Citing forecasts for heavy holiday week traffic, officials with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet are suggesting motorists traveling Interstate 24 for Thanksgiving take an alternate route around an extended work zone in portions of Caldwell and Trigg counties.
Kyle Poat, chief district engineer of District 1, says traffic in this work zone has been running really well in recent months. However, he adds earlier this year they had several truck crashes that blocked traffic for extended periods of time. In addition, he says they have also had significant backups from time to time. Poat says by taking an alternate route, travelers driving between Paducah and the Nashville/Clarksville, Tennessee area can be of help to themselves and others by using suggested alternate routes.
The work zone is part of an extensive pavement replacement project that stretches 10 miles along I-24, between the 55 and 65-mile markers. The work zone has restricted lanes with two-way traffic running on the eastbound lanes, separated by a centerline barrier wall.
Those suggested routes include:
– Eastbound motorists heading toward Nashville should consider a self detour between the I-24/I-69 Exit 25 Interchange near Calvert City to the U.S. 68 Cadiz Exit 65 Interchange via I-69 south to Draffenville Exit 47, then take U.S. 68 East.
– Westbound motorists can avoid the work zone by taking Cadiz Exit 65 to follow U.S. 68 West to reach I-69 northbound at the I-69 Draffenville Exit 47 Interchange then follow I-69 North to return to I-24 westbound at Exit 25 near Calvert City.
– Westbound motorists may take the Pennyrile Parkway northbound to I-69 southbound to return to I-24 at Exit 42 near Eddyville.
Poet says motorists should be aware that I-24 through Kentucky gets a substantial surge every Friday afternoon. He added, other than that, they anticipate backups are most likely the afternoon of Thanksgiving Eve and again Sunday afternoon, as the holiday week winds down.
Poat says to aid with holiday traffic flow, all other work zone restrictions along I-24 in Kentucky have been removed.
According to state transportation officials, AAA estimates 53.4 million Americans will be traveling for Thanksgiving, up 13 percent from 2020.
Poat also says engineers are hoping to get westbound traffic moved to the new pavement along the westbound lanes in time for the Christmas holiday.
