District 1 Chief Engineer Mike McGregor.
McGregor outlined the project for the Calloway County U.S. 641 task force in late December.
“This HSIP project is part of an effort to upgrade safety along U.S. 61 between Hazel and Murray until funds become available to fully reconstruct U.S. 641 from Murray to the Kentucky-Tennessee state line,” McGregor said.
The HSIP project is based on data gleaned from police crash reports. Over the five-year period from January 2012 to December 2016, police reported 119 crashes along the 3-mile section of U.S 641. There were 46 injury crashes and two fatality crashes during that period. During the study period, 53 crashes occurred in wet weather or snow/ice conditions. Based on an extensive analysis of those crash reports, engineers developed a checklist of low-cost improvements aimed at enhancing safety. McGregor noted that motorists can do their part by checking their tires for adequate tread, and obeying the speed limit—especially during wet weather.
KYTC engineers will provide appropriate notice when the contractor is prepared to start work, most likely sometime around the Memorial Day Holiday. The safety project has a Nov. 15 target completion date.
The HSIP safety enhancements along U.S. 641 in southern Calloway County are among several such projects planned along highways around KYTC District 1 counties. Additional safety projects include installation of two traffic activated Intersection Conflict Warning System (ICWS) signals at intersections along U.S. 45 between Paducah and Mayfield, safety improvements along U.S. 60 in the Rosebud Hill Area of Crittenden County and a number of intersections in Paducah.