Transportation
A single-point urban interchange replaced an at-grade intersection to accommodate projected traffic volumes.
Improvements to KY-237 have been both functional and aesthetic with new landscaping.
Step-by-step upgrades bring big changes Improvements to KY-237 improve safety and accessibility for Northern Kentucky residents. By Jeremy Kubac, P.E.
The first section of the project, known as the south section, included a bridge widening across US-42 and addition of a large retaining wall to preserve a church near the existing intersection. Construction of those improvements was completed in the late 2000s. The north section fol- lowed, with the addition of a single-point urban interchange (SPUI) at KY-18/KY-237 to replace the existing at-grade intersection, in order to accommodate projected traffic volumes. The team also had to work around major constraints related to the airport, primarily relating to the elevation of the bridge deck and interchange lighting. New landscap- ing along the SPUI offered aesthetic improvements. Construction of the north section was completed in 2013. Improvements to the final section, or middle section, will begin soon and include a new bridge over Gunpowder Creek and a multi-lane roundabout, which will be one of only a handful in Kentucky. The roundabout, at the KY-237/Camp Ernst Road intersection, is initially set up for the existing “T” intersection, but also includes accommoda- tions for a future fourth leg. The bridge over Gunpowder Creek was originally going to be five lanes, but a lack of destinations before and after the bridge eliminated the need for a middle turn lane. Scaling down to a four-lane bridge was a successful cost-saving measure. The middle section of the project will be let to construction this spring. A common thread between all project sections has been the widen- ing of KY-237 along the entire 5.2-mile stretch from two lanes to five lanes, with multi-use bicycle/pedestrian trails introduced on both sides. GS&P has been responsible for preparation of alternate alignments, grades, drainage design, right-of-way plans, and final plans for all three sections of the project. The design also included curb and gutter, storm sewer, culvert extensions, new bridges, retaining walls, detention areas, detailed erosion control plans, detailed maintenance of traffic plans, intersection modifications, and crossroad realignment and connectors. It’s all about access The team was aware that, in many cases, similar transportation projects would not make an effort to tie neighborhoods back into the new road- way. But GS&P and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Project Manager Carol Callan-Ramler wanted to go the extra mile in support
Boone County, Ky., is about as far north as a person can get in the Com- monwealth. It stretches to the Ohio River, on the other side of which is southern Ohio and the City of Cincinnati. Running through the heart of Boone County is KY-237, a busy roadway connecting dozens of resi- dential neighborhoods, commercial areas, and farmland. Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport lies to the east of KY-237, contributing significant amounts of traffic. Years ago, Boone County’s leaders laid out a plan for upgrading trans- portation facilities across the county. Their goal was to improve safety and accessibility for county residents and visitors, as well as to intro- duce multimodal access where it was lacking. One of the key projects in support of the plan has been the widening and reconstruction of a 5.2-mile stretch of KY-237. Taking improvements one step at a time KY-237 was previously a two-lane rural roadway with no shoulders and steep embankments. Though it traversed large swaths of rolling terrain and touched more than 180 residential and commercial parcels in Boone County, its inability to support traffic flow and safely accom- modate non-vehicular modes of travel was becoming evident. In addition to the narrow template, substandard horizontal and verti- cal geometry — resulting in tight curves and poor sight distances — introduced challenges. The residential neighborhoods along KY-237 had made improvements to their own roadways and bicycle/pedestrian paths, but KY-237 itself was a different story. So a three-section im- provement plan was laid out, and Gresham, Smith and Partners (GS&P) joined the team as the lead engineer.
55
may 2018
csengineermag.com
Made with FlippingBook Annual report