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U.S. 68 Closed At Jessamine County Line May 31 To July 6

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The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is advising motorists that Harrodsburg Road/US 68 will be closed between Pekin Pike/KY 33 (milepoint 1.5) and the Jessamine-Mercer County line (milepoint 0.0) for 36 days. The closure starts Wednesday, May 31, and runs through Thursday, July 6. All closures are scheduled on a tentative basis, and subject to change depending on weather, emergencies and other factors beyond the control of KYTC.

The closure is necessary for overhanging rock removal operations. Message boards will advise motorists of the closure. Motorists can follow marked detours while the road section is closed. Detours will include both directions.

Operations continue for the Harrodsburg Road/US 68 project. The work includes asphalt pavement and roadway rehabilitation. The work zone is from Harrodsburg Road/US 68 (milepoint 0.000) at the Kentucky River extending northeast 4.807 miles to the Lexington Road/KY 29 Intersection (milepoint 4.807). The entire section is a distance of 04.81 miles. The anticipated date of completion is October 31.

The project is part of the Highway Safety Improvement Program. The HSIP program is designed to provide safety upgrades for roadways. KYTC District 7 includes Anderson, Bourbon, Boyle, Clark, Fayette, Garrard, Jessamine, Madison, Mercer, Montgomery, Scott and Woodford Counties.

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17 Comments

  1. Scott A. Hightower on May 25, 2023 at 10:27 pm

    And just how is the highway department “advising motorists?” I only learned of this by chance, just a few days before the closure. I do have a mailbox.

    And what provisions are being made for residents who will be trapped, living on dead end roads (or actually on US 68)? Brooklyn Road connects right at the bridge, so we might be allowed to get to the bridge, but what of residents of Pekin Lane or the resident of the one house right on the highway?

    Speaking of mailboxes, will USPS (and UPS, Amazon, etc.) deliver?

    • Lori Tursany on May 27, 2023 at 5:27 pm

      Nice of them to close it right before the US 68 400 mile yard sale. They could have waited until the following Monday.

  2. Jim on May 29, 2023 at 12:26 pm

    The KYTC District 7 website states closure will only be Mondays 7am through Thursdays 7am only. 4 days a week. Not weekends.

    transportation.ky.gov/DistrictSeven/Pages/default.aspx

    • Jim on May 29, 2023 at 12:29 pm

      Actually, it is only 3 days a week since the road reopens 7am Thursdays until Monday morning at 7am. Conveniently for the 68 yard sale 🙂

      • B.M. on June 2, 2023 at 6:46 am

        It does not say anything about only being closed 3-4 days a week. It will stay closed through the entirety of the dates below.

        “The section to be closed is in Jessamine County between Pekin Pike/KY 33 (MP 1.5) and the Jessamine-Mercer County line (MP 0.0). The closure is today, May 30, through the morning of Wednesday, July 5 – 7 a.m. today until 7 a.m. Wednesday, July 5 – a total of 36 days.”

    • Amy on June 2, 2023 at 7:47 am

      It looks like they’ve updated the announcement on that website to be closed the whole time.

  3. Pat sandlin on June 1, 2023 at 5:24 pm

    So will the bridge be open each weekend??

  4. Shirley Hardin on June 2, 2023 at 1:40 pm

    Sign at the top of the hill above where I live says road is open to local residents. But, a lot of people need to get to Lexington for doctor appts. or business. I live about 2 miles up from the river on 68 and normally it takes me 20-30 minutes to get to Lexington. Wednesday, it took me 1 hour and 30 minutes to get to my doctor appt. This is ridiculous! If the road is open to local residents, does that mean you can only get home if you are only going down to the Ky bridge and not on to Wilmore, Nicholasville, or Lexington?

  5. Shirley Hardin on June 4, 2023 at 7:15 pm

    We need an update on the closure of this section of KY Hwy 68!

  6. Eric K on June 19, 2023 at 8:04 am

    Just wondering why they are fixing roads that are fine? Took several people several days to repave Dix Dam Rd when there wasn’t anything wrong with it. Those people could have been focused on the bridge! The bridge should be top priority! It being closed is costing people so much time and gas!! Let’s get focused already!

  7. Andrew on June 30, 2023 at 8:09 am

    Ditto Eric K: maybe this work is being done because it is an election year.

    • JerryW on July 5, 2023 at 4:20 pm

      This road was falling over the banks in some areas.
      The flooding issues are being eliminated via 5 or six drain pipes in strategic places and will help stop the erosion it helped cause over many years.
      Its a big inconvenience , a bigger one for some, but they should not need to do any major work on this for a decade .
      Its a dangerous stretch of road as it was, and will still be afterwards, but its our road, let them fix it before its ALL in the ditch.
      God Bless

    • Eric K on July 6, 2023 at 3:19 pm

      It’s the 6th, bridge is still closed. Any update on when??

  8. Gene Demetrius Lawson on July 8, 2023 at 11:15 am

    Will H/way 68 be open on July 10 ?

    • Harrodsburg Herald on July 12, 2023 at 10:49 am

      KYTC has said 68 will not reopen until approximately 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 15.

      • Harrodsburg Herald on July 12, 2023 at 10:49 am

        KYTC has said 68 will not reopen until approximately 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 15. They haven’t issued any other guidance.

        • Larry on July 21, 2023 at 2:23 pm

          Is the bridge open now?

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