4th St. ramp to close, Pike St. ramp to open as ‘Texas Turnaround’ nears completion > City of Covington, KY
The state challenge means Brent Spence safer and fewer congested
COVINGTON, Ky. – The method drivers enter Interstate 71/75 in Covington south of the Brent Spence Bridge will change at 5 a.m. Thursday as development on the $8.8 million Texas Turnaround nears completion, officers introduced in the present day. state freeway.
The state-funded challenge will scale back accidents and ease congestion on the bridge by creating an extended, steady U-shaped ramp that offers drivers getting into northbound I-71/75 extra time and area to change lanes.
The new ramp that offers it the nickname Texas Turnaround is not prepared to open but. But in preparation, these modifications will happen:
- The entrance ramp from Fourth Street in Covington instantly to I-71/75 northbound (as presently configured) shall be completely closed at 5 a.m. Thursday to all however emergency automobiles. (See under for its future configuration.)
- The Pike Street entrance ramp to I-71/75 northbound will reopen after being closed for seven months.
- I-71/75 will open to 4 lanes beginning on the Pike Street ramp and lengthening north alongside the bridge.
- Temporarily, a detour will direct drivers on Fourth Street who need to go north on I-75/I-71 to use southbound I-75/I-71 at Kyles Lane within the northbound lanes .
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 6 Office (Northern Kentucky) introduced the modifications to the challenge in the present day, that are posted on the KYTC Driving NKY Progress web site.
City officers warned drivers to bear in mind of the modifications, however mentioned they’re excited to see the challenge — which started in March — transfer nearer to completion.
“While there will be an adjustment period as drivers get used to the new configuration, the Texas turn will prove to be a major improvement in safety and congestion on Brent Spence and its approaches,” mentioned City Manager Ken Smith. “With more time and space to change lanes, the stress level of drivers entering the interstate and traveling along the Ohio River will be greatly reduced.”
The metropolis beforehand wrote concerning the challenge in March: ‘Texas Turnaround’ work begins subsequent week.
Many of the rear-end crashes and sideslips on the Brent Spence Bridge happen as a result of drivers getting into northbound Fourth Street who want to proceed on I-75 have little greater than the size of the bridge to cross two lanes of visitors. . The sudden weaving motion leads to slowed visitors, fast stops, backups and an elevated chance of rear-end collisions.
The Texas turnaround will enhance the time and area drivers have to change lanes by closing the present ramp from Fourth Street to northbound I-71/I-75 and directing drivers to enter the freeway at a location additional south by way of an extended, steady street (ie no cease indicators or cease lights) U-shaped ramp.
That new route begins on the 4th Street ramp to southbound I-71/75, continues to the Pike Street/twelfth Street exit ramp, after which loops down the interstate on the “inside” facet of Pike Street and parallel to the present northbound 1-71/75 entrance from Pike Street (on the north facet of the present concrete piers).
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