Interstate 69

Work is being done in seven states to build a new north-south Interstate from Canada to Mexico. I-69 already exists from Indianapolis, IN north to Canada, with all points south in design and/or under construction.

In Kentucky, existing parkways will be used for nearly the entire route. Using the existing four-lane footprints of the Breathitt, Western Kentucky and Cumberland parkways is much less expensive than building completely new four-lane Interstates.

The exception to using existing parkways is in Henderson County, KY where two new Ohio River bridges will need to be built and about four miles of new highway will be built between the bridges to where it will connect with the Breathitt Parkway. Current estimates to build the bridges and four miles is about $700 million.

In August of 2006, chamber of commerce, economic development and elected leaders from western Kentucky began meeting to plan ways to fund I-69 construction in the state.

At the same time, I-69 construction in the border states of Indiana and Tennessee is moving forward quickly. Indiana plans to begin construction from Evansville to Indianapolis in 2008 and parts of I-69 in Tennessee are under construction.