A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

KYTC seeks public input on east-west connections; revised alternatives for Outer Loop Study


The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has announced that four potential alternatives to enhance economic opportunity, improve safety and support changing traffic needs throughout Northern Kentucky have been released and will undergo further study.

These revised alternatives follow the evaluation of six alternatives that were released to the public for review in December 2018.

The Northern Kentucky Outer Loop Study will examine potential alternatives for new transportation connections in the southern portions of Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties, as well as the northern portions of Gallatin, Owen, Grant, Pendleton and Bracken counties, specifically potential east-west alternatives that connect I-71 and the AA Highway (KY 9).

No decisions regarding specific roadway alignments have been made and local input will help to shape next steps.

“Since we launched this study last year, the public has played a critical role in the KYTC study process by reviewing our early information on potential roadway concepts and providing us with feedback,” said Bob Yeager, Chief District Engineer for KYTC, District 6. “Our team has taken that information, applied best practice industry standards for evaluating roadway alternatives and we are now ready to present a refined set of roadway corridors to the public for review.”

Yeager added that the revised alternatives are broad 2,000-feet wide corridors; they are not exact roadway alignments with defined locations or specific impacts.

A new roadway project typically advances through the following phases:

*Planning

*Preliminary Engineering and Environmental Evaluation

*Design

*Right of Way and Utility Coordination

*Construction

The Northern Kentucky Outer Loop Study is part of the planning phase.

Outer Loop study options from proposal introduced in Dec. 2018 (provided).

The project goals of the current study are to:

*Provide economic development opportunities;

*Enhance regional mobility;

*Improve safety;

*Provide a cost-effective, constructible transportation solution;

*Provide the Kentucky portion of a future Cincinnati Eastern Bypass

*Remain sensitive to local resources.

Detailed maps and additional information about the study process are available at NKYOuterLoopStudy.org. The website offers users visual information, study background and public involvement tools to provide feedback to KYTC and to support outreach within local communities.

About the Northern Kentucky Outer Loop Study

 Northern Kentucky is one of the fastest growing regions in the Commonwealth. Significant commercial and residential development is occurring in Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties. The region has excellent interstate access through I-71, I-75, I-275 and I-471. Major north-south routes such as US 27, US 127 and the AA Highway (KY 9) are also present. Missing, though, is adequate east-west access south of I-275. This hampers future economic growth outside of the three northernmost counties. Access from the AA Highway to I-71 and I-75 is essential to this growth.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet


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One Comment

  1. Kenny says:

    No tolls anywhere, and do not build a new Brent Spence, that idea is so stupid, it will be a wider traffic jam… literally no body wants a new bridge besides a few large corporations that have too many puppets in the media/public.
    Talk to anyone on the streets and you’ll see where the real opinion lies.
    No Tolls, No bridge, build the outer loop ASAP.

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