TRANSPORTATION LIBRARY HE " 3.5 (o - K+. Aeº- | | ----------- - - - - - - - - | º A HIGHWAY FROGRAM FOR ſ | _ V E R i T A S P R O P E R T Y O F 1926. ſº % f : ...??, ºf £/?:/ 2/ --& C E N T l A {>< •(_^) CAC)--- •+---- Cá 12aſolid 3 unuum.1 &ndaughH pºp-1p.mapo I Fº SCIVO: O ITI3ſld HO ſº VH-Iſl:8 - E3)2]:IAIAJOO -HO LNE NILSIVc（+OI "S" ſh 211 pup SAVAAH!3)||H - O -LNEIAJ. Lê V&ECI - AY3)ſh. LNEY - O H.LTIVE AWNOLAIAIOO 21/1 1/114 uoup.12 dood up ~ NOl. LVGINſ). O: A_LE-VS EIAI.LOIAIO.Lſ V 211 (q poupdaug A Report to . . . THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY Co-sponsors of the Study Department of Highways Legislative Research Commission ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR HIGHWAY DEVELOPMENT JOHN FRED WILLIAMS, Ashland, Chairman ROBERT H. ALLPHIN, Frankfort MARSHALL BARNES, Owensboro ANDREW M. BELL, Stanford DAVID F. COCKS, Louisville ARTHUR W. GRAFTON, Louisville R. H. PROCTOR, Louisville M. W. T.INDER, Frankfort of \ſ osexuſ!"9" A son-98 !, N 3. sport Atº % wax tºº" went alo" \\\G For sA*. EFFVC 100 RANG *. D.C. s so rest" ...saugio" " WO to touch" peptcAikº A995 Novembe” 15, * entucº onwe alth & a) S ssion. Aopmen" Yne Comſø eX). of arch Comº Way Deve pepartº. e. Reseº.º.o. Higº s a red tive e fo 5 * ave Legis”. Sommit tº ts, in:". ºisory º int, O AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY FOUNDATION Engineering Staff, Highways Division J. P. BUCKLEY, Chief Engineer JAMES O. GRANUM, Deputy Chief Engineer WILLIAM H. BURGWIN, Supervising Engineer HOWARD BUSSARD, County Highway Engineer TERRY J. Owens, Urban Highway Engineer H. W. HANSEN, Special Assignment Engineer Associates GORDON GRAVELLE, Traffic Engineering Division MASON MAHIN, Laws Division Writing and Editing E. EARLE DUFFY, Publications Division E. CLARK ROWLEY, Technical Writer Engineering Advisory Committees Department of Highways C. P. BROWN, Director, Traffic Division R. L. CAMPBELL, District Engineer, Dist. 7 H. R. CREAL, Asst. State Highway Engineer . J. CROUSE, Director, Maintenance Division E. GREGG, Asst. Director, Research Division H. HAILEY Director, Rural Highways Division F. JOHNSON, Director, Design Division D. MEDLEY, Director, Planning Division O. NEISER, Asst. State Highway Engineer B. Owens, Director, Conscuction Division County Road Engineers Clark County Boyle County Franklin County W. P. LANE Jefferson County L. E. MCCARTT Kenton County JAMES M. MCCREIGHT Woodford County ALFRED T. RUSSELL Fayette County JAMES T. SABEL McCracken County JACK STODGHILL Union County J. A. THOMAS Lincoln County B. T. MOYNAHAN Deputy Comm’r, Dept. of Highways * O. E. BILLITER NEAL GORDON D. M. HUMBLE City Street Management CHARLES H. KUHN Ft. Thomas S. R. MARSHALL Bardstown JACK MAYNARD Ashland NEWTON W. NEAL Henderson B. F. PRIDE Glasgow TOM ROBINSON Lexington W. W. SANDERS Louisville H. A. SPAULDING Hazard CARL B. WACHS Exec. Sec'y Ky. Municipal League Urban Dev'p’t. Eng’r., Dept. of Highways T. H. CUTLER * Deceased Cooperating Personnel Study Staff Principals Made Available by Department of Highways R. D. MEDLEY, Director, Planning Division T. H. BAKER, Manager, Special Studies GEORGE AARON J. A. BUCHHOLZ D. M. BURGESS T. H. CUTLER W. B. DRAKE B. N. EGAN W. E. HOWARD L. H. MCWILLIAMS GEORGE T. MITCHELL E. R. MOORE JOSEPH R. PULLIAM JOANN Y. WAITs District Engineers and Chief Assistants RICHARD CONYER District 1 LAMAR RINEY CHARLES ROGERS District 2 T. D. LINTON O. F. TATE District 3 R. C. PILE GUY BORDERS District 4 . KNARR DUKE YOUNG District 5 C CHARLES CAMPBELL District 6 R. L. CAMPBELL W. E. STURGENER District 7 H. H. SANDUSKY E. P. CALDWELL District 8 J I J JACK CARSON J. PAUL HUNTER District 9 § M O O R E . JOLLY RAY FAULKNER District 10 . P. NOONAN JOE INSCO District 11 Cooperating Agencies U. S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Public Roads MACK GALBREATH, District Engineer DAVID LEVIN, Chief, Land Studies Section FRED B. FARRELL, Chief, Highway Costs Section University of Kentucky Bureau of Business Research DR. JAMES W. MARTIN, Director Agricultural & Industrial Development Board Planning and Zoning Division WARREN T. ZITZMANN, Chief ; , , , ; , . x * f. .# tº : , , ; 3, º & . | ; - . . É - - • .- - | .. ... :- - - | . - > * §: . & º - ~ : • * *.*.*.* * - - - - * . . . . . . . Y. . . . *- "... ', p : º d * * : * º, ºf zºº º | | i. s. ſº º | gº & . . . . . . . ; Yº sº.” £º ; : , , , - sº - g i. #3 º . . . . . . .º.º. º, gº-ººººººººººººº. ; : . º . . . = ~ * *::: a -, -º * rº. | “. } . " ºr º .." ...; - j. . . . . º:-4 ... . ; : § º º 3. * -. * * . . * : ºf º º: This engineering analysis was undertaken to determine the extent and causes of deficiencies and to recommend programs and measures for correcting them. The Kentucky Highway Needs $ºudy This study of highway needs in Kentucky was begun in 1953 on the initiative of the Commis- Sioner of Highways because highway deteriora- tion had reached a critical point. On some of the most important rural routes traffic had grown beyond the ability of existing facilities to provide efficient and safe service. Trunkline and arterial Streets in many cities had become congested be- yond tolerable limits. In most parts of the Com- monwealth many county secondary and local roads were not dependable. Efforts to remedy those deficiencies were se– riously handicapped by certain basic conditions which concern financing, jurisdictional assignment, and management of road and street functions. 5 Establishment of the Engineering Study It was determined that a new, impartial and thoroughly professional engineering analysis of the whole highway situation was required as a first step toward the solution of Kentucky's high- way problem. Upon invitation of the Commissioner of High- ways, the Automotive Safety Foundation of Wash- ington, D. C., in June, 1953, agreed to direct an engineering study of Kentucky’s highways, roads and streets. The Foundation is a non-profit organ- ization dedicated to education and research for safe and efficient highway transportation. The study was accepted as a Federal-aid high- way planning project by the U.S. Bureau of Pub- lic Roads which shares the cost with the state. Meanwhile, the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission took action to join the Department of Highways in sponsoring the study project. Sub- sequently, the Governor of Kentucky appointed eight citizens representative of the Common- wealth’s industrial, agricultural and governmental interests to serve as an Advisory Committee for Highway Development with which the directors of the study could consult from time to time. The agreement specified that a separate study of highway finance would be instituted. This fiscal study was undertaken by the Bureau of Busi- ness Research of the University of Kentucky, Dr. James W. Martin, Director; the findings to be pre- sented in a separate report. Organization and Operation of the Study The engineers of the Automotive Safety Foun- dation were responsible for general direction of the work, for the standards and procedures fol- lowed, for interpretation of the data, and for the contents and recommendations of this report. Throughout, the Foundation's staff had the counsel and active cooperation of the engineers and offi- cials of the Department of Highways, county engi- neers and fiscal courts, and city governments. Three engineering advisory committees, selected to represent, respectively, the Department of Highways, the counties and the cities, aided in establishing the standards and procedures by which deficiencies were determined on each of the three jurisdictional classes of roadways. Studies in the field were performed by personnel of the state, county and municipal highway agen- cies; in many instances, however, field work on county roads and city streets was done by De- partment engineers because of lack of engineering personnel in local agencies. Construction, maintenance and operating data in the files of the Department, and various high- way planning data made available by the Depart- ment’s Division of Planning, were used wherever pertinent. Planning personnel performed the necessary staff work. Valuable advice and cooperation were received also from other agencies and organizations, in- cluding the Bureau of Business Research, Uni- versity of Kentucky; the Kentucky Agricultural and Industrial Development Board; the U.S. De- partment of Commerce, Bureau of Public Roads; the Kentucky Municipal League; and the Ken- tucky County Judges Association. Objectives of the Study Although accomplishment of this engineering analysis has involved many complex and technical engineering and statistical operations, the objec- tives of the work are simple. They are: 1. To determine the importance of highway transportation to Kentucky business and people, and the amounts and routes of pres- ent and future travel. 2. To determine, on the basis of their Serv- ices, how Kentucky roads and streets should be grouped for efficient management, de- velopment and operation. 3. To examine highway management in Ken- tucky and recommend such changes as may be required for a future highway program. 4. To establish highway standards adequate for present and future traffic; to determine deficiencies now existing and accruing in the future; and to estimate average annual expenditures required under alternative 10, 15 and 20-year programs, these expendi- tures to include the costs of correcting both existing and accruing deficiencies and the costs of annual maintenance. Results obtained in those principal phases of the engineering analysis are presented in the four main sections of this report. Highlights of the report, including the most important recommenda- tions, are summarized on two following pages. This report is aimed and designed to provide administrators, legislators and the public with full information regarding the needs of Kentucky roads and streets. Pertinent data have been made available to the University of Kentucky’s Bureau of Business Research for use in its study of high- way finances and in formulating its recommenda- tions concerning highway support. The reports of the engineering analysis and of the fiscal study, taken together, will give Commonwealth author- ities the factual information necessary for their decision regarding the most appropriate measures for dealing with conditions here presented. The mass of detailed information and data gathered for this study have been deposited with the Department of Highways’ Division of Plan- ning. This material can be used by engineers and officials responsible, under the proposed pro- grams, for actual design and construction on the Commonwealth’s highways and streets. HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION Service is a vital part of Kentucky’s economy and life, but today the highway plant is deficient and great effort is needed to make it adequate. Travel grows with economic progress. In 1954, Kentucky highways carried 8.25 billion vehicle miles of travel, or 128 percent more than in 1940. It is estimated that by 1975 expanding activities will further boost traffic 72 percent. Increasing traffic requires parallel highway improvement, but for 40 years highway develop- ment has lagged. Kentucky's roadway network is not grouped into functionally workable systems. Many local agencies are weakly organized and financed and are shifting their road responsibili- ties to the Department of Highways. This has handicapped that more efficient agency in im- proving the state's main transportation routes. The result is that more than half of Ken- tucky's roads and streets, including two-thirds of its main traveled highways, are not adequate. Within 20 years nearly all roadways will need some kind of improvement. System Classification Highway travel is of three distinct kinds— statewide, community and local. Specific road and street systems should be selected, managed and developed to serve each kind. The General As- sembly should require the Department of High- ways to classify roads and city streets into Systems determined by this study as follows: • Rural State Trunkline System, including Interstate System routes, consisting of not over 5,300 miles classified for statewide traffic service, which would carry three- fourths of all rural travel • County Arterial Systems, consisting of not over 14,500 miles for community service • County Feeder Systems, consisting of the remaining 37,000 miles of roads for lo- cal service • The Department also should be required to select not over 375 miles of State Trunkline extensions on city streets, and to aid cities in selecting Arterial Street Systems totaling not more than 725 miles. Remaining streets should be the City Feeder Systems. Those several systems should remain un- changed except as indicated by engineering anal- ysis. The General Assembly and local agencies should establish firm fiscal plans based on the needs of each system. Appropriate existing agencies should be as- signed responsibility for the systems and should be strengthened for their important duties. Department of Highways The Department of Highways should have complete responsibility for the State Trunkline System, rural and urban, and for the County Arterial Systems, including extensions into fifth and sixth class cities. The Department's organization should be re- vised to centralize over-all policy control, to decentralize operations and supervision, and to emphasize advance planning. The Commissioner of Highways should have two Deputies—a Busi- ness Manager and a Chief Engineer—with respon- sibility, respectively, for the business and operating functions of the Department. Zone offices should be merged with District Offices which should have direct management of the County Arterial Sys- tems and increased authority over state trunkline operations. Districts should be divided into resi- dencies with a resident engineer in each. A Planning and Programming Division should aid the Chief Engineer in preparing a five or six-year program based on needs with job pri- orities determined within budget limits. Land, Public Relations and Personnel Divisions should be established to perform the important functions in those fields. Procedures for right of way acqui- sition should be facilitated and a revolving fund set up for the advance purchase of land. A civil service system and a retirement plan are strongly recommended to help remedy exist- ing difficulties in procuring and retaining com- petent engineering and other personnel. County Road Agencies Counties should be kept in the road picture because local agencies are most responsive to local needs. County Fiscal Courts should have basic financial and administrative responsibility for the County Feeder Systems. Present mainte- nance by the Department with financing from the Rural Highway Fund should end. Counties should have the commission type government or establish a three-member Road Board. Those with inadequate resources should combine to form Road Districts. Each county or district should employ a qualified road engi- neer or superintendent with full management authority over road operations. If the General Assembly should decide state interest in feeder roads warrants state aid, funds should be granted on condition of compliance with the above recommendations. In addition, road programs should be approved, road work in- spected, and expenditures audited by the state. Municipalities Cities should retain basic responsibility for their Arterial Street and Feeder Street Systems. State law should require all cities of over 2,500 population to prepare arterial street plans and long range programs based on engineering stu- dies. Such planning should be in cooperation with the Department of Highways. Should the General Assembly decide that the general usage of arterial streets creates a state interest in them, state aid could be granted on condition that plans be approved and expenditures audited by the state. Needs, Costs and Programs The backlog of existing deficiencies was de- termined by comparing roads and streets, section by section, with design standards of the American Association of State Highway Officials as modified to fit Kentucky conditions. Deficiencies accruing in the next 20 years were determined with refer- ence to estimates of traffic growth and the service life of existing facilities. However, no roadway now delivering tolerable service was judged deficient. Vehicle size and weight limits partly control types of needed facilities, and existing highway conditions in turn partly control those limits. It is recommended that vehicle lengths and gross weights be increased to nationally recommended standards, but the Commissioner of Highways should be permitted to restrict limits where facili- ties are wholly inadequate. Alternative programs, based on 1953-54 prices, were prepared for meeting needs on each system. Each program includes the estimated cost of remedying the existing backlog, of correcting accruing deficiencies, and of maintenance and ad- ministration of the system. Shorter programs would speed up improvement, although at higher annual costs in the early years. Over a long period, costs would be about the same. • In view of their unique importance and in keeping with national policy, Kentucky's Inter- State routes need construction, all on new loca- tions, of 439 miles of four-lane and 102 miles of two-lane highway in rural areas and 38 miles in two cities, all to freeway standards—without cross roads or traffic signals. This construction will cost $368 million. The Interstate System should be built in 10 years, with costs extended over such period as may be dictated by Congressional action or Common- wealth policy. Costs would range from $41.8 million annually for 10-year payment, to $22 million over 20 years, including maintenance. • On state trunkline routes other than the Interstate System, 60 percent of the 4,939 miles of roads and streets and 47 percent of the struc- tures are now deficient. In the next 20 years, work will be needed on nearly all the remainder. Proposed corrective measures involve the construction of 366 miles of new roads, including bypasses and route relocations. Average annual program costs range from $63.7 million over 10 years, to $44.1 million over 20 years. • On the County Arterial Systems, 6,913 miles of the 14,320 miles of road and 2,019 of the 3,535 bridges are now deficient. Average annual program costs range from $43.8 million to $31.8 million for 10 and 20-year programs, respectively. • On the 37,263 miles of the County Feeder Systems, 20,540 miles of road and 6,151 bridges are deficient. Because the rate of actual future correction of deficiencies on those roads depends heavily on individual county action, program estimates are given for a 20-year period only. Average annual requirements for construction, maintenance and administration in all the 120 counties would be $31.7 million. • Only about 21 percent of the 708 miles of city arterial streets are now deficient, but in the next decade deficient mileage will almost double. In the next 20 years, 532 miles will need resurfac- ing or reconstruction and nine miles of new streets and 82 bridges must be built. Louisville accounts for a quarter of the arterial street needs. Average annual program costs range from $9.7 million to $6.6 million for 10 and 20-year pro- grams, respectively. • On the basis of an inventory of all 2,390 miles of city feeder streets, annual costs for de- velopment and maintenance were computed. These amount to about $8 million per year. Combined Review The 20-year construction needs for all sys- tems total about $2.1 billion. About 17 percent are for needs within incorporated places. In that same period, expenditures proposed on systems recommended for full responsibility of the Department of Highways would average $97.9 million per year, or about 68 percent of all road and street costs. Highest priority should be given to Interstate and other state trunkline routes. Backlog needs On them are so great that special studies were made to suggest top priority projects. Over-all, 20-year needs on all systems total $144 million annually, compared to an estimated income from present sources of $118 million. The needs are the equivalent of about 1.2 cents per vehicle mile of travel, or about 12 cents per day per person. All programs set proper goals for achievement, but must be considered in relation to fiscal feasibility, under separate study by the University of Kentucky. Highway Travel and the Economy KENTUCKY CAN ILL AFFORD to have inadequate highways. Roads and streets and the vehicles that use them are basic equipment of the state's economic and community life. The people of the Commonwealth up to now have invested roughly $2.5 billion in that equipment. Efficient operation of the highway plant is vital to the functioning of Kentucky industries and ac- tivities of Kentucky people, yet the state's trans- portation service is hampered by widespread highway deficiencies recorded later in this report. Some deficiencies are of long standing and are attributable to the state’s rugged terrain. Others are accumulating because of the failure of high- way improvement to keep pace with the growth and wear and tear of traffic. Contributing to this lag is the fact that Kentuckians, although spending an estimated billion dollars a year for highway transportation, allot less than one-tenth of their outlay to roads and streets which must carry their Vehicles. Examination of highway transportation in rela- tion to its service to Kentucky industries and peo- ple, and in relation to demands for road facilities, provides a measure of the importance and gravity of the state’s highway problem. BASES AND GROWTH OF ECONOMY AND TRAVEL Kentucky's widely varying topography and soils have strongly influenced the state's economy and are basic factors in the development of highways to serve that economy’s transportation needs. Central Kentucky is a region of rolling land, including the famed Bluegrass country, which ac- counts for about half of the state’s area. The generally fertile soils of the region invited early settlement and with the rich farm lands in west- ern Kentucky, are the basis of the state's pros- perous agricultural industry. Availability of water transportation along the Ohio river led to the founding of a number of towns several of which have become principal industrial cities. The rich coal deposits and extensive stands of timber in the rugged eastern mountain region and in north- western counties have attracted a considerable population. Most Kentuckians live in rural areas and in cities and towns of 2,500 population and less. Only 37 percent are city dwellers as compared with 64 percent in the nation at large. However, from 1940 to 1950 urban population increased by 16 percent while the number of rural people declined by nearly two percent. There are 15 cities in the state with populations of more than 10,000 and of these, seven have more than 25,000 people, three have more than 50,000, and one, Louisville, has a population of about 370,000. Eight cities, representing most of the state's manufacturing capacity, are located along the Ohio River. They include all but one of the places with populations of more than 25,000. Contrasting with this concentration of urban populations are 29 counties which have less than 10,000 people apiece. Kentucky's major highway needs are dictated by transportation requirements of business and people in these differing regions and cities. Be- Highway Travel Is Economy in Motion 1939 – 100 250 - Highway Traffic 200 150 - - 100 - 50 – Tool industrial Employment Persons º 1945 - 1955 Congestion and delay, shown in the photograph 250 - at the right, are not only city ailments. Rural and suburban areas, shown in the photographs above and below, also suffer 200 H. * traffic frictions where unplanned and unrestricted development of business º 150 | 100 so- - Real value From Farm Mºeling tº Millions 1945 1950 1955 Highway Traffic 200 –– - - - 1.50 – look- 50 - P -- ºn 1000 non- O L. - 1940 1945 1950 1955 The generally rising production in each activity reflects the stimulating effect of highway transportation. As economic | activity increases, more highway traffic is generated, and need for highway service is intensified. cause of Kentucky's central location in the na- tion, its highways also serve a considerable north- south interstate movement. Interstate travel in east-west directions is hindered by the eastern mountain barrier. How Travel Has Grown Motor vehicles and the improvement of roads have encouraged industry, agriculture and people in general to adapt their activities to highway transportation. At the same time the rising pro- ductivity of the factories, the farms, and other enterprises of the state, due in part to the effi- ciency of motor transport service, has caused and paid for a tremendous expansion of highway travel. The charts on page 10 present a series of graphic comparisons between the course of pro- duction in the Commonwealth's three principal activities—agriculture, manufacturing and min- ing—and the companion increase in travel on Kentucky's highways. The operations of Kentucky industry and busi- ness and the movement of Kentucky people rolled up a total of 8% billion vehicle miles of travel in 1954. This traffic has grown by 128 percent since 1940 and continues to increase. One of the basic ways in which rising prosper- ity has directly promoted more highway travel is illustrated in the chart on this page. It shows - clearly the essential connection between the up- ward trend of average individual income and the increasing ownership of motor vehicles. In 1940, there were only 162 motor vehicles for every 1,000 men, women and children in Kentucky. Today the ratio has nearly doubled—more closely approaching the increasing national figure. In the same period, individual income in Kentucky grew nearly four times—a rise more rapid than for the U. S. as a whole. - Rising Income Helps Double Vehicle Ownership Dollars P ca. INCOME 1500 – 2^ - UNITED STATES 1000 — 2- - KENTUCKY 500 — - - al----|--|--|--|--|-- TTTTTTTTTT I I I | 1940 1945 1950 1954 vehicles - "... VEHICLE OWNERSHIP 300 – - UNITED STATES KENTUCKY --- º --0 D.C. 1000 700 800 700 --- 500 --- COO 200 DC ººº- Traffic in the Future As Kentucky's economic activities continue to enlarge, highway travel also will continue to grow. If expanding volumes of motor vehicle travel are not to overwhelm completely the state's highway facilities, it is necessary to estimate and prepare for future growth. Estimates of highway travel depend on three factors: the number of people, how many of them own motor vehicles, and the number of miles the average owner drives his car or truck in a year. Highway travel in Kentucky has been forecast to 1975 on the basis of separate studies of those factors as they are affected by economic prospects. These are the forecasts for 1975: * Population—3,437,000, a gain of 17 percent over the 2,944,806 people in 1950. * Ownership—415 motor vehicles per 1000 persons, a gain of 34 percent over the 310 per 1000 in 1954. Motor Vehicle Registrations - in Thousands ACTUAL - | | | | | --~~ 1935 1940 1945 1950 1955 | 7-0 7-5 770 With More Vehicles, Highway Traffic Soars TTT --- | º . - - - - - --- º All employees at this plant, one of Kentucky's famed distilleries, come to their jobs in motor cars. 10 Travel–Billions of Vehicle Miles ESTIMATED ACTUAL ESTIMATED | | | | | | |-- 1925 1930 1935 -- lºs 750 |-55 º-0 1955 770 775 º (~ -) 12%% º CITY STRE * Vehicles –1,430,000 cars and trucks, an increase of 52 percent over the 944,692 registered in 1954. * Travel —9,900 miles annually by the average vehicle, a 13 percent gain over the 1954 average. The estimates for 1975 produce a forecast of 14.2 billion vehicle miles of travel in Kentucky. This is an increase of 72 percent over total traffic in 1954. That estimate of future traffic is predicated on the assumption facilities necessary not only for the estimated traffic volumes, but for the con- tinued growth of the Commonwealth and its econ- omy, will be provided. THE ECONOMY’s TRANSPORTATION PATTERN The total traffic movement generated by the transportation needs of Kentucky is carried on the state's 62,863 miles of public roads and streets. Rural roads which account for 95 percent of this total mileage, carry three-quarters of the travel. City streets, only five percent of the roadway mileage, carry a quarter of all travel. There are 59,462 miles of rural roads. The volume of traffic carried by each route depends on the amount of transportation required in its service area and on its usefulness for that service. In January, 1955, the Department of Highways maintained 16,905 miles of rural highways which carried about seven-eighths of all rural travel.Only about one-eighth of rural traffic is carried on the 42,557 miles of local roads managed by counties. - - - - - - - | º Leº - - Farmers' trucks—little ones, big ones, and all the sizes and types in between-waiting their turn at the to- bacco market. Under the carefully drawn tarpaulins are baskets of the brown gold burley that is Ken- tucky's biggest farm crop. The map on page 14 illustrates by width of bands, average daily traffic on rural highways against a background indicating the geographic distribution of certain basic economic factors. The flow bands represent the pattern of the total trans- portation movement resulting from the activities centering in cities, farming, natural resource oper- ations, and travel for individual purposes. Traffic shown is made up mainly of the longer trips between major cities and regions of Ken- tucky, and between principal places and areas within those regions. On some main routes travel of vehicles passing entirely through the state is significant. Traffic Importance of Cities The traffic map clearly demonstrates cities not only are centers of highly concentrated traffic ac- tivity, but have a predominant influence in gener- 13 People and Their Business Shape Traffic Patterns The more heavily traveled routes, shown by wider black bands, with few exceptions, traverse the more productive farming areas. of their traffic can be attributed to the generally higher level of income and greater travel needs of these areas as compared with lumbering and mining sections of the state. portance, however, is the fact that main traveled highways connect the larger trade and industrial centers in and just outside Kentucky ating traffic on highways in rural areas. It is estimated as much as two-thirds of the traffic on state-maintained rural highways is bound for or is coming from cities. The most striking feature of the traffic flow pattern is the high degree of consistency with which volumes of traffic carried on various routes are proportionate to the size of cities the routes connect. Highways connecting Louisville with Frankfort and Lexington, with Covington and Cincinnati, and with Nashville, are the major traffic routes of the state. The next most heavily traveled high- Of far greater im- * Military Establishments Some tº State Parks ways are those linking the Covington-Cincinnati area with Lexington and with Chattanooga and Knoxville. Those are Kentucky's major routes; about 500 miles in the state now carry volumes which require more than two-lane pavements— yet only about 100 miles of rural highways have been improved to that capacity. Paducah, Henderson, Owensboro, Maysville and Ashland all are focal points of traffic on Kentucky highways, both because of their indus- trial and merchandising activities and because they are Ohio River bridgeheads. Other places—like © Cities Pikeville, Hazard, London, Bowling Green, Madi- sonville, Hopkinsville and Mayfield—have special traffic significance as market centers for well de- fined and often extensive trade areas. Cities and towns not only have more than a third of Kentucky's population, they are the cen- ters for professional, governmental and recrea- tional personnel, institutions and establishments. Also they are the places where nearly all the manufacturing and most of the marketing and mercantile establishments are located. Manufac- coal Fields - 14 turing industry and trade not only attract much traffic, but both depend heavily on highway transportation for their operations. Manufacturing and Highway Transportation Manufacturing is a great and growing part of the Kentucky economy. In 1953 its 2,800 plants with nearly 160,000 employees and $2 billion of products made the largest contribution to the state's income. One hundred and sixty plants, representing an investment of over $500 million employing 16,000 persons, have been estab- lished in the last six years. Most manufacturing plants depend on highways for much movement of materials, parts and pro- ducts. Two of the most important industries— tobacco manufacture and whiskey distilling—re- ceive large proportions of their raw materials by trucks. About three-quarters of tobacco products are shipped by highways as are all intrastate and 40 percent of interstate shipments of whiskey. The service of highways to industry in the field of employee procurement is a distinctive phase of motor vehicle usage. Available data indicate that 84 percent of the workers in all Kentucky manu- facturing establishments travel to and from their jobs in automobiles, as do 94 percent of employees in the tobacco plants and 96 percent of employees in distilleries. cALVERT city ExAMPLE The influence of industry in generating traffic is proved by the experience of Calvert City, a Industry Generates Traffic small town (1940 population, 319) about 20 miles east of Paducah. During the last seven years six great American industrial companies chose this location for branch plants. Four plants are in operation and the other two are scheduled for completion this year. There was a daily average of 1,177 employees on the payrolls in 1953. Full production will require about 3,000. Calvert City's population has grown to an esti- mated 1,200, but since it is still a small place, many of the workers engaged in construction and operation of the new plants commute to their jobs from outside points. As a result of plant activities and this employee movement, motor vehicle travel on highways radiating from Calvert City has jumped to more than four and a half times its 1940 level. This increase is nearly triple that of Town “x” / In 1940, conditions in Calvert City and town "X" were º similar, but in succeeding years industry developed in Calvert City, while town "X" experienced only the slow growth of a country town. The effect on traffic is striking proof of how industry creates and uses transportation service. Average daily traffic in 1940 is shown by width of black bands, and 1953 traffic by green bands. comparable places in the same area where no in- dustrial development has occurred. Highways and motor vehicles made it prac- tical to build the plants in a strictly agricultural area at some distance from urban labor sources. Once established, plants generate traffic in their production operation and as a result of the busi- ness activity stimulated in the community. Highways and Trade General use of motor vehicle transportation has made drastic changes in some phases of the mer- chandising business. The vastly increased areas from which retail customers are attracted have tended to draw trade into the larger centers and to limit the function of the old-time country store. The massing of people in outlying urban areas has led to establishment of large suburban shopping Centers. Wholesale and retail distribution of goods uti- lizes one out of every five trucks registered in Universal use of the motor car has encouraged the establishment of suburban shopping districts. Those, like this one, with off-the-highway facilities for customer movement and parking, create little traffic interference and provide maximum service to patrons. Heaviest Traveled Arferies lead to Central Business District Traffic originating in the city and coming in on rural highways uses major arterial streets, especially state routes shown in heavy black lines, to reach the principal destinations of traffic such as the central business district, major industrial districts, and main connecting rural roads. On the average, traffic flow, shown in green bands, on major streets is five times that on other streets, as illustrated in this map of Owensboro. Kentucky. Such trucks account for a fourth of total truck traffic on state roads and streets. The flexibility of highway transport service assures ready and frequent access to sources of merchan- dise supply. In consequence, warehouse require- ments of the wholesale distributor and the stock- on-shelf requirements of the retail merchant are reduced to a minimum. This means a rapid turnover of goods which is highly advantageous to the consumer. City Street Use Because cities—particularly central business districts—are focal points to which traffic is at- tracted from wide areas, streets are used by many other than city people. Vehicles owned in rural - 16 areas account for about 38 percent of total travel on the streets of incorporated places. Trips into cities from their trade areas and daily shuttling of suburban residents into and out of the city produce marked accumulations of traffic on main highway approaches. Suburban shop- ping districts frequently are developed along main highways, where they cause a further extension of some of the same constricting conditions which impede traffic movement on downtown streets. Trips into and out of cities and towns account for 53 percent of the traffic on urban streets. The other 47 percent of street traffic is made up of trips within the corporate limits. Because the economic pattern funnels so much traffic into urban areas and onto principal city arteries, and because the operation schedules of industry, business and daily living concentrate so much of this funnelled traffic into brief periods of the day, some of Kentucky's most critical high- way conditions are on trunkline streets. In some instances, the amount of traffic merely passing through an urban area is sufficient to contribute significantly to the congestion. Rural Highway Travel Rural people—those who live on farms and in smaller towns and city suburbs—roll up about 54 percent of all highway travel in the state. What roads do they use and where do they go? About five-sixths of their travel is on rural roads because these are their direct means for con- tact with neighbors, school, church and city market centers; one sixth of their travel is on the city streets. Since state maintained highways lead to most destinations, rural people use them for about 85 percent of their travel. Rural roads serve most of Kentucky's traffic movement—three-quarters of all travel in the state. Who contributes this travel to the rural roadways? Cars and trucks owned by dwellers in rural areas make up 58 percent of the traffic stream on state maintained highways; the other 42 percent consists of vehicles owned in urban places. Rural vehicles account for 85 percent of all traffic on the other rural road now maintained by the counties. Between their principal termini, main highways contact and serve scores of smaller cities and towns as well as rural country along the way. The function of less heavily traveled roads is to con- nect the other places and areas with major routes. Differing functional services of rural roads— a few as major transportation routes, many as connecting arteries leading to those routes, and hundreds as access roads to widely spaced farms and homes—are reflected in wide differences in the amount of their usage, as shown by the fol- lowing tabulation: Miles of Traffic Rural Road Over 700 vehicles per day 5,937 From 100 to 700 vehicles per day 13,244 Less than 100 vehicles per day 40,281 Passenger cars and buses as well as trucks are vital to Kentucky's coal industry. Hundreds of truckloads of coal are hauled daily from many mines. School time is bus riding time for over a quarter million Ken- tucky children. Motor bus transportation has brought greatly improved educational advantages to many rural sections of the Commonwealth, to some where even the little red school- house was a rarity. Farming Areas Highway service in farming areas consists largely of providing access to and from market centers. In these centers crops are marketed, supplies are obtained, and various professional services and recreational opportunities are avail- able. Transportation to the centers is essential to agriculture and to people who make their living from it. Kentucky’s half billion dollar farm income is derived in approximately equal parts from field crops and from livestock and dairy products. Tobacco, by far the most important item in the field crop group, is all hauled from the curing barns to the state's 32 tobacco markets by trucks. Larger trucks carry much of it on to processing plants. Practically the entire marketed portion of corn and other farm crops is transported to town on the highways. Records of Kentucky's livestock markets show that 98 percent of the animals brought in from farms, and 73 percent of those shipped out to packing plants, travel in trucks. Transport in the dairy industry is almost completely motorized; milk is brought to central dairy plants in tank trucks which travel 10,000 miles daily; other trucks take dairy products to retailers and to a large proportion of the consumers. Such services widen the farmer's access to mar- kets, increase the efficiency of his operations, and help raise the standards of rural living. Of equal significance in improving conditions and oppor- tunities of rural families, are rural free mail The verdant Bluegrass Country, with its white fenced horse farms and prosperous dairy industry, is favorite cruising and vacationing territory for tourists. delivery and the consolidated school with its essen- tial accessory, the school bus. The Department of Education reports that during the year 1952-53, 2,859 school buses traveled 150,700 miles and carried 229,177 students every school day. Coal Fields The bituminous coal mining industry, in spite of recurrent problems, is a vital element in Ken- tucky's economy particularly in the producing areas. Transportation is so important a factor in coal mining operations that mines are classified according to whether coal is shipped from the shaft head by rail or by truck. The 1952 report of the Department of Mines and Minerals states that from 89 percent of the state's 2,243 underground mines, and from many of the 124 strip mines, coal is transported by highway to processing plants or to rail forward- ing points. Most truck mines are the smaller producers; in the industry as a whole, rail mines account for 80 percent and truck mines for 20 percent of the state's total coal tonnage. However, several truck mines transport as much as 2,500 tons per day over highways. Coal hauling is essential traffic, but since it usually occurs on highways in areas where steep grades often slow heavy carriers to a crawl, it creates special and difficult problems in highway design and traffic operation. At some mines 95 and even 100 percent of all employees commute by car from distances up to 60 miles. At one large mine, 65 percent of the workers travel an average distance of 50 miles from the shaft head. This work habit is affecting the pattern of settlement in coal regions, in that it permits workers to live in established homes and eliminates the need to provide worker housing at every new mining development. 18 Lumbering Industry Kentucky has 11,446,000 acres of commercial forests from which 500 to 600 million board feet of lumber are cut in an average year. In 1950, forest products had a value of $100 million. Currently all logs are hauled from forests to the state's more than 2,000 sawmills by truck. This has enabled lumbermen to adopt much im- proved logging practices. In the days of water and log train transportation, small scale operations were considered to be uneconomic. Lumbering was a cut-out, get-out process. Today, with low cost logging roads connecting with the highway network, timber can be cut again and again in the same area as trees mature. Forests are now a con- tinuing resource rather than, as formerly, a one- time bonanza. Recreational Industry The tourist and resort business ranks high among the state's sources of income. Kentucky's wealth of varied scenic attractions, its many places of historic interest, its horse farms and racing events, and its lakes and waterpower develop- ments attract recreational travelers, both from within and from outside the state. In 1953 more than 3,260,000 people came to the 24 state parks, 500,000 of them to Mammoth Cave alone. In addition, 688,000 sportsmen took out licenses to hunt or fish. It is estimated in that year establishments serving tourist and vacation travelers grossed a total of $462 million. The recreational industry is predominantly a highway business. It has developed to its present proportions as highway travel has increased. Further growth can be expected as highways are improved. Other Traffic Factors The mere numbers of Kentucky vehicles travel- ing the state's highways do not tell the whole story of the service those highways are required to deliver. Important in planning an efficient high- way system in the Commonwealth is the amount of travel in Kentucky by vehicles owned outside the state and the composition of total traffic, particularly the proportion of heavy commercial vehicles in the traffic stream. Travel by Foreign vehicles Several Kentucky highways are indispensable routes for travel between the north-central and southern states. Louisville and Covington, and to a less extent Henderson and Paducah, are im- Expanding travel by both private and commercial vehicles on many main traveled routes creates demands for modern facil- ities which have not yet been fulfilled. On this major highway portant portals along the Ohio River for through traffic bound to or from Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville and points south. On southern sections of several north-south routes, through trips between termini outside Ken- tucky make up from 23 to 47 percent of the traffic. Some of those routes carry a large pro- portion of transport trucks and on certain highways as high as 57 and even 87 percent of freight carriers are making through trips. It is estimated that through trips, together with travel of vehicles visiting Kentucky from other states for business or recreational purposes, may account for as much as 20 percent of the traffic on the state's rural highways. On the other hand, Kentucky owned cars and trucks do 22 percent of their annual travel outside the Commonwealth. hazards. between Cincinnati and Lexington the curving alignment, short sight distances and narrow surface cause serious delays and 19 Truck Traffic The unusual degree to which highway trans- port is utilized by Kentucky's economic activities is indicated by the large proportion of vehicles operated for commercial purposes. In the state as a whole, no less than 28 percent of all travel is by commercial vehicles, including panel and de- livery cars. The national average of such traffic in 1953 was 19 percent. Movement of single trucks and heavy trailer combinations on major highways amounts to about 12% percent of total traffic, about the national average. Dimensions, weight and oper- ating characteristics of such vehicles demand special consideration in highway design, espe- cially in areas where topography creates problems of highway alignment. KENTUcky’s STAKE IN HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION The economy and people of Kentucky are com- mitted to the use of highway transportation. The operations of industry, trade and agriculture and the basic habits of living are all geared to highway service. The development of cities and the provision of essential services in all parts of the state are based on the availability of motor vehicle transportation. Even railroads, airlines, and water transport all depend on highways to make their services accessible and complete. To- day, 19 whole counties and scores of small towns and post offices have no other means of land transportation. Kentucky's current highway problem is the in- evitable consequence of the growth of highway travel which, during a long series of years, has consistently out-distanced highway improvement. Great and growing volumes of traffic have been imposed on highways and streets originally de- signed for entirely different usage and only in a few cases revised for their motor vehicle carrying function. As a result, the transportation service, which Kentucky economy and people depend upon most intimately, is seriously handicapped. Moreover, traffic volumes are still growing and will continue to grow. It is estimated that by 1975 travel will have increased by over 70 percent. The demand then will be for good highway facilities for 17 motor vehicles where each 10 are today. Good Highways End Isolation In 19 counties—one in every six—there are no rail- roads; highways must provide the transportation serv- ice. In most cases, these are mountain counties where improved roads not only facilitate movement of goods and people but are important in raising living and cultural standards in regions long handicapped by isolation. 20 Highway Classification FOR 35 YEARS, Kentucky has experimented with the division of road and street mileage and cost between county, city and state. Today’s condi- tions show that a satisfactory balance of all factors has not yet been achieved. This report recom- mends a stabilized solution which would remove uncertainties, clarify future programs and fix financial and administrative responsibilities. Since the establishment of a 4,000-mile state primary system in 1920, additional road and Street mileages have been transferred from county and city to state jurisdiction. In recent years transfers have been made at a vastly accelerated rate, and without a consistent plan. As a result, the Department of Highways is now responsible for more than four times the original mileage. From the beginning the Department has been faced with a task that was growing faster than its resources. Today mounting traffic on primary routes is making demands for improvements that cannot be met, partly because of statutory com- mitments which require spreading expenditures Over the greatly expanded system. These questions arise: Has the limit been reached in the transfer of roads to the state? Is the state eventually to have control of all roads? If not, exactly which roads should the state han- dle, and how should the remaining roads be or- ganized? What costs are involved, and how should they be paid? Those questions vitally concern not only the over-burdened Department of Highways, but the counties and the cities which also are adversely affected by the present situation. All agencies urgently need to have the extent of their responsi- bilities clearly defined and fixed on a consistent basis. Equally they need to have stable criteria for determining the relative requirements and priorities of the roadways which are in their charge. All this points to the urgency of a proper classification of Kentucky's roads and streets. Why Classification? To effectively attack Kentucky's highway and street problems, it is necessary to make a clear and thorough determination of which roads de- liver which services and of what agencies should be responsible for what systems. This calls for highway classification based on a sound engineer- ing analysis of the function of each roadway in the total highway transportation picture. Follow- ing such a classification, the different systems can be properly and firmly established and can be assigned to the agencies of government princi- pally concerned. By so doing: The systems can be efficiently managed by the state, county and city agencies Suitable design, maintenance and operations procedures can be established Long range improvement and finance plans can be formulated and put into operation. This chapter describes how highways and high- way administration have evolved in Kentucky and how the existing setup diverges from accepted en- gineering and management principles. It presents an engineering classification of the Common- wealth’s roads and streets and recommends a grouping of the roadways into classified systems. 2] HIGHWAY DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT Kentucky has recognized the fundamental prin- ciples of highway responsibility from time to time, but unfortunately they have not been adhered to. Several starts have been made to select the roads of primary importance and to set them apart for State Support and Supervision, but in no case was this course consistently followed. Today, in the Responsibility for Early Roads In the earliest days of the Commonwealth when most roads were left to local initiative, the state government several times announced its special interest in and assumed limited responsibility for certain principal routes. These were roads opened up to bring settlers into the new state or to carry products to Ohio River shipping points. Later the state encouraged construction of roads—many of them turnpikes—linking cities and towns. Around 1850, railroad building ended this phase of highway development. State interest in absence of a settled policy, the whole highway management is drifting toward highly centralized control. Kentucky's Highway Network This map gives a true picture of the extent and pattern of all Kentucky highways. While the lines are alike, actual roadways they represent vary from paved divided roadways to two worn traces on the earth. They differ in function from vital routes of interstate transportation to the road home for a lonely mountaineer. This conglomerate network must be sorted and classified as to traffic purpose so that procedures can be set up for the orderly improvement of each class. highway transportation remained dormant until the early 1900's when motor vehicles gave a new meaning to the term. During that long period, the entire responsibility for rural public roads de- volved on the counties. The Motor Vehicle Era In 1912 when the increasing use of motor ve- hicles had created a strong demand for better roads, the General Assembly set up a Department of Public Roads to assist county authorities in road improvement. By then there were already some 58,000 miles of public roads in Kentucky. SºS º: The 1920 System of State Primary Highways The 4,000-mile state primary system created by the General Assembly in 1920 was well planned in many respects. Had the state's main effort been directed toward its improvement during the last 30 years, most major movements of state-interest traffic would now have good service. But the mileage was doubled and then quadrupled. The resulting dispersion of funds has been a large factor in delaying ade- quate highway development. º “ * ºr 0. X- **. *** * * * * ---- * R - G a Turnpike companies had built most of the better improved roads and were still collecting tolls on 300 miles of them. Early Steps in Classification In 1914, Kentucky adopted a policy of state aid to counties. The General Assembly declared that roads connecting the county seats of adjoin- ing counties would be eligible for state funds and should be known as “public state highways.” However, the counties were unable to develop connected statewide routes and the system proved to be unsatisfactory. In 1920, following the passage of the 1916 Federal-aid Highway Act and state legislation conforming to it, the General Assembly com— pletely revised Kentucky's highway procedure. State aid was abolished and a 4,000-mile system of state “primary highways” to be financed by the state, was created. Expenditure of Federal aid and expanded state highway funds was to be limited to this system. The Assembly also estab- lished a new state highway agency—the present Department of Highways—and gave it direct charge of all operations on the state primary system. Legislative “Primaries” The Assembly acted properly in giving these roads, intended to serve state interest travel, the name “primary highways.” “Primary” is a word with a specific meaning in the highway engineer- ing field, and denotes routes of first class impor- tance. However, strict observance of this mean- ing of the term was short lived. The 1920 act establishing the state primary highway system provided that all roads not in- cluded in that system should be maintained by the counties. But legislators in successive ses- 23 However, in spite of those legal safeguards to the integrity of the state system, the Department of Highways has found it necessary to accept many miles of roads which do not qualify for statewide system service. One of the purposes of this study is to aid the Department in establishing a reasonable and consistent basis for “the exercise of its discretion”, in keeping with its finances. Between 1938 and 1948, mileage was added to State Miledge Doubled Since 1938 2 sions created additional “primary highways” which were added to the state system without much regard for their fitness for state highway service. In 1922, 10 roads were added; in 1924, 141 roads; in 1926, 132 roads; in 1928, 327 roads; in 1930, 320 roads; and in 1932, 396 roads. In 1938, when the mileage of the state main- tained rural system had reached 8,000 miles, double its original size, the General Assembly consolidated the results of this rather haphazard process. It declared that “all roads and high- ways heretofore established as a part of the pri- mary system of highways and all other roads within the Commonwealth now or hereafter (so) established” should be a part of the state system of primary highways. Expansion of State Responsibilities In 1948, the Assembly passed the so-called “two-cent law” which further accelerated the transfer of county roads to “primary” status and state responsibility. This act increased the gaso- line tax rate by two cents per gallon and appro- priated the revenues to the Department of High- ways for the improvement and maintenance of roads recommended by county fiscal courts for transfer to the state primary system. Both the 1938 and 1948 statutes contained provisions intended to enable the Department to limit its acceptance of roads to those which served state interest travel and to maintain a balance be- tween the Department's income and its mileage responsibilities. The 1938 law stated “that noth- ing in this act shall be construed as requiring the Department of Highways to construct, reconstruct, improve or maintain any public highway except as may be determined by the Department of High- ways in the exercise of its discretion.” The 1948 statute gave the Department somewhat similar freedom of action. the state primary system at an average rate of about 200 miles per year. During the last six years such additions have averaged more than 1,000 miles annually. In 1954, the Department maintained a total of 16,905 miles of rural high- ways and 716 miles of city streets. PRESENT GROUPING or HIGHWAYS For the most part, the existing classification of Kentucky roads and streets is solely on the basis of jurisdiction, with little regard to service per- formed. It is merely the current status of a long process of shifting highway responsibilities from one agency to another. Except for the Federal- aid systems, the present grouping of highways and assignment of responsibilities does not meet the needs of traffic or comply with sound princi- ples of highway management. Federal-aid Highway Systems Establishment of the Federal-aid highway pol- icy in 1916 and later Congressional acts modify- ing and broadening it, have had important effects on highway management and development in Ken- tucky. Selection and establishment of the sys- tems created by those acts was a form of classi- fication of the more important routes. Design standards adopted to serve traffic on the various Federal-aid systems have established consistent goals for highway improvement. Regulations 24 º governing the expenditure of Federal aid and state matching funds have tended to direct state finan- cial and engineering resources toward develop- ment of high priority routes. Federal-aid Primary System The 1921 Federal-aid highway act prescribed that not more than seven percent of the mileage of rural roads in a state could be included in the Federal-aid Primary System. At the end of 1954, the Federal-aid Primary System in Kentucky con- sisted of 3,565 miles of the more important routes and 226 miles of urban extensions. Federal-Aid Primaries and Other State-Maintained Highways The Department of Highways maintains 16,905 miles of highways, more than one-fourth of the rural mileage in Kentucky. State-maintained mileage, in green, is more than four times the size of the state system º established by the General Assembly in 1920. The Federal-aid Primary º System, shown in black dots, includes 3,791 miles of the most important transportation routes in the state-maintained system. The present system carries more than half of all motor vehicle travel in the state. National System of Interstate Highways Key routes of nationwide travel are included in Kentucky's Federal-aid Primary System. Of these, 641 miles have been designated as parts of the National System of Interstate Highways. Inter- state routes in the state are composed of 561 miles of rural roads and 80 miles of city streets. Among the highest volume highways on the Fed- eral-aid system, the Interstate routes have great importance to the economy as well as to national defense. Federal-aid Secondary System Kentucky began the selection of Federal-aid Secondary roads soon after the passage in 1934 of the act extending Federal aid to those roads. At the end of 1954 a total of 14,881 miles were on the Federal-aid Secondary System in Ken- tucky, of which 10,292 miles are in the state- maintained system and 4,589 miles remain on the county systems. In the state-maintained system, these roads are second only to the Federal-aid Primaries in their service to traffic; those on the county systems are principal routes under county jurisdiction. - º º ƺ Middlesboro The Interstate Highway System in Kentucky ! L L ºf N C Indianapolis Columbus Springfield o H 1 O ºn_º ſºcincinnati ſu N_ The National System of (*** Interstate Highways \ w. v A . contains 40,000 miles of - routes vital to the y nation's economy M. O. * and defense º Routes in Kentucky - total 64.1 miles, ----- -- including some of 7. the most important roads ſº in the Commonwealth. Uſ A R K -- Asheville Memphis" Chattanoºga - ... --> T2- \ Nº. 2 – – State-maintained System of Primary Highways All of the 17,621 miles of rural roads and city streets maintained by the Department of Highways are designated by law as state primary highways. The system is often called the state- maintained system. Within this state system the only formal classification is that established by the selection of routes for the Federal-aid systems. The present state-maintained system includes practically all the rural routes serving state inter- est travel, but it also includes a large mileage of roads which have little statewide travel function. If the practice of the other 43 states which still retain local control of local road systems is taken as a standard, Kentucky has a greatly over- extended state rural system. In those states the average system under state control in 1953 ac- counted for only 15 percent of the total rural road mileage, but in Kentucky the state maintained system includes 27 percent of the Common- wealth's rural roadways. The mileage for which the Department of Highways is responsible is nearly double what it would be if Kentucky fol- lowed the practice of most other states. The need to channel the Department’s major efforts and resources to the improvement of the routes of statewide travel is recognized and en- deavors in that direction are aided by Federal- aid requirements. Nevertheless, extensive mileage spreads the Department's engineering and finan- cial resources so thin that highway construction and improvement have not kept pace with traffic needs. County Road Systems All the 42,557 miles of county roads are by legal definition “public roads”; there is no other classification of these roads by degrees of impor- tance and function except for those selected as Federal-aid secondaries. Most counties lack pro- grams for road improvement, largely because the systems are not classified. This leaves the county fiscal courts without adequate protection against various distracting pressures. Scanty funds for public services in some counties probably started the trend toward shift- ing county road responsibilities to the state. This process has so depleted many counties of princi- pal routes as to seriously lessen the importance of and pride in their own road functions. Frequently the main effect, if not the objective, of county road policy is to get rid of road responsibilities. City Street Systems There are 3,401 miles of streets in Kentucky's 333 incorporated cities and towns. They are of many different kinds with a variety of usage. In the majority of the cities, however, the only streets at present classified are those on the state “pri- mary” system. Louisville and Lexington have adopted master arterial street plans and for some years have programmed their street development in con- formity with them. Other cities have not taken formal action in this direction although in sev- eral, street work is guided to some extent by pro- posed plans, some of which were produced by the state Agricultural and Industrial Development Board. Efficient street improvement and maintenance are hampered in the cities which operate without 26 benefit of planned arterial street systems based on sound street classification. Many have limited street funds which should be channeled into major projects rather than dissipated among a multitude of minor ones. Practically all cities are growing and need such plans to fit their expansion into a logical city pattern. Moreover, city street agencies, like county road authorities, are subject to pressures which can best be resisted where im- provements are based on planned development. ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION OF HIGHWAYS A sound classification of roads and streets is a primary requirement in Kentucky. In an engi- neering study it is impossible to determine the adequacy of any highway except in relation to the service demanded of it. One of the first steps in this engineering analysis, therefore, was a com- plete classification of all rural roads and urban Streets. The Service Basis Highway classification is a common sense method of obtaining more efficient highway man- agement by arranging roads and streets in groups according to the kind of service given. While highway travel involves several types of vehicles and all sorts of purposes, the actual movement is of three basic kinds: State-interest traffic, which is the longer dis- tance, higher speed travel generated by the inter-relations of economic and individual in- terests in different parts of the state Community-interest traffic, consisting of the major movements largely confined within cities, counties and other community areas Local-interest traffic, which is the short-trip, low speed travel that links individual homes, farms, shops, etc., with the operations and services of the community. Since this travel Most State-Maintained Systems Are Limited To Roads of Statewide Travel O-10% (KENTUCKY IN THIS GROUP) 30–40% 20-30% 10–20% 40-50% 50-60% 90-100% Percent of Rural Roads in the 48 State Systems usually merges at some point with one of the other types, it is sometimes called feeder traffic. In general, each kind of traffic habitually travels on certain roads and streets best suited to its purposes. Statewide traffic requires highways which lead with some directness from one main traffic center to another, which provide the align- ment and facilities for rapid travel, and which so far as possible avoid interference from heavy local traffic movements. Community-interest travel requires convenient roadways for moving freely from one part of a county or city area to another and linking these areas with the main routes of statewide travel. Local-interest travel must have roads and streets which give access to the individual units of traffic origin and destina- tion and which connect with the routes for com- munity and statewide travel. Most roadways carry more than one sort of traffic, but in practically every instance one kind predominates and stamps its character on the road or street. The fact that people may live along a major cross-state highway and use it for many of their local trips, does not change its status as a route developed for and used by state-interest travel. Nor does the fact that most state-interest trips start or end on a farm road or a residential street affect the predominantly local function of such roadways. And on all these public ways, the kind of usage and the minimum standard of serv- ice required are essentially alike on all the routes within each classification. METHOD or CLASSIFYING RURAL HIGHWAYS In this study, rural highways were classified by a method widely approved and utilized by high- way engineers and agencies. It determines the relative importance of routes according to the amount and kind of traffic that desires to use them 27 19,000 Miles, 94% of Total Traffic 5,400 Miles | 7.4% of Total Traffic % of Rural Travel on 9% of Mileage This chart guides the limits of mileage which should be on the state trunkline system. | | | | | | | | . I T - i 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000 10,000 45,000 ºnes of Rural Roads as indicated, not only by the traffic volumes they now serve, but by the traffic importance of the places they connect. The initial step required by this method is determination of the relative traffic attraction of all places which are significant origins and destinations of travel. After that, its order of procedure is to select first the trunkline routes of statewide importance and then the arteries serving county or community areas; the remain- ing roadways are local or feeder roads. Once the desired routes of travel have been ascertained, the specific locations for trunkline and arterial highways are determined by choosing the shortest reasonable route that will serve places along the way, by the terrain, and by the state of improvement of existing highways. Existing dupli- cations due to diagonal or parallel routes are avoided. Finally, the selected systems are revised to provide continuity of routes and an integrated network with adequate geographic spread and service coverage. On the basis of an analysis of various economic and other factors, nearly 200 Kentucky cities and It shows that relatively few miles carry most of the traffic. As more miles are added to the system they serve less and less traffic per _ 50,000 55,000 50,000 mile of road. places were classified, the places in each class having similar traffic attraction characteristics. Recognition also was given to many rural areas which have marked traffic importance, and to out- of-state cities which influence interstate traffic in the Commonwealth. Ordinarily routes connect- ing the cities in the first class are of greatest state- wide service; those linking places in the other classes are successively of less importance. Use of this method produced an objective and impartial classification of rural highways and their assignment to highway systems planned for rational and efficient service. The classification is based firmly on sound engineering principles; it takes cognizance of the practical factors involved in serving each kind of traffic, but it is unaffected by local interests and pressures. Trunkline Routes for State-Interest Travel Principal routes were classified with reference to the places within and outside the Common- wealth which are major focal points of state-inter- The state trunkline highways carry the bulk of the traffic load. Usually, as on U. S. 25 28 in Scott County, their traffic includes many freight-hauling vehicles. est travel. Those routes serving this travel to the greatest degree were selected to comprise a basic state system. This basic network comprises 5,135 miles of highway and provides routes, as direct as topog- raphy permits, for all of the considerable move- ments of statewide and interstate travel. It di- rectly serves all the counties of the state and all but 12 of the cities and towns with populations of as much as 1,500 persons. Most places not di- rectly on the selected trunklines are located in mountain valleys or in river bends inaccessible by through routes. The network represents nine percent of all rural road mileage yet it would carry about three-fourths of total rural travel. This network constitutes the most logical pri- mary trunkline system. It should be firmly estab- lished as such and steadfastly improved and operated for that service. - County Arterials for Community-Interest Travel Complete highway service throughout the state demands a system of arterial roads whose scope and usage are intermediate between the statewide trunkline system and the local roadways. The arterial system must provide the necessary routes for main traffic movements within and between counties and for convenient access from these to the state trunkline system. Routes of the county arterial system were se- lected with reference to the distribution of popu- lation, volume of traffic, location of market centers, mail and school bus routes, and existing road development. County arterials were clas- sified and selected in cooperation with, or with the Recommended State Trunkline System Routes, shown in black, totaling 5,135 miles, were selected as the state trunkline system. This system would take the brunt of the traffic load in Kentucky, serving the main streams of business and individual travel, as indicated in green, flowing between principal cities and through the coal districts and farming areas. While these trunklines form the basic framework for highway transportation, some of the present loca- tions are not always the best for most efficient and direct service. Re- locations of such routes are included in the improvement programs proposed by this report. Henderson Paducah A\| ZSZ SZ) J-7| Owensboro gº KY A --> Covington approval of, the county officials of the counties involved in each case. The selected county arterial system totals 13,628 miles of highways whose importance in traffic function and usage is secondary only to the selected state trunklines. Comprising ap- proximately 23 percent of the total mileage of rural roads in Kentucky, it would serve 20 per- cent of all rural travel. Newport - County Feeder Roads this service would generate traffic amounting only The classified rural state trunklines and for Access Trips to about 19 trips per day. Thus, while the feeder county arterials add up to 18,763 miles of systems account for about two-thirds of Ken- rural roadway – almost one-third of the tucky's rural road mileage, they would carry total rural mileage. They would extend only five percent of the state's rural traffic. service to practically every city, town and The 120 county feeder road systems are the rural roads remaining after the trunkline and - - county arterial routes were classified and se- Such roads are important parts of the essential settlement. In rural areas, their Service lected. They total about 40,700 miles of the physical equipment for family and community would be available within a mile of nine of least used roads in the state's rural areas. The life, but their function as local access roadways is every 10 farms or homes. They would carry basic service of the feeder roads is to provide distinct and different from the transportation serv- 95 percent of total travel on all rural roads. access to the scattered farms and homes located ice delivered by the classified trunkline and arte- off the main highways. On the average road rial highways. Recommended Stafe Trunkline and - ovinºtonº- Newport County Arterial Systems º Traffic is generated by people moving about for business and personal *f; º purposes. Population density is indicated by the green dots and areas. . Złº - - The state trunkline and county arterial systems, shown in heavy and ‘. . <º. A. --- º light black lines, were selected to reach all significant centers of popu- §º Q ºxº º --" º - º lation and economic activity. As a result they would carry about 95 ºf ׺ º º Ashland percent of Kentucky's entire highway traffic movement. Road Systems in Mercer County Here are the road systems which would serve Mercer County, as an example, under the recommended classifi- cation plan. State trunklines, in black, provide direct routes to any city or section of the Commonwealth and nation. County arterials, in gray, serve the principal traffic move- ments between all parts of the county and the county seat, to adjoining counties, and to the state trunkline routes. County feeder roads, in green, are links between these principal places and routes and the more remote farms and homes in the rural areas. CLASSIFICATION of city STREETs Classification of streets in the larger cities was accomplished, as in the case of rural roads, by two processes of selection. The first was the desig- nation of urban routes for the classified state trunkline highways. The second was the setting up of systems of arterial streets. Both these processes were accomplished in close cooperation with city street authorities. Trunkline Streets Urban trunkline routes were selected with the dual objective of providing for the movement of through trunkline traffic with as little local inter- ference as possible, and of affording access to the principal destinations for trunkline trips going to points within the city. In certain instances these objectives were attained by selecting a main by- pass route and providing an alternate route to the central point of the city. In cities where no bypass was prescribed but where there was marked congestion on the streets of the central business district, the trunklines sometimes were routed along the edge of the downtown area. In all cases, the trunkline routes were integrated with the arterial systems. A total of 356 miles of city streets were selected and classified as state trunkline urban routes. Arterial Street Systems In some smaller cities and towns, the selected state trunkline routes constitute the entire arterial system. In centers of medium size and larger much study was given to selection of systems of arterial streets which would accommodate and facilitate the major traffic movements in those places. Where arterial street plans had been adopted or were on file, these were examined and, when necessary, revised to suit needs as revealed by an analyses of traffic. Land use patterns and trends of urban development were carefully considered, as were existing street improvements and condi- tions affecting future street widening or extension. These studies resulted in the selection and clas- sification of 706 miles of arterial streets in Ken- tucky cities. Together with the mileage of se- lected state trunkline streets, these classified arteries account for 31 percent of the total urban street mileage. Local Streets As in the case of the feeder roads in rural areas, the streets classed as local were the re- mainder after the selection of streets of higher classification. But unlike rural feeder roads which are all access roads with slight traffic usage, local streets differ widely in the volumes of traffic carried. Street Systems in Danville Streets selected as state trunklines, in heavy black lines, shown by this Danville example, give access to rural systems which link the city with its suburbs, its trading area, and with more distant places. Together with the city's own sys- tem of arterial streets, in thin black lines, they provide for the principal streams of the urban traffic movement. Traffic on this main arterial grid is collected and dispersed over the local system of access streets, shown in green. 31 By far the largest portion of local street mileage is made up of residential streets and has only the comparatively light traffic load generated in that service. However, the local classification also in- cludes some business and industrial access streets and these frequently are required to handle large volumes of sometimes heavy traffic. RECOMMENDED SYSTEMS To provide for the orderly organization of highway facilities and management, the entire road and street mileage in Kentucky should be organized into systems. Each system should con- sist of roadways providing a like trunkline, arterial, or local and feeder service, as described in this chapter. The extent and composition of each system should remain substantially unchanged with only such additions, deletions or transfers as are justified by engineering analyses of traffic and classification factors. Rural Road Systems The General Assembly should create state trunkline, county arterial and county feeder sys- tems, and empower the Department of Highways to designate these systems. The rural state trunkline system, including Inter- state routes, should be limited in extent to 5,300 miles and it should consist initially of the 5,135 miles of highway classified for state trunkline serv- ice by this engineering study. The county arterial system should be limited in total extent to 14,500 miles and should consist initially of the 13,628 miles of highway classified for county arterial service by this engineering study. The remaining approximately 40,000 miles of rural roads and rural subdivision streets not in- cluded in the rural state trunkline and county 32 arterial systems, should make up the county feeder systems. City Street Systems The General Assembly should require the De- partment of Highways to select those streets in cities and towns which are necessary extensions and connections of the rural state trunkline high- ways and to incorporate them in the state trunk- line system in line with the systems developed by this study. Mileage should not exceed 375, in- cluding Interstate routes. In each of the larger cities, the Department should be authorized to cooperate with the mu- nicipal street authorities in the selection of an arterial street system, also in keeping with the results of this study. Mileage should not exceed 725 miles in all incorporated municipalities. The streets remaining after the state trunkline and arterial streets have been selected, should constitute the local street systems. A section of Kentucky's highway network in rugged Bell County. U.S. 25 emerging from Pineville to follow the Cumberland River valley is the central artery of the whole ared. In the towns, streets are connected with it and in the open country, county arterials and feeder roads take off to climb the hills to isolated settlements and homes. Assignment of Responsibilities Once highways have been classified, their management should be assigned, so far as possible, to agencies whose competence and interest are logically related to the functional character of the traffic each system serves. In so doing, the principle of specialization —long and successfully applied in industry, business and the professions—is introduced into the practices of highway engineering and administration. The following chapter proposes an assign- ment of highway responsibilities in Kentucky in keeping with that principle. The last chapter shows improvement and mainte- nance costs for each of the recommended systems. The significance of highway classification in the field of highway finance is dealt with in the separate fiscal study. Highway McIncºgement MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS have been major fac- tors affecting the whole development of Kentucky’s highway network. They are at the forefront of the state's highway problem today. From the time modern highway transportation began, legislators and people of the Common- wealth have been plagued by questions of how highway responsibilities should be distributed among their governmental agencies and of how those agencies should be organized to effectively administer highway duties. Now, more than ever before, competent management is essential for setting up and directing the expanded programs which this report proposes. The preceding chapter recommends arrange- ment of Kentucky’s mileage of roads and streets in classified systems. This chapter proposes an assignment of management responsibilities for the systems and makes recommendations for the organization and performance of highway duties. The proposed assignment and recommendations are based on an examination and analysis of the character and functioning of present highway agencies. Legislative actions are necessary to place Some of the proposals in effect. Others can be made by direct administrative action. MANAGEMENT UNDER EXISTING AGENCIES Responsibility for management of Kentucky's highways, roads and streets is distributed among the Department of Highways, the 120 counties, and the 335 municipalities. Efficiency varies greatly among these agencies. Differences are attributable to: extent and usage of the systems; amount and quality of engineer- ing talent available; adequacy and economic basis of financial support; and degree of public interest in highway development. Highway administration is basically an engi- neering job, but to the extent that engineering is affected by poor political decisions regarding policy, finances and personnel, the quality of highway development and maintenance in each jurisdiction is adversely affected. This condition differs among classes of agencies, among agencies of the same class, and in the same agency at different times. Department of Highways The Department of Highways administers those rural highways which through laws have be- come responsibilities of the Commonwealth. It also is responsible for certain city streets, for the most part extensions of principal rural routes. In addition, the Department does much of the actual field work involved in state aid to county roads. Throughout its 35-year history, the Department has been under various commissions or com- missioners appointed by the governor. The De- partment’s organization, technical resources and methods of operation have been revised from time to time to reach its present status. For the first 10 years after its establishment in 1920, the Department of Highways was in charge of a four-man bipartisan State Highway Commission which appointed a State Highway 33 Engineer to direct the Department's operations. During most of that period good progress was made toward assembling an engineering staff and formulating a constructive highway program. However, in 1930 the State Highway Com- mission was enlarged to eight, and later to nine members. All were of one party, each appointed from a separate congressional district. Individual members assumed direction of highway affairs in their respective districts. From 1933 to 1936 the Department either had no state highway engi- neer at all, or had one who had little effective authority. By the end of this era, more than two-thirds of the Department’s early employees had been replaced. Reorganization of state government in 1936 brought this phase of highway administration to a close. The office of Commissioner of Highways was created with complete authority, under the governor, over the state highway agency and system. At first there was an advisory highway body, but soon even this vestige of the commission system of management was abandoned. The cur- rent form of state highway administration dates from that reorganization. Operating Procedures The Commissioner of Highways is assisted by two Deputy Commissioners — one for general administration and one for Rural Secondary Highways. Directly under the Commissioner, the State Highway Engineer is the chief executive officer of the Department of Highways. He, with three assistants, directs 11 headquarters divisions—Ad- ministrative Services, Bridges, Construction, De- sign, Equipment, Maintenance, Materials, Re- search (at the University of Kentucky), Planning, Rural Highways and Traffic—each of which represents one of the Department's engineering or administrative functions. A fourth assistant supervises urban programs, principally for Louis- ville. Operations and duties in the field are performed or supervised through six Zone Offices and 11 District Offices. Many Department business trans- actions, including purchases and personnel pro- curement, are controlled by the state's Department of Finance. The Commissioner of Highways is responsible for determining policies and formulating pro- grams. Selected improvement projects are as- signed by the State Highway Engineer through the Division of Design to the proper zone offices which are responsible for surveys, location and right of way acquisition. Plans are completed by the Division of Design which also prepares the contracts and takes bids. Contract awards must be approved by both the Commissioner of Highways and the Commissioner of Finance. Actual construction operations as well as main- tenance and traffic engineering duties are super- vised by central office divisions and directed in the field by district office staffs. The Department of Highways is the largest highway engineering organization in the Common- wealth. It is not an ideally efficient agency but, as reorganized and strengthened during the last 18 years, it has administered the development and operation of the expanding state-maintained sys- tem in a generally satisfactory manner. However, the enlarged programs and responsibilities needed in the future call for greater emphasis on advance planning, and for certain revisions of its organ- ization and operating methods. County Fiscal Courts From early in Kentucky history, the fiscal courts have been the administrative agencies of county government. As such, they were for many years in charge of all rural roads, but since establishment of the state highway system, county roads have been transferred to state re- sponsibility at a gradually accelerated rate. How- ever, a large rural mileage still remains in the jurisdiction of the state's 120 counties. The average fiscal court now manages about 350 miles of road although the systems vary in extent from Robertson County's 85 miles to nearly 1,200 miles in Pulaski County. Ordinarily the fiscal courts are made up of a County Judge, who is the presiding officer, and from three to eight Justices of the Peace (called Magistrates). All are elected from districts. In such courts it is the practice to divide road funds and responsibilities among the members and their districts. However, 13 of the counties have adopted a commission form under which a County Judge and three County Commissioners are elected at large and roads are managed on a countywide basis. In either case, the officials are elected for four-year terms and the turnover of fiscal court membership is rapid. Existing laws provide that the County Judge, with the consent of the Court, may employ a county road engineer or a county road supervisor. The former must be a registered engineer and supervisors must be qualified by experience and examination. Only 10 of the 120 counties have road engineers and only 15 have road Super- visors. Although law permits two or more coun- ties to employ such officials jointly, in no case has advantage been taken of this provision. Increasing dependence of farms, mines and logging on passenger cars and trucks, as well as growth of recreation business and suburban living, demand reasonable development and maintenance of all-weather local or feeder roads. Yet in 94 counties road work is handled directly by mem- bers of the fiscal court who generally have little technical knowledge or mechanical equipment. 34 Although perhaps adequate for horse and buggy days, the real job ahead calls for more specializa- tion, technical supervision and equipment than generally provided by present methods of admin- istration. Functions and Performance In the majority of counties the management functions of the fiscal court consist largely of making decisions regarding work to be performed on county roads by the Department of High- ways. Only a minor part of the road operations within its jurisdiction is carried out by county road forces. The fiscal court decides which county roads shall be maintained or improved by the Depart- ment of Highways each year with the county's share of the $5 million of motor vehicle tax rev- enues alloted for this purpose by the 1936 Rural Highway Act. The court also selects the county roads which it proposes to transfer to the state- maintained system for improvement by the De- partment with the county's share of the $12-to- $13 million of gasoline tax revenues provided by the 1948 Rural Secondary Act—the so-called Two-cent Law. The county’s own operations are limited to such maintenance or improvement as can be ac- complished with income from local property levies and its share of the truck license tax. Expendi- tures charged to roads in 1953 totaled less than $55,000 in the average county and ranged from $7,000 in Leslie County to $643,000 in Jefferson County (Louisville). Responsibilities of the fiscal courts are some- what greater in the 10 counties which have a county road engineer. The 1936 Rural Highway Act provides that the allotments for such counties may be delivered in the form of materials to be applied by the counties’ own forces. Direct expenditures on county roads by counties themselves Dollars Spent by Counties in 1953 73 Counties Spent Under $40,000. On Roads in 1953 ranged from less than $20,000 in each of 37 of truck license fees and from local taxes. counties to more than $100,000 in each of 12 counties. In such counties, road work is fairly well done, although only Jefferson County and possibly two or three others have engineering organizations of sufficient size and ability to survey and plan a county road system. In the counties with road supervisors, roads are usually maintained satisfactorily and a few re- construction or improvement projects are under- taken. In most of the counties, however, no consideration is given to the future planning of an over-all county system or to potential traffic needs. Distribution of operations is frequently dictated by personal interest or by the political significance of a road; lacking these, important county arterials are apt to be neglected. Inadequate funds is a major factor limiting county operations. In 1953 there were 43 coun- ties which each had less than $60,000 available from state and local sources for county road work. In 11 of those counties, and in 12 others, funds amounted to less than $150 per mile of county road system. Also, the small mileage of roads in the systems of many counties makes it impractical for them to maintain adequate equip- ment and road forces. The systems in 52 coun- ties have less than 300 miles of road and 19 of Such funds were obtained mainly from the county's share 35 Q LEGEND Less than - and county funds spent in 1953 % Less than Remaining counties over these amounts C - County Commission E - County Road Engineer S - County Road Supervisor Ǻ CARLISLE. Hickman. Ful-TON County Road Management and Funds $60,000 combined state Rural Highway $150 per mile of such funds º sº º GRAVES % TRIGG them have less than 200 miles. Also important is the general lack of interest in, and support of, county road agencies and their work. Municipal Street Management Kentucky cities and towns are responsible for all streets in incorporated places except routes maintained by the Department of Highways. Management of the urban systems takes different forms in different communities. In most cities street policy is determined by the mayor and council, with a councilman as- ToDD LOGAN IMPSON Ø BOONE º's CAMP S. kEN-1BELL L* 7– TON ºº: CLINTON _ - signed the duty of giving first attention to street matters. A few municipalities have a city mana- ger who handles administrative affairs including street management, but with the council making policy decisions. In either case, street operations are supervised by a city engineer, a superintend- ent of public works, or a street foreman. All Kentucky cities of over 5,000 population employ a city engineer. Many of the smaller cities retain a consulting engineer to plan and supervise major street construction projects. Generally speaking, however, there is a lack of planned street improvement. Congestion and gº sº º % McCREARY % - º gº * *7% % parking are particularly troublesome problems which in most cases are not given adequate atten- tion. ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES Through custom and long experience, Ken- tucky's three established classes of highway agencies — the Department of Highways, the county fiscal courts and the municipalities — are the natural managers of the Commonwealth’s 36 highway Systems. They are the agencies to which the responsibilities for the systems as classified and recommended in this report, must be assigned. Essential to the success of any assignment of management responsibilities are firmly established fiscal plans suitable for each of the road and street systems. Amounts should be based on the needs of the respective systems as determined in this, or succeeding engineering studies. Means by which the needed funds can be raised and how they should be distributed are to be presented in the separate fiscal study. State Trunkline System The Department of Highways should have complete responsibility for and full author- ity over the entire proposed State Trunkline System, rural and urban. The Department should be empowered to add and delete routes from the system, within limits, as the need is indicated by engineering classification studies. The Department's responsibility should include the determination and location of routes, design of facilities, construction of roadways and struc- tures and pertinent facilities, and maintenance and operation throughout the entire designated system. Control should extend to the full width of the right of way in both rural and urban areas with certain exceptions for lo- cations within corporate limits. These ex- ceptions concern law enforcement, parking regu- lation where parking is permitted by the state, public utility installations, maintenance of side- walks and street illumination, construction and maintenance of sanitary and storm sewers, and street cleaning. The Department should be permitted to contract with cities having competent engi- neering organizations to do work on state trunkline routes under Department super- vision, and a city should be permitted to contribute cash to the Department to accel- erate work on such streets. In cities with a qualified traffic engineer, the Department should be authorized to delegate such of its powers of traffic regulation and control as may be desirable. County Arterial Systems The service characteristics of the County Ar- terial Systems point clearly to the county fiscal courts as the agencies whose jurisdictions and interests coincide most closely with the average range and purpose of rural arterial travel. But, while there are a few counties whose road agencies are capable of assuming responsibility for their arterial systems, as pointed out earlier, most coun- ties in Kentucky have not developed road organi- zations equal to this task. They would find it difficult to do so rapidly. Moreover, the state has already taken over two-thirds of such mileage under existing laws and financing. Because of those conditions, and provided an appropriate financing plan is arranged, respon- sibility for all of the rural County Arterial Systems should be assigned to the Depart- ment of Highways as the agency most competent for over-all management of important secondary roads. The Department should be given the same complete responsibility and authority pertaining to construction and maintenance of them, as is proposed in the case of the State Trunkline System. In addition, the Department should build and maintain extensions of County Arterial System roads into and through fifth and sixth class cities to the nearest and best connection with a State Trunkline route, since smaller cities usually are not well equipped to provide adequate through service. The Commissioner of Highways should be given final authority, within specific mileage limits, to select the routes comprising the County Arterial Systems. Inasmuch as this recommended assignment increases the mileage responsibility of the Department, the Commis- sioner should be allowed a period of not more than two years to permit official designation of the systems and organization of the De- partment to better handle its increased du- ties. Once established, routes should not be altered for at least five years. Selection in each county should be based on criteria established and routes classified as “arterial” by this study, with subsequent changes permitted mainly in cases where trunkline relocations make a readjustment of arterial mileage necessary. In recognition and support of better county road administration, the Department should be permitted and encouraged to delegate opera- tional functions on any arterial system to an approved county which employs a registered engineer and which agrees to act for the state. Such delegation of powers should be em- bodied in a formal agreement based on a fixed budget with the Department paying the entire cost, including administration, and giving general supervision to the work. County Feeder Road Systems Every effort should be exerted to retain com- plete county responsibility for local roads, and to work out methods to increase county efficiency and provide means to do a reasonable job. It is important to keep counties in the road picture, 37 despite their apparent desire to retire from it, for these reasons: • County authorities are familiar with and responsive to local road conditions and needs * Full county responsibility would permit direct action by local authorities to meet quickly any urgent problems which on a statewide basis might have very low priority • The need for improvement and maintenance is apt to be met by counties themselves on a more realistic basis than if under remote control by the state - Moves to weaken, rather than strengthen, local governments by reducing their respon- sibilities unduly is not in keeping with the traditional and effective American system • While the state is already financing and di- rectly controlling a much greater share of road mileage in Kentucky than in most other Counties can satisfactorily improve and maintain local roads, as indicated by this Counties should retain responsibilities for their own feeder systems, but need to improve their management. states, the proposed plan for state respon- sibility of the County Arterial Systems would increase it - Further increase in state responsibility would present unwieldy administrative and financial problems, disperse the productive effort of engineers and administrators too widely and force the state into thousands of minor de- cisions in which the state as such has little interest. Accordingly, it is recommended that the county fiscal courts should have basic ad- ministrative and financial responsibility for all roads and structures on the County Feeder Systems. The present policy of direct maintenance by the Department of High- ways financed from the Rural Highway Fund should be abandoned, eliminating present con- fusing and inefficient dual responsibilities by both county and state. example in Franklin County. Although the state's first financial responsibility is to roads and streets which it directly manages, should the General Assembly decide the state has a continuing interest in the county feeder roads, it could provide cash grants in aid to be paid directly to the counties, in lieu of the direct ex- penditures by the state under the Rural Highway Act. Amounts should be in proportions which the General Assembly may determine properly reflect the degree of state interest. In that case, funds should be audited by the state and con- trolled in a manner insuring protection of state in- terest. The separate fiscal study should provide helpful information. Any offer of state funds should be made, like Federal aid to the states, on condition that coun- ties meet certain standards of administration and comply with acceptable construction and main- tenance standards. Details of conditions and standards suitable for this purpose are presented in the recommendations for improving county management later in this chapter. Mileage reduction in many county systems re- sulting from the recommended transfer of roads to the County Arterial Systems, and cancellation of unused trails, will decrease significantly the load on county fiscal courts. Moreover, the con- centration of sole responsibility for a county's rural feeder roads in a single agency, which must live and work closely and continuously with the people served, should have a double advantage. It should result in higher standards of road work and create a keener interest in, and perhaps an increased local support, of feeder road improve- ment and maintenance. City Arterial Streets Because cities are better able to finance and manage their own affairs, and since it is proposed 38 that the state continue its full responsibility for trunkline routes in cities, it is recommended that maintenance and construction on all Arterial Streets in cities of the first four classes should remain basically the complete responsibility of the municipalities. Currently, the state is responsible for some of the streets classified as arterial in this study, and the number is increasing. Preceding recommen- dations would confine full state responsibility in cities of the first four classes to the proposed State Trunkline System which would thereby re- duce the extent of the present state-maintained urban mileage. In lieu of further state control of non-trunkline streets, the General Assembly could provide grants in aid for all Arterial Streets in cities of the first four classes. Such action also would give recognition to the fact that people from all over the Commonwealth use these urban arterials, though to a less extent than they use the state trunkline routes. Were such funds provided they should be limited to construction of the Arterial Street Sys- tems, perhaps on a matching basis. On all construc- tion projects involving state funds, expenditures should be approved and audited by the state. Traffic engineering measures on streets so bene- fited should be approved by the state. Municipal Feeder Streets Historically, local streets have been financed by property owners and city general funds. Be- cause of the cities’ ability to do work at a lower cost per capita than is possible in most rural areas, it is recommended that Municipal Feeder Streets should be controlled entirely by the cities. They should be completely responsible for all construction and main- tenance. Statutory provisions should be made for smaller cities to contract with the county or the Department of Highways for main- tenance and improvement of these streets. ORGANIZATION OF HIGHWAY MANAGEMENT Highways are one of the most fundamental services provided by governments. In terms of annual expenditures, construction and mainten- ance of the Kentucky highway plant is the biggest single item of public business in the Common- wealth. To assure adequate road and street transportation and as a matter of sound govern- mental policy, highway management should be conducted with the same foresight and efficiency required in private enterprises of similar magni- tude. Kentucky’s highway agencies have had long experience in management of the state’s road and street systems, but in several respects they have not perfected their organization structures and methods of operation to the standards re- quired for the job. Administrative inadequacies should be corrected as an essential part of the Commonwealth’s highway improvement program of the future. Department of Highways The duties of the Department are so large and varied that special and continuing care must be taken to make it work as effectively as possible. The Department not only should assume respon- sibility for an increased mileage of state-managed highways and serve as administrator and Super- visor of the state's interest in the county and mu- nicipal systems, but it should at the same time undertake the extensive improvement program proposed by this report. All this calls for a careful examination of the Department from top management to routine field duties. Such an examination does not imply any criticism of past performance, but it does evaluate the Department’s administration, organization and operation in relation to the work to be done. The Department’s principal weakness, as dis- closed by this study, is the serious lack of advance planning which results in a dispersion of efforts and resources and an increase in the cost of all operations. There are also other conditions which limit engineering and administrative efficiency. The present appraisal has found some dangers and weaknesses in the over-all administrative organization, too great centralization of operations management, less than full utilization of engineer- ing personnel, and a growing problem of person- nel management and recruitment. Also, it is noted that, while political influence has some effect on appointments and assignments to duty, there is much ability and much loyal and intelligent effort in all ranks and operations of the Department. Top Management The existing arrangement of a single Commis- sioner of Highways has several important advan- tages. It centralizes administrative authority and responsibility in one office, it makes possible quick and positive decisions, it is in some measure responsive to popular will, and so far it has worked well in Kentucky. But there are also some grave drawbacks. Because the Commis- sioner is appointed by the governor and because no Governor can succeed himself, there has been a new Commissioner of Highways at least every four years. Short tenure of office handicaps long- range planning and there is always risk that a 39 - - -- - - - º º - º º º political upheaval will disrupt the Department's engineering staff. An alternative would be a small commission with members appointed for staggered terms which would select a commissioner or director of highways and from there on, would have only a policy-making function. By making it impossible for one governor to change the entire complexion of the commission, this would tend to stabilize and give continuity to highway policy and organization. However, in some cases a commission has proved to be a cumbersome and inefficient agent for managing highway affairs. There is strong historical evidence in Kentucky against return to any form of commission control and a majority of those most familiar with the state's highway problems and history favor reten- tion of the present type of administration. In the final analysis, good management depends most heavily on the competence of the people involved, rather than on a particular plan of top control. Heavy construction, such as this in Breathift County, requires much advance planning, careful location and design and good supervision on the job. More district office responsibility is recommended. Control of Operations The function of deputy commissioners is to relieve the chief of the pressure of details coming from all parts of the organization. In most state highway departments this is accomplished by giving each deputy commissioner general super- vision of several related divisions, such as those concerned with the department’s business or engineering activities. Functions assigned to the Deputy Commission- ers in Kentucky's Department of Highways do not follow that pattern. The Deputy in charge of gen- eral administration, except when he assumes the Commissioner's duties during his absence, is ac- tually an administrative assistant. The Deputy for Rural Highways is concerned only with county relationships which would be of an entirely dif- ferent character and importance under the pro- posed redistribution of highway responsibilities. The Department's basic duties are actually tightly centered under the State Highway Engi- neer. He is not only a policy-making official, but the direct supervisor of much of the business and engineering operations in the headquarters divi- sions and in the zone and district offices. This system channels an immense load of de- tailed responsibility into the office of the State Highway Engineer. To handle the work, three Assistant State Highway Engineers and an Engi- neer-Manager of Urban Development are on the staff. The duties of the office, aside from certain urban matters, are handled by a some- what elaborate plan under which the State High- way Engineer and the three Assistants each has responsibility for certain divisions and even parts of divisions. For instance, different sections of the Division of Design are assigned to three of these officials, and responsibility for each of three other divisions is divided between two of them. It appears that the three Assistant State High- way Engineers are in fact heads of super divisions and that their work more or less overlaps that of the engineers and directors in charge of the 11 individual divisions. With lack of clear lines of authority, the existing arrangement gives rise to some confusion and much lost motion; it tends to weaken the initiative of division leadership when too many individuals are involved in decisions. Reorganization of Headquarters The Department of Highways’ present organi- zation “works,” but its operation depends too largely on individual understandings and relation- ships and on specially devised lines of authority. Achievement of the program for modernizing Kentucky's highway system demands a clear-cut grouping of the Department's forces and the most efficient utilization of its engineering personnel. Most of all, the Department's top management 40 must be relieved of its present burden of operating detail and left free to do the advance planning and programming which is its primary responsibility. To accomplish this it is recommended that the present organization of the Department be changed to a plan which will decentralize both operations and operations direction, but at the same time strengthen centralized control. The accompanying organization chart presents the main features of the recommended plan and suggests distribution of departmental functions under it. Such a revision of top management would eliminate existing duplication of duties and effort, and would provide a rational basic frame- work for the orderly arrangement of all Depart- ment functions and forces. The Commissioner of Highways should have an administrative assistant and a legal counsel. The duties of the present Deputy Commissioner of Rural Highways should be combined with those concerning the Depart- ment’s relations with municipalities in a new Proposed Organization • Kentucky Department of Highways COMMISSIONER - Legal Counsel Administrative Assistant Division of Local Governments. In the headquarters offices the recom- mended plan assigns the several divisions, after some desirable rearrangement of func- tions, to two Deputy Commissioners, one a Business Manager and one a Chief Engineer. It is contemplated that the divisions would be given greater responsibility and autonomy in doing work involved in their respective duties, This work should be done at the direction of the Deputy Commissioners, but should not require their direct supervision. - Division of Division regrº of Programming Local Governments Ass’t. Chief Engineer Design & Location Ass’t. Chief Engineer Maintenance & Operations DIVISIONS DIVISIONS Personnel Research Land Design Public Relations - Bridges Administrative Services District Engineer construction Materials - DIVISIONS Maintendnoe Equipment Traffic Resident Engineer The plan groups the essentially business and budget control duties of the Department under the Deputy Commissioner - Business Manager. Recognizing the importance of land acquisition, public information and personnel procurement and management, it is recommended that new Land, Public Relations, and Personnel Divi- sions be established and included in this group. The business functions of the Depart- ment are all incidental to its engineering objectives and the divisions which perform them constitute a service section operating in aid of those objec- tives. The Land Division in particular should operate in closest conformity with the require- ments of the design and location engineers. The engineering job of the future is so large that it demands the full attention of the Chief Engineer, whose time should not be spread thin on many other matters. Therefore, a carefully considered arrangement of the Department’s engi- neering functions is proposed. It is recom- mended that the operating divisions be grouped under two Assistant Chief Engi- neers, one for Design and Construction and the other for Maintenance and Opera- tions. This would enable the Deputy Commis- sioner-Chief Engineer to give personal attention to major problems—importantly, advance planning. Under the plan, a Planning and Programming Division would report directly to the Deputy Commissioner-Chief Engineer. Coordination of the Department’s work policies with, and aid to, local governments would be handled by the Local Governments Division. Advance Planning and Programming Advance planning is the only means through which the day by day, year by year operations of a highway agency can be coordinated to pro- duce an adequate highway system. The Organiza- tion can be shaped for known requirements. Lo- cation and design can be scheduled most efficiently and large savings made in right of way costs. Public confidence and support are strengthened when an agency demonstrates its efficiency and ability. There is little advance planning in the Depart- ment of Highways, even though it has objectives and short-range programs. Throughout the De- partment there is a sincere desire to build a modern highway system. Annual programs are influenced by Federal-aid requirements which tend to concentrate major projects On some of the most-traveled routes. But there is no long-term program for system improvement and little de- tailed knowledge of what next year's projects will be. The Division of Planning should be the Chief Engineer’s organization for mapping the development of the system. It should be charged with the task of working out a pro- gram for five or six years in advance, based on demonstrated needs and with priorities determined and assigned within budget lim- its. The program and priorities should be given constant study to keep them always consistent with and applicable to current con- ditions. To fit the Division of Planning for this increased responsibility, its staff must be built up for engi- neering analysis. In its work, the planning force should enlist the aid of all divisions under the Chief Engineer, as well as the proposed Land and other divisions under the Business Manager. Thus all essential information would be brought together, coordinated and furnished in analyzed and useful form for the Chief Engineer. He would then be able to exercise the necessary judgment within the framework of facts. Advance planning, to be effective, requires that the General Assem- bly and the Commissioner of Highways lay down a firm fiscal policy. Moreover, Once a plan or program is formulated and adopted, it will be up to the Commissioner to stay with it despite un- warranted pressures. If this study results in nothing more than a serious and conscientious beginning of advance planning and programming, it will be well worth the effort and money ex- pended. The fact remains the program for high- way improvement which is proposed cannot be carried through without such continued planning. Relations With Local Governments Coordination of state and local agencies’ interest is a top-level duty and should be per- formed by a staff directly under the proposed Deputy Commissioner-Chief Engineer. The proposed Local Governments Division should act for the Department in projects it might undertake in cooperation with a county or city. Through this division, engineering assistance or counsel should be extended to local agencies by Department forces. Should the General Assembly adopt a policy of state aid to local roads or streets, the division should administer whatever duties of inspection or ap- proval the Department might be charged with under the law. It would act as the state’s correlat- ing agency for the development of an integrated system of highways, roads and streets. It is recommended that the urban phase of the Department’s engineering functions be pushed vigorously and that qualified engi- neers cooperate with every municipality in setting up arterial street plans. In like man- ner they should aid county road agencies in special problems. The Local Governments Divi- sion should work closely with other parts of the 42 Department to properly coordinate planning, de- sign and construction operations in these areas. The Divisions Some changes in headquarters divisions are proposed to provide better performance or inte- gration of certain of the Department's functions. New divisions, described below, are needed to give weight to important functions. In addition, some changes in methods of operation and a few revisions of laws concerning the divisions’ func- tions and authority are proposed. Land Division It is recommended that a new Land Division be established to replace the present right of way section in the Division of Design. The Land Division should have its own law section which would handle legal phases of land acquisi- tion and property management. The Assistant Attorney General's staff which now does this work could be materially reduced with its duties limited to serving the Commissioner of Highways in general legal matters. A representative of the Land Division should be attached to the staff of each district office. In several respects the laws and adminis- trative methods concerning land acquisition and management should be broadened and strengthened to avoid present handicaps which slow down highway development and increase costs. Details of proposed statutory revisions are available as a supplement to this report. Controlling statutes should state in detail the purposes for which land can be acquired, including that of future use when definite lo- cations are established. Statutes should make provision for a special right of way revolv- The North-South Expressway in Louisville, being built to relieve traffic pressure on established business arteries, follows a new route shown in green. Right of way procurement is a difficult and costly operation. ing fund for the purchase of land for future use. Large sums can be saved by such a fund which would be replenished by regular Depart- ment funds at the time of actual construction. In California, this practice has saved some $100,- 000,000 in four years, particularly in expanding metropolitan areas. Another device which could be developed as an alternative to, or together with, the advance purchase fund is a legal reservation which has the effect of freezing present use of right of way, with payment made when it is actually acquired in the fu- ture. It is recommended that the state study methods used in other states and develop such a plan for consideration in Kentucky. Statutes should provide for quicker and more efficient land acquisition in fee simple through a choice of proceedings in the cir- cuit, as well as the county, courts; right of immediate possession with proper compen- sation and safeguards should also be granted to the Department. To improve and standardize the new division's operations, it is recommended that special programs for training right of way personnel be initiated and that a manual of right of way laws and procedures be compiled. Special care should be taken to effect close cooperation between the proposed Land Division and the engineering functions it is intended to serve. Failure to achieve good working relation- ships would not only result in an undesirable division of responsibilities between business and engineering functions, but severely handicap ad- vance planning and construction programs which will involve a great expansion of right of way acquisition and reservation. Public information Division The Department has an Office of Public Re- lations, but it is under-staffed and its activities are severely limited by the fact that a Division of Publicity in the Department of Conservation 43 is designated as the state’s official source of public information. The latter distributes road maps but it is mainly concerned with promoting tourist travel. However, highway progress and develop- ment itself is of great public interest and concern. The public should be kept intimately informed on those matters, and all Department employees should better understand policies, programs, problems and accomplishments. It is recommended, therefore, that a Divi- sion of Public Information be established in the Department with a qualified director and small staff. Its function should be to keep the people of the Commonwealth advised about high- way matters and problems and about the Depart- ment’s plans for meeting its responsibilities. It should enlist the interest and cooperation of all employees in this work, arrange for the appear- ance of spokesmen before clubs and other organi- zations, and make effective use of the press, tele- vision, radio, and other means of communication. Traffic Division Traffic work in the Department is generally well performed; however, there is need for sharp- ening of duties and improvement of administrative procedures. The Division of Traffic should have control of intersection design in sub- divisions when adjacent to a state trunkline route. It should have the responsibility for approving and issuing permits for highway entrances and exits, and have standard plans for guidance of builders. Statutes covering these matters should be strengthened, clari- fied and enforced. Analysis of accident reports, now done by the Division of Planning, should be trans- ferred to the Traffic Division and should in- clude spotting locations of accidents to aid study of preventive measures. All construction plans should be inspected routinely by traffic engineers for traffic control and safety meas- ures. The division should compile a manual of standards and specifications for traffic control devices and make it available to traffic control personnel in highway jurisdictions throughout the state. Personnel There is no real manpower shortage in the Department of Highways, but there are serious problems concerning qualified personnel, particu- larly in the engineering classifications. These problems are basic factors in the whole field of Department management and a Personnel Divi- sion should be established to deal with them. The Department of Finance, which has over- all charge of personnel management in Kentucky State government, often assigns people directly to the Department of Highways. The latter agency accepts applications for employment and usually can get Department of Finance approval, particu- larly for technically trained persons. Within the Department of Highways most personnel matters and records are now handled by the Division of Administrative Services. Employees of the Department are not under a civil service or merit system and there is no retirement plan. An attempt is made to maintain a file of employee rating reports in the State Highway Engineer's office, but the impression is general that this has small influence on promotions. Personnel Problems In 1955 there were a total of 619 men on the Department’s engineering staff, accounting for a little less than 10 percent of its average peak employment. However, only 127 of those listed as highway engineers are graduates of an engineering school. Another 138 are registered as professional engi- neers but are not college graduates. The remain- ing 354 are neither graduate nor registered engineers. An undue proportion of the better qualified members of the engineering staff are stationed in, or work out of, the main offices of the Department. This is reflected in the professional status of the engineering management in the field. Only a fifth of the Resident Engineers are graduate engineers. Only one of the 11 District Engineers, as now assigned, is college trained, and none of the six Zone Engineers has had such training. That is not to say that a college degree guaran- tees a capable engineer, or that lack of one is automatic evidence of inability. Nevertheless, practically all large public and private engineering organizations recognize the value of a good educa- tional background and will pay a premium to get men who have it, knowing that their work is likely to prove more productive in the long run. The Department’s engineering staff is aging, and there is not enough infusion of young blood. The records show that of its 619 engineers, 374, or over 60 percent, are more than 40 years old. Even in the classifications of instrumentman and junior engineer, which should be the training ground for young engineering recruits, the average age is nearly 40 years. Only 13 of the 182 engi- neers in these groups are college-trained. Needed Changes Of first importance in remedying the De- partment’s personnel problems is establish- ment of a soundly organized and adminis- tered civil service or merit system for all personnel. This would give all employees greater confidence in their careers and job tenure. Job security and assurance of merit advancement on a pre-determined basis as opportunities arise would 44 encourage college graduates and other well quali- fied people to accept Department employment. A retirement plan also should be installed so that the Department, with good conscience, can retire its older employees. This would give younger qualified people a chance to advance and would aid the Department to compete with private industry for the services of college-trained em- ployees. Much work has already been done to devise a proper plan for the Department. It is recommended strongly that a sound, attractive plan be adopted. The Personnel Division should step up the recruitment program and at the same time set up an aggressive on-the-job training pro- gram. The latter should give the newly employed engineer a rounded experience in the Department's activities instead of, as now, often being kept on one job for the period of his employment. While it would take time for these measures to become effective in remedying the existing short- age of trained engineers, yet the Department's management can take immediate steps for better utilization of engineers now available. The pro- posed reorganization and decentralization would make available a number of headquarters assistant engineers in various categories. These capable and experienced men could be usefully employed directing the proposed expanded activities of the district offices. Reorganization of Field offices Field offices of the Department are under im- mediate direction of the Frankfort headquarters. The six Zone Offices which are responsible for surveys, locations and details of land acquisition, are virtually sections of the Division of Design. The 11 District Offices which supervise construc- tion, maintenance, traffic control and materials Young Highway Engineers Needed 107. 14. 28 work, operate under the close direction of the State Highway Engineer's office, as well as of the headquarters divisions represented on their staffs. It has been observed that the district engi- neers and other district staff not only look to main office people for all major decisions, but often are hesitant about deciding routine matters. Decentralization of the existing organiza- tion to place more direct responsibility in the field is required for more efficient operation, especially in management of the proposed County Arterial Systems. For these systems, a 45-50 41-45 36-40 28-35 An undue proportion of engineers is in older age groups, as shown by the bars. In the lowest two grades, shown by the white areas, only 13 of the 182 men are college graduates. close-to-the-people viewpoint is essential, with a high degree of full district responsibility. The Zone Offices should be discontinued and their duties taken over by District Offices, the needed number of which should be re- examined. Moreover, in addition to the surveys, location and right of way work now performed by the Zone Offices in connection with projects on all state-maintained routes, the District Offices should do the designing for all road projects on the recommended County Arterial Sys- tems. Because of the more elaborate roadway 20–27 45 District offices are the administrative centers for highways in extensive areas of Kentucky. Efficient operation demands that they be suitable and convenient for the purpose. The new headquarters building in Lexington, the lower photograph, provides such accommodation. The makeshift quarters in Jackson do not. New buildings are needed in - eight of the - 11 districts. **------- ----- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - facilities and statewide continuity required on the recommended state trunkline routes, design of these and of all bridge structures would remain in the headquarters offices of the Division of Design. Revision of the field organization should be accompanied by drastic decentralization of supervisory responsibility. The District Offices would have a large degree of autonomy in the management of the County Arterial Systems and increased authority for operating func- tions on the State Trunkline System. These duties should be performed in accordance with policies and criteria laid down by headquarters authorities, but there would be sharp curtail- ment of the constant patrol of the districts by headquarters supervisors, characteristic of the present centralized organization. All this would greatly increase the responsibili- ties of management in the districts. To better handle the heavier work load, it is proposed that district forces be organized in sections repre- senting the required duties, with two Assistant District Engineers, one for design and con- struction, and one for maintenance and traffic control. An office manager should also be provided to supervise the business manage- ment of the district. The increased duties of a District Engineer would require an upgrading of his qualifications. He should have thorough professional training and experience, and ample administrative ability. He should be selected to serve as the state's highway spokesman and manager in his area. As such he should have full backing and support from the Commissioner and the Department. The enhanced importance of the district offices, as here proposed, calls attention to the condition of their present housing. Of the 11 existing offices, eight are quartered in totally inadequate buildings, two are in buildings that should be remodeled, and only one is in reasonably satisfactory quarters. District headquarters should be permanently established, and state-owned accommodations should be constructed or rebuilt where re- quired. Offices for the district engineers and their staffs should be in buildings separate from the headquarters garages. District Maintenance District organizations for maintenance are headed by Assistant District Engineers, usually two in each district, who have under them a total of 350 district superintendents, county foremen, county sub-foremen and foremen of special crews. In actual operation, the Assistant District En- gineers for Maintenance bypass the 53 district superintendents and give orders directly to the county foremen. The latter, with the aid of sub- foremen, supervise the routine maintenance work on a countywide setup. The special crew fore- men are skilled by experience in such work as asphalt resurfacing, bridge maintenance, heavy grading, pavement patching and emergency re- pairs. They work out of district headquarters and are by far the most capable supervisory people under the Assistant District Engineers’ command. Existing district organizations for mainte- nance should be streamlined and strength- ened to properly discharge the increased duties involved in the proposed reassignment of responsibilities. In the district headquar- ters, it is recommended that there be only one assistant for maintenance. The qualifications for assistant district engineers, like those for dis- trict engineer, should be sharply upgraded. High competence in district leadership would make pos- sible a substantial reduction in the six central Office Assistant Maintenance Directors, three of whom now supervise field operations. Resident Engineers A revision of the internal organization of the districts is also necessary for maintenance and for other field operations. It is proposed that each district be subdivided into residencies with a resident engineer established in each. He would supervise the work of the foremen on maintenance and routine construction—especially of the County Arterial Systems — in his area; the District Engineer would assign a special Resident Engineer to major construction projects. Estab- lishment of residency areas is important and should be studied in relation to maintenance work load, natural topographic boundaries, ability of the engineer and other factors; county borders may or may not be the proper dividing lines. For the performance of maintenance duties it is recommended that definite patrol sec- tions be established and that each be assigned to a foreman with the necessary equipment, tools and labor. This would give the foreman and his men a tangible job whose progress they can observe and take pride in. It should result in more efficient and economical performance of maintenance work. County Fiscal Courts Road work by counties ranges from good to very poor, the principal factors accounting for the differences being management and money, in the order named. Road operations in the counties with road engineers or superintendents are usually good to fair. The results may also be fair even without these special supervisors, where there is a com- mission form of county government with some- thing more than minimum financial resources. But in counties which have neither an engineer nor a superintendent, and where roads are run by the magistrate type of fiscal court, almost invariably there is an exceedingly wasteful dispersal of re- sources. In the poorer counties of the latter type, there still are areas not accessible by car and existing roads are considered “good” if they are passable in dry weather — in one such county, equipment has not covered all roads in five years. The counties which have engineers or superin- tendents are capable of maintaining their feeder road systems, although the present practice of magistrates of “passing equipment around” from one magisterial district to another severely handi- caps good road work. In most of the rest of the counties where magistrates are in direct control, there is neither the equipment, organization or conception of the job to provide good mainte- nance service, even were sufficient funds available. Needed Changes Basic and difficult revisions of county road management will be required if the Feeder Road Systems are to be adequately developed and maintained. Some of the principal necessary changes are these: 1. While the commission form of govern- ment would be desirable in all coun- ties, fiscal courts of the magistrate type should establish a three-member County Road Board consisting of the County Judge and two magistrates and should charge it with responsibility for mainte- nance and construction of the county’s Feeder Road System on a countywide basis. 2. Counties with less than $150 per mile of feeder roads, or under $60,000 per year for expenditure on roads, should form a Road District with one or more 47 adjoining counties of similar status. The combined Feeder Road Systems of the district should be managed by a Commission made up of road commis- sioners, one appointed by the fiscal court of each of the respective counties and one appointed by the governor. Counties above those limits should also be encouraged to join forces for road purposes if they so desire. . Each County Road Board, County Fiscal Court (commission type) and District Commission should appoint a road su- perintendent or engineer whose quali- fications would be set by the state, which should approve each appointee. The superintendent or engineer should be given full administrative responsibility and operate on a countywide basis under general policies established by the court, board or commission. The Fiscal Courts and Commissions should agree to centralize administra- tion of equipment and supplies under the supervision of the county or district superintendent or engineer. Should the General Assembly adopt a policy of state financial aid to counties for county feeder roads in lieu of direct expenditure by the state, the General Assembly should make compliance with the above proposed changes a mandatory condition for a county to receive its allotment. Under such a policy, the counties and districts also should be obliged to comply with the following additional conditions: 5. All detailed construction plans and specifi- cations would be initiated by the county or district and should be approved by the De- partment of Highways. 6. All maintenance work would be subject to an annual inspection by state maintenance engineers, who would make a written report to the fiscal court or district commission and to the Commissioner of Highways, apprais- ing the adequacy of maintenance perform- ance and recommending improvements in procedures consistent with the amount of state and local funds available. 7. Counties or road districts would be required to report annually to the state on the expenditure of all road revenues on forms prescribed by the Department of Highways. 8. Annual construction programs would be submitted by each county or road district to the Department for approval, prior to preparing plans and letting contracts or carrying the work out by force account. 9. An initial grace period, after passage of legislation, of not more than three years should be provided to permit the counties or road districts to properly organize them- selves, after which the conditions cited above for withdrawal of state aid would take effect. 10. Compliance with the conditions required as outlined above would be subject to annual review by a state board broadly representa- tive of the engineering, governmental and public interests involved. Membership of the board should be established by the General Assembly and put on a staggered term basis. Should state aid be granted, it is suggested a specific sum be set aside for each county comply- ing with above conditions, solely to pay the salary of a county engineer. Municipal Street Management In general, Kentucky cities are handicapped in street management by a shortage of engineering personnel and by a lack of planning for future development. Only five cities have arterial plans and only six appear to be giving serious thought to their preparation. In the absence of a plan and of a program for carrying it out, construction expenditures too often result in haphazard im- provements which do not key together for the production of a street pattern fitted to community needs. All cities of over 5,000 population should be required by law to have a full time profes- sional engineer. A state law should require that an arterial street plan be prepared in all cities of the first four classes, the plan to be based on engineering and traffic studies. Also, a long-range program should be devel- oped from data indicating traffic and parking requirements. This planning should be con- ducted in cooperation with the Department of Highways. Should state aid be granted for arterial streets, plans and specifications for construction should be submitted to the Commissioner of Highways for approval. CONCLUSION The proposals and suggestions for establishing efficient management structures and methods in Kentucky's highway agencies are based on studies of conditions and needs as they exist and as they would be affected by the recommended plans for future development. Problems of organiza- tion must be given constant and continuing study. It is recognized that administrative organi- zation is not static but that, to remain effective, it must be adjusted to changing conditions. It is believed that the changes and revisions here pro- posed are essential to deal with the accumulated problems confronting the Commonwealth today. 48 Highway Needs and Programs A MAJOR PART of the Kentucky highway needs study was to determine requirements of bringing the Commonwealth’s road and street sys- tems up to standards adequate for efficient transportation service. As the end product of the study, this final chapter reports the physical deficiencies, estimates the cost of correcting them, and proposes alter- native programs for doing the work. Needs and costs were determined in five direct and logical steps, the first two of which have been described: 1. Traffic volumes and characteristics of travel were analyzed and an estimate made of the trends of traffic to 1975. (See Chapter I) 2. The whole highway and street mileage was classified and arranged in Systems with like traffic functions, and each sys- tem was assigned to a specific highway agency. (See Chapters II and III) 3. Standards of design suitable for present and future traffic were selected for each system; this included an analysis of the limits of sizes and weights of vehicles to be accommodated. 4. Needs on each roadway section were de- termined by comparing its status with the selected standards; urgency depended on allowable tolerance below the stand- ards. 5. Costs of meeting indicated needs on each system were computed on the basis of standards for adequate facilities, and es- timates were made of average annual expenditures under alternative 10, 15 and 20-year programs. DETAILS OF STUDY PROCESS The basic plan for determining highway needs was relatively simple, but its practical accomplishment called for collection and process- ing of a large amount of information. Operations were arranged to assure that data would be thoroughly factual and representative with results sound and accurate. Particular attention was given to selection of design standards, since they describe facilities required for various conditions. Selection of Standards In building and operating roads for motor vehicle use, it has been found certain features and methods get best results. Out of this ex- perience engineers have developed sets of design standards economically suited to differing vol- umes and kinds of travel on different classes of roadways. Standards contribute to traffic efficiency and safety by establishing for motor vehicle operators consistent facilities and conditions On roadways of similiar service character. Standards furnish highway administrators and engineers with Sound formulas for providing facilities giving maximum service with minimum hazards at reasonable cost. They constitute tested and approved criteria for measuring highway adequacy in relation to Service demands. For the purposes of this study two criteria were required and developed—design Standards which establish the desirable levels of design which 49 should be the objective of development on each highway system, and “tolerable conditions” which set minimum levels of conditions and fitness feasible for present traffic service. Both design standards and tolerable con- ditions were selected by the study engineering staff. To make sure they fitted Kentucky con- ditions, this work was done in consultation with technical committees representing state, county and municipal highway agencies. Details are shown in tables in the appendix of this report; only their general character and purpose are de- scribed below. Design Standards The design standards for rural highways and roads adopted in this study are based on those Trucks dimensionally are important factors in traffic movement, as shown by this trailer combination furning at this state highway junction in Shelbyville. recommended by the American Association of State Highway Officials after much research by state highway departments, universities, the High- way Research Board and the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads. However, certain modifications were made in recognition of such practical factors as topography, costs, and the best features of Kentucky design practice. In the absence of officially approved standards for city streets, stand- ards for that purpose were selected which repre- sent modern concepts of urban planning and street design. The separate design standards for each of the systems of roadways include ranges aimed to provide optimum operating conditions for differ- ent volumes of traffic in flat, rolling or moun- tainous terrain. In all cases capacity is provided to meet estimated traffic demands throughout most of the probable service life of the facilities. County arterial and feeder roads are designed for estimated 1965 traffic; state trunklines and city streets for estimated 1975 traffic. Necessarily standards differ widely between roads with different service characteristics, but the object in every case was to prescribe facilities adequate to the service required. Application of these standards to future improvement programs would produce highways on each system generally superior in design and service to those built in the past. It is recommended that the design stand- ards developed in this study be adopted by Kentucky highway agencies. Tolerable Conditions Two practical facts required the selection and establishment of a set of “tolerable condi- tions.” The first is that Kentucky roads and streets cannot be brought up to approved design stand- ards all at one time; the most urgent situations must be dealt with first. The second is that many existing roadways, although falling short of the design standards for new construction, still can serve their traffic with reasonable safety and ef- ficiency; these residual values must be utilized. Tolerable conditions set the limits between roads that can serve for the time being and those which no longer give even minimum service. They also were used, in connection with estimates of road life and of traffic growth, to determine when roads now usable will become intolerably de- ficient because of physical deterioration or lack of capacity. In general, tolerable conditions involve ac- ceptance of narrower and lower types of surfaces, and slower driving speeds than are demanded un- der similar circumstances by the design standards for new construction. 50 Size and Weight Standards Standards for the design and construction of highways and structures must be based on firm knowledge of the loads to be carried. Minimum specifications regarding dimensions and strength of highway facilities presuppose fixed limitations of the maximum size and weight of vehicles. Pro- vision of highways to serve the expanding nation- wide movement of commercial highway traffic re- quires that such limitations be generally uniform from state to state. The limits recommended by the American Association of State Highway Offi- cials have been adopted by a majority of states. Kentucky has three sets of regulations limit- ing the size and weight of vehicles. A basic set establishes limitations for general application to all highways. Two other sets establish higher maximum limits for application to state-main- tained highways when specifically designated by the Commissioner of Highways. Principal maxi- mum limits of these sets of regulations are com- pared in the accompanying table with the limits recommended by the American Association of State Highway Officials. Kentucky regulations are aimed to protect deficient roads and bridges on a system which includes some routes of acceptable quality. How- ever, weight regulations are badly chosen in that they impose some heavy stresses on structures while limiting permitted gross weights below reasonable levels and below those of adjoining States. Also, the law contains outmoded restric- tions on load per inch of tire width. Most of the highways now designated as “A” routes are capable of carrying weights per- mitted under the AASHO recommendations. The proposed improvement programs would progres- sively qualify all important carrier routes for operation under these regulations. Therefore, it is recommended that present legislation be re- pealed, and that the limitations recommended by the American Association of State Highway Officials be adopted as the basic regulations of commercial vehicle size and weight in Ken- tucky. Many eastern states do not permit the 60– foot truck-trailer combination, due principally to congested conditions in cities, sharp curvature in mountainous country and greater problems in passing such vehicles. If other features of the AASHO recommendations were adopted, author- ization of the truck-trailer combination could be deferred, pending modernization of principal rCuteS. TRUCK SIZE AND WEIGHT LIMITATIONS KENTUCKY AASHO Basic * For State- Recom- Maintained mendations Routes Height 11% ft. 12% ft. 12 1/2 ft. Width 96 in. 96 in. 96 in. Length Single truck 26!/2 ft. 35 ft. 35 ft. 3-axle bus a 4 - - - - - - - - * * 40 ft. Tractor and Semi-Trailer 30 ft. 45 ft. 50 ft. Truck and Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 ft. Weight—on Axles Single . . . . . . 18,000 lbs. 18,000 lbs. Tandem, under 8' spacing 32,000 lbs. 32,000 lbs. Gross Weight Single axles Tandem axles Single Trucks 45-foot combination 50-foot combination 60-foot combination **up to 73,280 lbs. * Ruling of Commissioner of Highways for “A” Routes; other routes, 30,000 lbs. gross weight limit. ** Depending on distance between axles. 18,000 lbs. 42,000 lbs. - 18,000 lbs. 42,000 lbs. - - - - - - However, in Kentucky it is necessary to con- tinue for a time some additional regulatory pro- tection of existing facilities. Therefore, it is recommended further that the Commissioner of Highways be authorized to classify the routes under Department of Highways” con- trol, according to the carrying ability of their surfaces and structures, and to specify lower weight limitations where required. The same authority should be granted county and municipal officials over systems under their management, but their authority should be limited to such systems. Procedures of Needs Study Kentucky's highway needs were studied and determined for each of the rural and urban sys- tems as selected by classification and as recom- mended for adoption as the Commonwealth’s permanent jurisdictional systems. The process required an inventory of the roadways of each system and an appraisal of their tolerability for present service, a determination of their present and future needs, and an estimate of the cost of improving deficient roads to the proposed new design standards described above. Detailed operations involved in this process were supervised and directed by the study's engi- neering staff, but the field work and initial office work were performed, as far as possible, by officials and personnel of the agencies concerned. Existing records were used whenever available and pertinent. To assure proper and consistent appraisal of conditions and costs, three Manuals of Engi- neering Procedures were prepared — for rural State trunklines, for county roads, and for urban Streets. These manuals gave those employed in the study detailed instructions and information regarding inventory and appraisal methods, but 5] Cºtº fºs §§ Rººtjºº Three carefully prepared man Udls instructed study personnel in the dppraisal of needs on city streets, stote trunkline and county roads. urged engineers to make constant use of their experience and judgment. The step by step operations of the study were arranged to provide a continuous check and review of data, methods and results. Determination of Needs Records in the files of the Department of Highways furnished much of the basic inventory information regarding the types, dimensions, align- ment, usage, and age of pavements and structures on most of the selected State Trunkline and Coun- ty Arterial highways. Much additional informa- tion, including sight distance data, was obtained from special surveys in the field. The staff analyzed the road data section by section. Road sections and structures whose con- dition was less than tolerable were listed as a backlog of needs. Those now tolerable which will become deficient within 20 years were listed as fu- ture needs. Types of improvements suitable for meeting future traffic needs were prescribed to conform with the design standards for new con- struction, utilizing existing facilities so far as possible. Appraisal sheets were sent to highway dis- tricts in which the roads are located. The District Engineers checked the findings and, in cooperation with Zone Office design engineers, estimated the costs of proposed construction. The Central Office staff reviewed this work and passed it on to the engineers of the Automotive Safety Foun- dation for final review. Needs on the 42,000 miles of county feeder roads were determined by a sampling process, the sample consisting of the feeder roads in nine counties having county road engineers and in 12 other counties selected as representatives. Infor- mation was collected in the one group by the county engineers and in the other by engineers from the Department's district offices. The de- ficiencies, needs and cost items found in the 21 sample counties were expanded to represent the entire feeder road mileage in the state. Plans for correcting deficiencies on state trunklines in cities and arterial streets were formu- lated in conferences of staff engineers and muni- pal officials. Feeder street needs were estimated by the staff, based on inventories of all such streets. Estimates of Cost Expenditures required to construct the road- ways and structures prescribed to correct existing and future physical deficiencies were estimated on the basis of unit prices. Much study was given selection of these factors. Not only do construc- tion and right of way costs vary greatly in differ- ent parts of the state, but they are radically changed by shifts in basic conditions. Local vari- ations could be and were compensated for, but year by year fluctuations of construction prices were not considered. Prices of highway construction work have more than doubled in the past 25 years, mostly as a result of the inflation of prices precipitated by World War II. An analysis of contracts awarded by the Department of Highways during that period reveals the pattern of the inflationary process in Kentucky. It shows that during the five war years, 1940 to 1945, the index of highway prices rose from 100 to 208 and that, after some fluctuations, it reached a peak of 226 in 1952. The index re- ceded to 207 in the calendar year of 1953, but in 1954, the latest year for which full data are available, it rose to 224. 52 Price Index 200 150 100 50 The steep upward flight of construction prices, coupled with the higher costs of wider and more modern highways, has had a profound effect on highway operations in the postwar period. The direction of the price trend in the future will be a basic factor in the accomplishment of pro- grams now proposed. However, all cost estimates in this study were computed from contract unit prices actually paid for work in the area of each proposed project in the fiscal year 1953–54. That means, of course, that program estimates of this study would have to be revised upward or downward, depending on future divergence of construction prices from those of 1953–54. Highways or bridges on which work was at least under contract on June 30, 1954, were ap- praised as if completed, but work planned to study design standards and work put under con- tract since that date are included in the estimates. war years prices - 100 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952, 1954 1942 NEEDS AND PROGRAMs This appraisal of Kentucky highways found that more than half–52 percent—of all road and street mileage does not measure up to con- ditions tolerable for present traffic use. The proposed rural State Trunkline System including the Federal Interstate System, is rela- tively most deficient of all systems with two-thirds of its 5,240 miles now inadequate. Fifty-five percent of the 37,263 miles of road on the proposed County Feeder Systems in the 120 counties are below tolerable conditions; County Arterials, totaling 14,320 miles, are 48 percent inadequate now. Only 20 percent of the mileage of City Trunkline and Arterial Street Systems fails to provide tolerable service for today's traffic, but 55 percent more will become deficient in the near future. Within the next 20 years practically all mile- age in all systems will require some type of im- provement work to keep facilities in condition and to accommodate anticipated traffic increases. To rehabilitate Kentucky’s 60,000 miles of roads and streets would require an expenditure during that 20-year period of about $105 million annually for construction work alone. Additional costs of maintenance and administration would bring the total to an average of $144.2 million per year. That figure compares to the $118 million average annual income which, according to esti- mates of the fiscal study, will be available from existing revenue sources, including Federal aid, at present rates. The Commonwealth’s total 20- year needs are the equivalent of 1.2 cents per ve- hicle mile of travel estimated over that period, compared to about 1.1 cents spent in 1954. Attesting to the need for an acceleration of work as soon as possible is the fact that 62 percent of the 20-year construction needs is for remedying the existing backlog of intolerable conditions. Those are over-all figures, but each system differs from the others in extent and urgency of its needs and in the means by which it is financed—the engineering results must be con- sidered along with those of the fiscal study. For these reasons, the systems are discussed sepa- rately in succeeding sections and summarized in conclusion. Interstate Highway System Need for a nationwide network of major highways for the essential movements of military and civilian traffic received much consideration following the first World War. More recently, important engineering studies requested by Con- gress furnished scientific bases for selection and development of a National System of Interstate Highways. They include “Toll Roads and Free Roads” (1939); Inter-regional Highways.” (1944); “Highways for National Defense” (1949); and “Needs of the Highway Systems, 1955-84” (1955). In addition, the President’s Advisory Committe on a National Highway Pro- gram, after extensive hearings submitted a report in January, 1955, entitled “A Ten-Year National Highway Program.” The latter two reports, as well as studies by the states, crystalize the magnitude and im- portance of the total highway problem and suggest substantially increased Federal expenditures. Both reports emphasize the special significance of the Interstate System and urge its early development to fully modern design for economic and military reasons and for civilian defense. On the basis of much testimony substan- tiating the findings of these reports, the Senate and House Public Works Committees approved bills authorizing greatly expanded Federal aid, 53 providing for 90 percent Federal participation in Interstate System improvement costs, instead of the present 60 percent. The Senate passed the bill approved by its committee, but the House did not take favorable action. Interstate Standards It has long been recognized that the Inter- state System should be developed to high stand- ards for lasting service. Freeway design is required to provide the requisite capacity, speed and safety, and to avoid early obsolescence. Experi- ence shows that elimination of interference from the roadside and at intersections doubles the maximum traffic capacity of ordinary highways, Interstate traffic follows the route of U.S. 60 through Olive Hill on this heavily congested business street. This is a reason why it is proposed that the entire Interstate System be relocated to bypass all cities except Louisville and Covington and that urban freeways be provided in those centers. provides for higher safe speeds, saves an average of 10 lives and many accidents annually for each 100 miles in service, and greatly increases the life of the facility, The Automobile Manufacturers Association has estimated that modernization of the nation- wide Interstate System to freeway standards would save $2.1 billion annually to drivers in operat- ing, accident and time costs. On this basis, yearly savings on the Interstate highways in Kentucky would amount to about $26 million. In recognition of such facts, Federal policy requires freeway or expressway design on all In- terstate System projects involving Federal-aid funds. Study of present and future traffic and existing conditions on Kentucky's Interstate routes confirms the wisdom of this policy. Maps on pages 26 and 61 show the extent of the Interstate System in this state. Interstate Needs It is not feasible to obtain needed full free- way design on existing Interstate System routes without great damage to business and homes lo- cated on them. Moreover, nearly complete recon- struction would be required to achieve adequate standards of width, grades and curves. For these reasons, plans for the system in Kentucky should provide that the entire mileage be on new loca- tions where modern design can be secured per- manently at reasonable cost. Proposed routes should bypass all cities except Louisville and Covington. They should be located near enough to all cities on the routes to provide traffic service while still following a reasonably direct line between major centers. This would avoid undue disruption of present facilities and assure maximum service to Ken- tuckians who would contribute an estimated 80 percent of all travel on the system. Approximate locations which conform to those criteria, shown in the map on page 61, have been used for estimating purposes. Final locations are subject to detailed surveys and future policy decisions of the Federal government. Traffic studies show need for the 439 miles of rural four-lane divided Interstate highways included in the map on page 58 , and for 102 miles of two-lane highway between Winchester and Ashland, the latter to be designed for widen- ing to four lanes after 1975. It should be noted that while the 40-mile toll road, now under con- struction from Louisville to Elizabethtown, is considered part of the proposed Interstate System, no costs for that section are included in this report. 54 Louisville Freeways Louisville and Covington are the only Ken- tucky cities where full freeway design is required. Several plans prepared by or for Louisville have been carefully studied in relation to current Fed- eral policy, to construction now planned, and to traffic, industrial, business, residential and topo- graphical problems. The map on this page shows a 35-mile integrated freeway plan which com- prises proposed Interstate System routes and necessary urban connections in Louisville. All surface streets now carrying Interstate routes are heavily congested in peak hours. New freeway design, without traffic signals or other interference to free movement, is a current necessity. The proposed system makes use of the Wat- terson Expressway and the North-South Express- way, both now under construction and both designed as full freeways meeting requirements for Interstate routes. Addition of another pair of lanes on the two-lane section of the Watterson route, and extensions to form a complete outer loop with business district connections, are rec- ommended. The system would distribute and collect traffic for approaching rural routes of the Interstate System in both Kentucky and Indiana. Exact location of the two Ohio River bridges required for the Indiana connection should be de- termined by detailed studies. Rerouting main traffic flows on the proposed facilities would greatly relieve many now con- gested streets; reduced needs on the balance of Louisville's street system are founded on this freeway development. However, certain addi- tional street work would be required to facilitate flow to and from the freeways. Designation of the proposed urban connec. tions as part of the Interstate System depends on state and Federal action. Under Federal law SUGGESTED INTERSTATE FREEWAY SYSTEM AND OTHER NEEDS IN LOUISVILLE Direct fast service to and from downtown and other important areas of the city and all connecting rural routes would be provided by the proposed 35-mile freeway system, shown in black. It is proposed as part of the Inter- state System and its urban connections. Green lines show important arterial cºnd trunkline streets, with principal proposed street extensions and connections * 155 º º shown in dashed lines. Freeway design is also needed on U. S. 31W to the southwest, and along the Ohio River east of the North-South Expressway. Many other improvement projects needed which are not shown here, include new grade separations. On 619 miles of rural and urban Interstate routes, construction like this on the Watterson Expressway near Louisville is needed there is only limited mileage available for such routes. However this study has allocated all esti- mated costs of such connections to the Interstate System. It will be noted that the study shows a re- duction of original Interstate mileage in Kentucky, resulting from relocations, including bypasses. Interstate System Costs New construction of rural sections of the In- terstate System would cost $275,843,000, includ- ing $32,246,000 for right of way and $35,426,000 for 386 bridges and grade separations needed to eliminate all cross traffic. The cost in Louisville and Covington would amount to $92,584,000 for new facilities which would include a six-mile elevated section, three Ohio River bridges, and $19,888,000 for right of way not yet procured. Not included is the cost of a proposed 2.5 mile connection between the toll to give faster movement free from stop lights, cross roads, and dangers of unlimited access. road and the North-South Expressway in Louis- ville. From the viewpoint of both state and national interest, construction of the Interstate System is a top priority program, but it cannot be accom- plished over night. In keeping with testimony presented to Congress, with legislation it con- sidered, and urgent needs, this study has esti- mated a 10-year period for completion of the entire system in Kentucky. Some 73 percent of the present rural mileage is currently below tolerable conditions and would require work as soon as possible, even if the need for full access control, or freeway design, were not considered. In 10 years, 12 percent more mileage will be intolerable. Moreover, it is estimated that an average of $1,658,000 per year would have to be spent to keep existing rural and urban sections in service during the 10-year program period needed for construction of the new Interstate routes. The average annual cost of the proposed Interstate System program, including average maintenance and administration of all rural and urban new construction in place, would be $41,- 835,000 for 10 years—if built and paid for in that time. However, if built in 10 years, but with costs spread over 20 years the average annual cost would be $22,018,000 during the 20-year period. The latter figure includes full maintenance for the second 10 years, plus some resurfacing of pavements built early in the pro- gram. The accompanying table shows details of alternative 10, 15 and 20-year financing plans. In each case maintenance, administration, stop- gaps, replacements and new construction costs, based on actual completion of new facilities in 10 years, are shown spread over the terms indi- cated. ANNUAL PROGRAM COSTS Kentucky Interstate System Average Per Year (Based on completing new facilities in 10 years but spreading costs over indicated periods) 10-year 15-year 20-year RURAL Program Program Program Construction $28,864,000 $19,290,000 $14,526,000 Maintenance and Administration 2,617,000 2,337,000 2,200,000 Suh-total $31,481,000 $21,627,000 $16,726,000 URBAN Construction 9,678,000 6,453,000 4,857,000 Maintenance and Administration 676,000 514,000 435,000 Sub-total $10,354,000 $ 6,967,000 $ 5,292,000 TOTAL RURAL AND URBAN $41,835,000 $28,594,000 $22,018,000 56 It would be possible, of course, to extend construction over more than a 10-year period, but this would involve additional stopgap work. For example, if the construction period were stretched to 20 years, the cost of such additional work would amount to $907,000 per year; over 15 years, the additional cost would be $620,- 000 annually. The question of the amount of future Federal aid, as well as the extent of required matching by the state, is of great importance in considering future financing plans. Interstate System con- struction costs are summarized along with those of the other Federal-aid systems later in this report. Other State Trunklines Ultimately, the rural State Trunkline System as proposed for development should comprise, in addition to the new Interstate routes, 4,621 miles of main highways outside city limits. Engi- neering analysis shows that 2,895 miles, 63 percent, and 1,047 bridges should be built quickly to remedy existing intolerable conditions. The map on page 61 shows all mileage in that backlog of work. Also needed now are another 62 miles of improvements and 34 bridges on the 318 miles of State Trunkline routes other than Interstate, in the incorporated municipalities. The backlog of construction work on rural mileage would cost $381.9 million—60 percent of all construction needed in the next 20 years. Urban sections would cost $17.6 million—31 percent of trunkline street construction required within 20 years. Average annual cost for a 20-year program, including maintenance and administration, totals $44,066,000. Alternative programs for shorter periods would, of course require greater annual expenditures for the period to get the backlog work completed sooner, following which construc- tion expenditures could be reduced for a time. Rural State Trunklines Narrow roadways and bridges, dangerous curves and insufficient sight distance, coupled with almost complete lack of protection for through traffic by access control are predominant faults of the present routes of the proposed rural State Trunkline System. Those factors are also basic ills of the Interstate portion of the system, as already described. Some 4,380 miles of present rural locations were generally retained in the ultimate proposed trunkline system. Of these, 72 percent have sur- faces 19 feet wide or less, half of which carry over 1,000 vehicles daily. Some 868 miles of the total have only a light bituminous surface treat- ment, and 151 miles are stone or gravel surfaces. Of the total, 2,723 miles are now rated in- tolerable for a combination of reasons: • 2,230 miles, 85 percent, contain so many sharp curves that reasonable speed with safety is impossible • 1,851 miles, 68 percent, have danger- ously narrow paved surfaces, many com- bined with narrow shoulders and sharp curves as well • 1,363 miles, 50 percent, have shoulders narrower than the widths considered tol- erable • 1,167 miles, 43 percent, include grades too steep for modern operation of trucks and passenger cars • 98.4 miles, 36 percent, lack enough sight distance to allow safe passing as often as needed to maintain a reasonable speed • 455 miles, 17 percent, have insufficient capacity to serve their present traffic Rural Trunkline Problems HAVE DANGEROUSLY SHARP CURVES - 85% SURFACES TOO NARROW 68% SHOULDERS TOO. NARROW 50% HAVE STEEP GRADES 43% No passing 36% concested 17% Percent of Currently Intolerable Mileage adequately. Nearly 200 miles of these have more than 3,000 vehicles on an average day. The accompanying table shows estimated mileages of work and total costs of construction over a period of 20 years ahead. It includes remedies for the existing backlog of needs, added work needed in the future as roads now tolerable wear out or traffic exceeds their capacity, costs for subsequent resurfacing within the period, and stopgaps to keep intolerable facilities in service until they can be properly reconstructed. 20–YEAR CONSTRUCTION NEEDS Rural State Trunkline System (Other than Interstate routes) Miles Cost Backlog in 1954 2,895 $ 381,873,000 1955 – 1965 876 106,038,000 1966 – 1975 869 148,089,000 Total, 20 years 4,640 $ 636,000,000 The total includes some mileage of four-lane divided highways which would be developed in stages—that is, first built as two lanes with two more lanes added later. All together, 13 miles of new freeway construction on U.S. 31W in Jeffer- son County plus 221 miles of four-lane divided highways are needed now on these routes; 80 miles more are needed within 10 years and 211 miles by 1975; the total is 525 miles, as shown on the accompanying map. Some 366 miles of new roads, in addition to Interstate routes, are needed within the 20- year period. They include new bypasses at Lex- ington, Paris, Henderson, Campbellsville, Hodgen- ville, Lebanon, Flemingsburg, Clinton and other locations noted on the map on page 61. Minor relocations along existing routes would, however, shorten distances by 102 miles. Major relocations of existing routes are proposed on U.S. 60 from Owensboro to Cloverport, on U.S. 41 around Madisonville, on U.S. 421 north- NEARLY 1,000 MILES OF DIVIDED HIGHWAYS NEEDED Traffic congestion, resulting in slow and unsafe driving conditions, requires development of 96.4 miles of new rural four-lane divided highways in the next 20 years. Needed now are 773 miles, including the Interstate routes, shown in heavy green lines. The map shows heavy black sections where four lanes are needed or already exist on other State Trunkline routes. Two lanes, with occasional truck climbing Henderson lanes, should be sufficient on the balance of the system, shown by thin black lines and a thin green line for the two- lane section of the Interstate System. Covington Newport 5, Pikeville Middlesboro west of Frankfort, on U.S. 62 from Chaplin towards Bardstown, south of Hickman on KY. 94, around and to the northeast of Benton on U.S. 641, on KY. 15 near Hazard, on U.S. 23 from Prestonsburg to Paintsville, from Pikeville to Shelbiana on U.S. 23, on U.S. 119 from Jenkins to Seco, and a number of other locations. Other aids to travel would involve re- designation of routes, such as transfer of U.S. 60 west of Paducah to present routes U.S. 62 and KY. 286, and their improvement to carry the traffic. Drivers would benefit by time saving, and costs would be less than on the present U.S. 60. Simple re-signing of some routes to identify clearly the shortest and best road to follow would be of great help. It is recommended, therefore. that use of alternate route designations be cut to a minimum and that the basic route number always be used to designate the best route for through travel. The Division of Traffic Engineering should study the situation and develop a plan for proper and consistent route marking between, in and around cities. Some 20 miles of truck climbing lanes would be needed – principally in mountainous areas where lower traffic volumes do not justify four lanes or where topography will not permit reason- able reduction of grades and curves on heavy trucking routes. Of 1,457 existing bridges and grade sepa- rations, 1,116 or 77 percent, are or will be defi- cient in width within the 20-year period; 689 or 47 percent, are 20 feet or less in width and should be widened or replaced as soon as possible. How- ever, only 30 bridges on the trunkline routes are now below tolerable load carrying capacity. Urban State Trunklines Proposed construction of the Interstate routes and local bypasses would relieve mileage and construction needs of other state trunkline routes in municipalities, especially Louisville, Lexington and most smaller places on the Inter- State routes. Of the 318 miles of streets, other than Interstate, composing the recommended urban State Trunkline System, 62 miles, 20 percent, need work now at a cost of $17,643,000. But in the next 10 years, an additional 171 miles, costing $23,565,000, will be needed. Total construction needs over a 20-year period include 297 miles of work at a cost of $56,839,000. Costs include right of way and 93 bridges and grade separations. That work would remedy the most severe and costly congestion found in cities, when coupled with effective traffic engineering programs for efficient use of existing facilities and with needed off-street parking developments in the cities. Urban work involves 81 miles of resurfacing, 161 miles of widening, 37 miles of reconstruction, and 18 miles of new street construction. Some of the more important needs are listed below. Full details for each municipality are contained in the study records on file in the Department of High- ways. Lexington–Through traffic would be diverted from congested streets by proposed Interstate System by-passes, and by addition of a new beltline to the south, all outside the incorporated area. Inside the city, sections of U.S. 25 and U. S. 27 would be widened to 40 feet. From Scott to Cedar, U. S. 27 would be increased to 48 feet in width, pro- viding four good traffic lanes. Proposed trunkline and arterial street construction needs, combined, total $8.6 million. Ashland–Widening Greenup Street to 68 feet and high-type pavement provide for a much improved route for U.S. 23 and U.S. 60, and should facili- How a bad situation can be remedied is shown by this example of a completed improvement on U. S. 60 at Princess. In the upper part of the drawing, green lines show the old, sharply curved, dangerous approaches to a narrow railroad tate movement to and from the Ohio River bridge. A proposed railroad grade separation on 12th Street (U.S. 60) should eliminate delays and hazard. Expenditure of an estimated $9,830,- 000 is required for proposed trunkline and arte- rial street projects in the city. Hazard–Five construction projects are aimed to improve the KY. 15 route through the city. Forty- foot pavement with curbs, gutter and sidewalks will replace the present surface which ranges from 20 to 32 feet wide. A new twin structure will supplement the present bridge with its 19- foot roadway and each will carry one-way traffic across the Kentucky River. Trunkline and ar- terial street projects in Hazard represent a pro- posed expenditure of $1,217,000. Paducah—A proposed bypass provides for through traffic on U.S. 62 and between that route and U.S. 45. A considerable section of U.S. 62, only 23 feet wide and in poor condition, will be replaced with 44-foot pavement with curb, gutters and sidewalk. The project includes a stream crossing and a railroad grade separation. Trunkline and arterial street projects in Paducah will cost $2,- 388,000. overpass. Black lines show the new alignment with wider surface and variable width right of way. The lower drawing shows how the old steep grades, shown in green, were eased by cuts and fills to provide better sight distance. 59 Annual Programs Construction improvements represent from 83 to 69 percent of annual costs on the State Trunkline System depending on how rapidly the backlog of work can be caught up. However, more than construction is required to keep a highway system in operation. Maintenance and administration are essential on all systems and actually take first priority of available funds. Maintenance and Administration Costs Special analyses of the cost of adequate maintenance were made as part of this over-all Study; results were used to estimate unit costs required for the system as it would evolve over Various study periods. Amounts as shown in the appendix are not predicated on arbitrary fixed budget limits as done now, but on actual require- IllentS. Quality of maintenance, particularly of shoulders, drainage and roadsides, should be im- proved. It is estimated that the necessary qual- ity of maintenance could be obtained on existing roads with not more than 10 percent increase in total expenditures, provided management recom- mendations contained in Chapter III were carried Out. It is further recommended that annual budgets for maintenance should be based on detailed section by section studies of mainte- nance requirements in each district, and that cost records be improved to provide for con- stant rapid engineering analysis of unit main- tenance costs. Such analysis would be a great aid both in improving the quality and efficiency of maintenance operations and of budget control, and in programming future construction improvements needed to reduce high maintenance costs. Administrative costs, excluding direct job engineering included in construction costs, have been estimated at six percent of total construction and maintenance cost for the Interstate System and, separately, for the rest of the State Trunkline System. That provides for all overhead, general Supervision, office quarters, research and allied activities necessary to a stepped-up construction program. In addition, $6,720,000 has been in- cluded for new construction and remodeling of district offices, as recommended in Chapter III. Alternative Program Periods Annual costs for three alternative program periods are in the accompanying table. They include all costs of improvement, maintenance and administration of the system. They do not include costs of highway police, motor vehicle administration, or tax collection. Neither do they include debt service, since none exists. ANNUAL PROGRAM COSTS State Trunkline System (Excluding Interstate routes) Backlog Catch-up Period 10 years 15 years 20 years Rural Construction Maintenance and Administration $48,791,000 $36,682,000 $31,800,000 9,664,000 $58,455,000 $45,412,000 $40,147,000 8,730,000 8,347,000 Sub-total Urban Construction Maintenance and Administration $ 4, 120,000 $ 3,464,000 $ 2,842,000 1, 138,000 1,077,000 $ 5,258,000 $ 4,576,000 $ 3,919,000 $63,713,000 $49,988,000 $44,066,000 1,112,000 Sub-total Grand Total Each of those alternative programs would complete the work required to catch up the back- log of needs and do the new work accruing in the period. Of course, the higher annual cost pro- grams would complete the backlog work sooner, but an appreciable time still would be necessary. In that interval, the accruing needs would them- selves be deferred beyond the time when they would come due. For example, referring to rural work alone: • In a 20-year program, 12 years would be needed to catch up backlog needs, and all widening and resurfacing and new con- Struction becoming necessary in that period would have to be put off to the last eight years, or else some present needs would have to be tolerated even longer • In a 15-year program, it would require 10.4 years to catch up • In a 10-year program, it would take 7.8 years to catch up, and all new needs arising in that period would have to be deferred until the last 2.2 years of the program. The fact that all backlog needs have already been deferred—most of them for many years— emphasizes the urgency of accelerating work to the greatest extent found feasible by the separate fiscal study. This might be done by credit fi- nancing which would spread costs over a longer period, but accelerate the availability of funds. In that case, interest charges would have to be added to costs. But speeding up new work would reduce stopgap requirements necessary to keep old roads in service, besides providing the benefits of modern highways at an earlier date. After the catch-up work is completed in whatever time period seems most feasible, sub- sequent annual costs would be less for some time. However, other studies of long range capital in- vestment needs in highways show that, except for extra stopgap needs, there is little or no difference in total costs over a 20 to 30-year period. 60 Priority of Work Fundamental considerations in establishing priority of individual projects in annual work programs include: System Importance. Within availability of total funds, should greater emphasis be given to one system or another? Should improvement of one system be advanced sembly adoption of a shorter term pro- gram for it? Division of Funds between Rural and Urban Work. Over-all, this study indi- cates where funds are needed, but there is no present scientific basis for establishing the relative urgency of a particular pro- ject in a city over some other project in rural areas or in another city. Also, there remain questions of the extent of possi. ble state aid to counties and municipali- ties. Available Income. Extent of Federal aid, limitations of its use, and matching re- quirements will have great effect on prior- ity of work. Amount of total state revenue available each year for each system will affect priorities. For example, a badly needed expensive river bridge might have to be deferred in favor of stopgap or more rapidly than others by General As- High Priority Needs On Interstate System and Other State Trunklines Interstate routes, with general location shown in dashed black lines, should be planned and built as full freeways within 10 years. Top priority needs are located on other rural State Trunkline routes by heavy solid black sections, with arrows for isolated bridges. These were selected by engineering analysis of problems on existing loca- tions as of June 30, 1954. They would cost about one-third of the total of the backlog of present rural needs, the balance of which are shown in green. However, many other factors discussed in the º º text also must be considered in choosing yearly work programs. - º ...” --- _- ---" - * º Most of the remaining mileage on the system, shown in white lines, will require improvement sometime within the 20-year study period. Many of the proposed major relocations and bypasses can be ob- served by comparison with present locations. - Currently deficient rural trunklines were rated physically in three categories: structural condition, geometric design and traffic capacity. Worse conditions were rated near zero, and better conditions toward nine. Least cost to improve º Structural Condition º Traffic Capacity º 7. º 4. 5 maintenance work on other routes, if funds were insufficient to do both. Need for Continuity. Relocation of a high priority section may involve extending it to join the existing route in such a way as to also replace some lower priority sections. Consistency of design over long sections is also essential, as exemplified by the need for continuity of freeway design on the Interstate System. Solution of Engineering Problems. Stud- ies, location, purchase of right of way, RURAL TRUNKLINE COMPARATIVE RATINGS 0 1 2 3 4 5 - 5 º 7. º º O 2. º º º 7. º º Geometric Design 7. º Cost per vehicle mile of use rated near zero; greatest cost rated toward nine. Top priority projects selected generally rated toward zero in all categories, with consideration for route continuity and other factors. design and agreement by all parties con- cerned, sometimes require a deferment of urgent work. • Distribution of Work. Work loads must be distributed to some extent geographi- cally in order to utilize personnel effec- tively, to maintain strong, efficient con- tracting organizations and material sup- plies, and to avoid unduly concentrated disruption of traffic. Most of those factors are the responsibility of the highway administrators. They should find in this report and in the fiscal study the frame- work of facts on which the necessary decisions can be made. To aid better advance planning, so vital to Kentucky's highway future, this study has developed also a systematic approach to priority analysis for a major part of the state's highway needs—the rural State Trunkline System. Since all future construction needs, other than backlog and stopgap requirements, are sched- uled by time, that furnishes a priority guide for such work. But the backlog itself, the most urgent priority work, is so large that additional break- downs are needed for advance planning purposes. Four basic guides were followed, and pres- ent road conditions for all backlog projects were rated by degree for each. They include (1) struc- tural condition, (2) capacity to carry traffic safely at reasonable speeds, (3) adequacy of surface and shoulder width, curves, grades and other design features necessary for safety, and (4) cost of proposed work per vehicle mile of travel. Results of the ratings are shown in the ac- companying chart. Bridge needs not otherwise in- cluded in roadway sections were rated similarly. The system utilized in part the sufficiency rat- ings made by the Department of Highways, but interpreted each element separately to arrive at a grouping of the most urgent projects on a state- wide basis. Thus, extremely poor structural conditions were included in the first of three groupings of the backlog work; then, roads heav- ily overloaded with traffic, or severely deficient in capacity, were selected. Next, roads in poor structural condition were chosen; then, those quite deficient in capacity. This process was contin- ued until all were arrayed. Further study was given to road sections so selected. Reasonable continuity of proposed work and its integration with existing facilities were considered, and special cases such as bypass routes and isolated bridges were given attention. 62 Top priority projects recommended on these bases are shown in the map on page 61. Those road sections, totaling 891 miles, would cost approximately $134 million, including 343 bridges. They represent about one-third of the cost of backlog needs. The balance of the backlog needs are shown also on the map. Many of these are very similar in degree of urgency to the top priority projects, and the earlier choice of some of them would not necessarily impair the principles of priority selection. Some projects shown are now under construction, awarded since the cut-off date of the study, attesting to their importance. As previously indicated, the entire Interstate System is considered a high priority program, and its proposed development has great effect on ur- gency of work elsewhere on the trunkline system. Should its construction be deferred unduly, con- siderable revision of the Commonwealth’s pro- grams, as proposed in this report, would be essential. The data, principles and procedures remain with the Planning Division of the Department of Highways. It is recommended that priority studies be further refined and put on a con- tinuing basis — dropping projects as com- pleted, and revising and extending the selec- tions into remaining sections. This is one of the major steps needed in the advance planning process recommended strongly in Chapter III. County Arterial Systems The 14,320 miles of the roads classified as County Arterial Systems, and recommended as a complete state responsibility, have 48 percent, or 6,913 miles, which do not provide tolerable service for present traffic. Of the 3,538 bridges on these systems, 2,019 are not adequate now. It would cost $232,703,000 to remedy the current defects to have the facilities fully ade- quate for 1965 traffic, plus added sums for maintenance, administration and additional work needed in the future. Over a 20-year period, cost would average a total of $31,795,000 per year. County Arterial Problems Of all 14,320 miles of ultimate proposed county arterial routes, 9,532 miles are now state maintained and 4,788 miles are now county maintained. Most major defects are in the latter group, since the Department of Highways has already improved many of these highways under the Rural Secondary program. Arterial systems also include some existing main state route sections which would be trans- ferred to County Arterial status upon completion of certain sections of the Interstate System and of new locations proposed along other State Trunkline System routes. Most routes so trans- ferred would serve their reduced traffic satisfac- torily for many years without further improve- ments. Of the 14,320 miles of classified arterial systems, pertinent data show: • 444 miles, 3 percent, are unimproved • 6,450 miles, 45 percent, now are stone or gravel surfaced roads • 4,664 miles, 33 percent, now have light bituminous surface treatments • The balance, 19 percent, are paved with medium or heavy duty surfaces • 7,980 miles, 56 percent, are 17 feet or less in width. The accompanying chart shows what traffic is carried by the system. Note that 28 percent of the mileage now carries less than 100 vehicles 75% of County Arterials Carry Less Than 400 vehicles Daily Average Daily Traffic daily and generally needs development to no higher than minimum county arterial standards. Such routes are only required to serve lightly populated areas or to provide interconnection be- tween sections of heavier travel. On the other hand, about seven percent of the mileage carries traffic of more than 1,000 vehicles per day; this is mostly short trip travel, but it requires standards similar to trunkline routes. Of the 3,538 bridges on the system: • 1,608 or 45 percent, are 18 feet or less in width • 733, or 21 percent, cannot carry gross loads in excess of ten tons or less • 239, or seven percent, have timber sub- structures subject to rapid deterioration. 63 Of the 6,913 miles of roads which are in- tolerable for present traffic, nearly all lack sufficient shoulder width, 77 percent have surface widths below allowable tolerances for their traffic class, as shown in a table in the appendix, and some 84 percent have bad alignment which results in low speeds. On only 21 percent of that mile- age are surface types inadequate, but 54 percent of all deficient mileage is in poor or bad structural condition. Needs and Programs Cost of the 6,913 miles composing the back- log of construction needs is $232,703,000—some 57 percent of total construction requirements in a 20-year period. Included in the backlog cost is seven percent for right of way and $56,516,000, or 24 percent for 2,019 bridges and railroad protection. De- tails of the nature of construction requirements will be found in the appendix. County arterial traffic service is heavily penalized when loads are limited and movement is restricted to one lane as on this bridge on KY. 198 in Casey County. Alternative programs shown in the accom- panying table have been estimated on the basis of meeting the backlog needs in 10, 15 or 20 years by a similar method and including similar classes of additional work to those described in the section pertaining to the State Trunkline System. Average total expense is less per year for longer terms; but again, backlog needs and consequent benefits are deferred. Improvements will be needed on roads now tolerable and bridges as they wear out and as traffic increases during the several periods of the programs. These have been estimated statis- tically by actuarial methods based on actual road life in Kentucky and other states. Unit maintenance costs shown in the ap- pendix were estimated and applied to the average inventoried mileage over various program periods. Estimates were based on requirements for sur- face maintenance and on the ratios in other states of costs on roads of this class to those on state trunkline highways. Past Kentucky costs on the state-maintained portions are not pertinent since it is recommended that maintenance on the County Arterial Systems be planned for an adequate, but lower level than on the State Trunkline System. Further, the construction prescribed by the proposed improvement program should reduce expenses for maintenance. Administration was estimated at four percent of the annual cost of construction and mainte- nance, since part of the overhead supervision would be available through State Trunkline Sys- tem administration. ANNUAL PROGRAM COSTS County Arterial Systems Backlog Catch-up Period 10 years 15 years 20 years Construction $32,177,000 $23,909,000 $20,541,000 Maintenance and Administration 11,628,000 11,345,000 11,254,000 Total $43,805,000 $35,254,000 $31,795,000 Interpretation of these data is similar to that described for the State Trunkline System. How- ever, due to the larger share of annual construc- tion costs for work accruing in the future, the backlog of needs could be taken care of slightly faster, provided the necessary total construction funds were made available. Maintenance expense on the county arte- rials is a much heavier proportion of total annual cost than on trunkline routes, due mainly to much lower construction costs per mile, shown in the appendix. Completion of the 20-year program would result in marked improvement of the County Arterial Systems' service to traffic. The mileage of paved surfaces would be doubled, surface treated mileage would be increased by a fourth, the miles of gravel and other traffic bound sur- 64 face would be cut 53 percent, and unimproved mileage eliminated. Improvements in drainage, width and other features would also be accom- plished and all bridges would be developed to standard widths and strengths. County Feeder Systems The 120 County Feeder Systems, consisting of 37,263 miles and 8,192 bridges, recommended in this report for basic management by the coun- ties themselves, would require $31,746,000 annu- ally over a 20-year period to develop and main- tain them properly. Some 55 percent, 20,548 miles, of the feeder system throughout the state is now inadequate for present use, and would cost $264,285,000 to improve properly for 1965 traffic—an average of $12,800 per mile, including the 6,151 bridges needed now. It is estimated, on the basis of inventory data available for all counties and field studies in 21 counties, that: • 75 percent have surfaces 16 feet wide or less • 25 percent do not have all-weather sur- faces • 58 percent have gravel or stone surfaces • 17 percent have light bituminous surfaces • 78 percent of all 8,192 bridges are 16 feet wide or less • 47 percent of all bridges can safely carry loads of only 10 tons or less • 23 percent of all bridges are built of timber, subject generally to rapid de- terioration. Of the mileage of County Feeder Systems found presently deficient when compared to the tolerable conditions established for them: * 12 percent have inadequate surface types * 16 percent have surfaces too narrow • 43 percent have no shoulders, or they are too narrow • 30 percent lack proper drainage • 26 percent are in poor or bad structural condition. Relatively few miles, about 11 percent, have curves or grades deemed inadequate for the lo- cal service these roads provide. Most of the deficient mileage includes defects of several types which combine to make them intolerable. Of the 6,151 currently inadequate bridges, 56 percent are too narrow, 41 percent cannot carry tolerable minimum design loads, and 42 percent are in poor structural condition. This feeder road in Owen County is typical of a large mile age of narrow, poorly surfaced roads in counties throughout the state. Needs In studying county operations, it was noted that most past expenditures on county roads were classed as maintenance, with little for actual im- provement. Field study indicates that failure to make basic improvements in roadbeds and drain- age results not only in inadequate roads, but higher maintenance costs. On the assumption that such improvements would be made as part of the proposed construc- tion program, maintenance costs were estimated for all types of roads, as shown in the appendix. Lack of county records precluded adequate in- formation on actual costs and therefore the esti- mates were based on reasonable proportions of costs on trunklines and arterial roads, as derived in part from records of other states. Care was taken to provide for necessary surface replace- ments, as well as sufficient roadside maintenance. It is recommended that, in improvement of county management, uniform standards --- º --- º º º º, -- --~~ - and procedures for maintenance and record keeping by types of surfaces and nature of work be developed in cooperation with the Department of Highways. Only in this way can necessary improvement in maintenance become standard practice in all counties, and costs be kept for current analysis and study of future needs. Excluded from consideration are approxi- mately 3,500 miles of “paper” roads which appear on inventory records but are found to have been abandoned. It is recommended that each coun- ty re-examine possible further abandon- ments in order to reduce maintenance and construction liability. Over a 20-year period, the proposed im- provement program would increase paved and surface-treated roads by a third, to a total of 8,032 miles. Stone and gravel surfaces would be considerably improved by widening," better drainage and heavier surfacing. No unimproved roads would remain on the systems, but the limited useage of some 9,000 miles warrants only better grading and drainage with light spot sur- facing where required. All 6,151 bridges now deficient would be re- placed or improved at a cost of about $93,000,- 000 for appropriate structures, and others would be repaired as needed. Rate of actual future development in each county should depend heavily on individual county action. Extent of local financial support and quality of management would be controlling fac- tors. County officials and engineers, fully under- standing their own needs, are in the best position to determine work most needed in their respec- tive areas, and how rapidly it should be done. For those reasons, program estimates for all County Feeder Systems are given for a 20-year program only. That provides a sufficient perspective and comparison, on a statewide basis, to other road and street systems. For the 20-year period, construction im- provements would require an average of $19,- 61 1,000 per year for all 120 counties. Proper maintenance and management is estimated to cost $12,135,000 annually. That includes four pre- cent of construction and maintenance costs for administration, including salary of a county engi- neer or supervisor, as recommended in Chapter III. Total average needs are $31,746,000 per year. City Streets Of all city streets, 351 miles classified as part of the State Trunkline System which includes the Interstate routes, have already been described. About 708 miles, including proposed new exten- sions, are classed by this study as Arterial Streets, for which Chapter III recommends that cities have basic responsibility. The remainder, 2,390 miles, are classed as Feeder Streets—largely resi- dential—for which it is recommended that cities have full responsibility. Arterial Streets Some 21 percent, 147 miles, of the important Arterial Street Systems in the incorporated cities of Kentucky are now inadequate for their Serv- ice demand. It would cost $29,903,000 to im– prove them properly. In the coming 10 years, $50,426,000 more will be needed on an additional 144 miles of streets, including bridges and grade separations, as traffic continues to increase and as old streets become inadequate. Within a 20-year period, $102,502,000 will be required solely for construction. Of this, one- fourth, or $25,424,000, is in Louisville alone. Another third of the total is needed in the 14 other cities of more than 10,000 population. Work proposed in cities of 2,500 people or more over the 20-year period includes: • 195 miles of resurfacing only • 263 miles of resurfacing and widening • 74 miles of reconstruction, including widening • 9 miles of new street construction • 82 new or reconstructed bridges and grade separations • 78 railroad crossing gates or flashers. Planned work is geared to the proposed Interstate and other state trunkline improvement programs. With attention to adequate traffic engi- neering measures, such as better signal synchro- nization, parking controls, development of one- way street systems, and other features, the trunkline and arterial street programs should pro- vide for reasonable traffic movement throughout the cities. Proposed improvements are in accord with urban street appraisal principles and stand- ards shown in the appendix. Some new street openings are of special importance to relieve bottlenecks or to provide opportunities to extend and develop pairs of one- way streets. Some such major projects proposed in Louisville are shown as dashed lines in the map on page 55 . An example of a complete trunkline and arterial plan for a smaller city is shown in the accompanying map of Bowling Green. Parking problems were not studied, but curb parking is a major handicap to free flowing street traffic, particularly in congested downtown areas. Restriction or elimination of curb parking will be necessary along many streets which cannot be widened economically. It is recommended that each city take early action to see that more off-street parking is provided. 66 Annual Programs Development of city streets depends largely on the ability of each city to plan and finance necessary improvements, as well as to maintain and reconstruct old streets. However, annual pro- grams are calculated for all cities as a group to obtain the necessary statewide perspective in re- lation to other statewide costs. While needed arterial construction programs have been determined individually for all 66 cities over 2,500 population, and as a group for smaller places, city records do not permit ade- quate evaluation of maintenance costs. Those shown in the appendix were computed by refer- ence to other detailed studies, analysis relating estimates to state costs, and estimates of work in- volved in street maintenance. It is recommended ANNUAL PROGRAM. COSTS Municipal Arterial Streets Backlog Catch-up Period 10 years 15 years 20 years Construction $8,033,000 $6,312,000 $5,125,000 Maintenance and Administration 1,643,000 1,512,000 $9,676,000 $7,875,000 $6,637,000 Because of the higher proportion of work which will develop in future years as compared to the backlog of work currently required, the total construction fund called for annually would complete the backlog in about six years of a 20- year program, and in about four years for a 10– year program. Funds in the remaining years would provide for construction needs accruing in the period. 1,563,000 Total that cities improve their methods of cost keeping and analysis so that they may de- termine their budgetary needs more ade- quately. Administrative costs were computed at five percent of construction and maintenance. STREET PLAN FOR BOWLING GREEN Although much of the heavy traffic on U.S. 31W through Bowling Green would bypass the city on the proposed Inter- state freeway to the east, improvements totaling about $2.1 million are needed over a 20-year period on State Trunk- lines and Arterial Streets in the city. One-third are needed now. The map shows most of the principal projects proposed, among them a new bridge over the Barren River to permit adequate one-way street operation in Bowling Green. Cost of the bridge is allocated to rural trunklines, and therefore is not included in the city total. Other major jobs include a new trunkline connection be- tween U. S. 31W and U. S. 68 in the southwest area of the city, widening of the railroad underpass on U. S. 68, widen- ing Old Russellville Road to reach a new industrial ared, and widening Sixth, Brown and Gordon Streets from Kentucky north to the city limits. - - ~ `- - - * - - - - -- ºf e --- --- - ** – --- -- * º 1. * 1. - 1. * - - - cº- - \ - * -- so- * -- ** * -- º- -- ºss us º - - ~ - - ~ ~ ~ ~ --- --- --- - - LEGEND \ \ - ----- - ----------- - º-º-º-ºsm ºn - º- - wº-nº-uzº-sº ºw-- --- - º - --------- ------grade - --- -> -- ------- Feeder Streets Feeder streets are historically the responsi- bility of the cities and their residents. Rate of development depends on individual needs and ability to finance desirable improvements in a variety of ways. However, to complete the whole picture of transportation needs, a mass analysis and estimate was made for all existing feeder streets in all municipalities. A complete inventory of surface types and widths was obtained for all cities, and an esti- mate made of their adequacy. Standards, varying for different conditions, were set up; actuarial me- thods established the long-range costs of meeting those standards. In effect, construction costs rep- resent the annual capital investment required to É º ------ ------ - ------ cº-tºe tº- : : --- ------ ------ - ------- --- º º º develop the streets and reconstruct them as needed. Estimated maintenance unit prices are shown in the appendix, and were applied to the inventory of all streets. Usually such costs and administra- tion are general city obligations. Results of the computations show that an average of $7,953,000 annually is needed for feeder Streets in all 366 cities. That includes $2,314,000 for maintenance and administration. Approximately 30 percent of the monetary needs are in Louisville alone. The funds would provide for eventual improvement of all built-up streets to paved status, with proper drainage and curb and gutter in larger cities. Outlying streets in smaller cities would be improved and maintained as traffic-bound surfaces with dust layer. Summary—All Systems For the first time, a complete picture of long- range construction and maintenance needs in the entire Commonwealth has been put together in the accompanying table which summarizes the preceding sections. The table shows average annual costs for the principal systems during 10 15 and 20-year periods in which the present back- log of deficiencies could be remedied, and the 20-year needs for local feeder systems. The shorter periods would cost more per year and accordingly, the systems would be brought up to date sooner. Fiscal feasibility, under study by the Bureau of Business Research of the University of Kentucky, governs the choice of programs to be finally determined by action of the General Assembly and other governmental agencies. It should be recognized that each program includes only the work to remedy backlog needs plus added costs, including maintenance and needs accruing in the period—but not thereafter. Other studies indicate that total costs over a long period will be about the same regardless of the rate in particular years, except that where a large back- log of work exists, stop-gap needs per year are greater. Were means found to expedite completion of backlog work on a given system in, say 10 years, costs of the succeeding 10 years would be much lower; the total of the two decades would be little different than that for the 20-year pro- Kentucky Highway Systems Summary of Average Annual Program Costs Backlog Catch-up Period * Includes toll road and urban extension, for which no costs are shown. System Mileage 10 years 15 years 20 years Interstate Rural 581 $ 31,481,000 $ 21,627,000 $ 16,726,000 Urban 38 10,354,000 6,967,000 5,292,000 Sub-total *619 $ 41,835,000 $ 28,594,000 $ 22,018,000 Other State Trunklines Rural 4,621 $ 58,455,000 $ 45,412,000 $ 40,147,000 Urban 3.18 5,258,000 4,576,000 3,919,000 Sub-total 4,939 $ 63,713,000 $ 49,988,000 $ 44,066,000 County Arterials 14,320 43,805,000 35,254,000 31,795,000 Sub-total, *19,878 $149,353,000 $113,836,000 $ 97,879,000 Proposed State Responsibility Municipal Arterials 708 $ 9,676,000 $ 7,875,000 $ 6,637,000 Municipal Feeders 2,390 7,953,000 County Feeders 37,263 31,746,000 All Systems, --~" - - Annual Total 60,239 $144,215,000 68 gram period less extra stopgap work. Costs would rise later, as need for replacement of facili- ties begin to appear. The table shows that if principal systems for which complete state responsibility is proposed were to be developed and maintained properly, giving due consideration to reasonable tolerances below design standards for the time being, it would cost: • $97,879,000 per year for a 20-year pro- gram • $113,836,000 per year for a 15-year program • $149,353,000 per year for a 10-year program. The 20-year figure of $144,215,000 for all systems provides a picture of financing require- ments over a sufficiently long period to indicate the relative needs of the systems during the period. That figure compares to the $118,000,000 of average annual income available for highway pur- poses anticipated over a 20-year period from all present sources at present tax rates in all govern- mental units. No increase in present income levels is included except that from the anticipated in- crease of motor vehicles and gasoline consump- tion. Federal-aid Systems Construction Costs The hearings and debates in the national Congress during recent months indicate the prob- ability of a greatly expanded Federal-aid highway program in the near future. When this comes, it will materially affect the requirements at state and local levels to finance any of the alternative pro- grams presented in this report, except those for feeder roads and streets. To bring the Kentucky picture into focus and permit an evaluation of the possible effect of an expanded Federal-aid program, construc- tion requirements are summarized in the follow- ing table for each of the several Federal-aid highway systems described in Chapter II. Since the Federal-aid systems are administrative in nature and coincide with portions of proposed state managed rural and urban systems of roads and streets, Federal-aid system needs shown are a duplication of, and not in addition to, the needs previously discussed. COST OF IDENTIFIED CONSTRUCTION NEEDS Federal-aid Systems 20-year Period Interstate Rural $ 290,525,000 Urban 97,144,000 Sub-total $ 387,669,000 Other Federal-aid Primary Rural $ 363,230,000 Urban 50,176,000 Sub-total $ 413,406,000+ Federal-aid Secondary 239,135,000** Total $1,040,210,000 *Does not include needed replacements and Stopgaps. **Backlog needs only. Does not include re- construction for currently tolerable roads, future replacements or stopgaps. Federal-aid apportionments to Kentucky total $15,757,032 for the current fišcal year, divided as follows: Interstate $ 3,232,347 Federal-aid Primary 5,861,614 Federal-aid Primary in Urban areas 1,801,096 Federal-aid Secondary 4,861,975 Federal funds generally must be matched equally by the state, except that the Interstate system is on a 60 percent Federal basis. All funds are limited to construction work and some of the right of way cost. Interstate and Federal-aid Primary funds may be used in both rural and municipal areas; the amount designated for urban areas must be spent inside specially defined urban limits of areas containing 5,000 people or more; secondary funds are used on rural roads and connecting streets in places of less than 5,000. In relation to the proposed state systems, most funds except Federal-aid Secondary appor- tionments would be confined to the Interstate and other parts of the State Trunkline System. About half of Federal-aid Secondary costs are on the County Arterial Systems and the balance on trunk- line routes which cannot qualify for Federal-aid Primary designation, because of Federal restric- tions on total mileage. Review and Comparisons On a 20-year average basis, expenditures proposed on the systems recommended for full responsibility of the Department of Highways total $97,879,000 annually—68 percent of all road and street costs. For all systems, costs of construction alone for the 20-year period total $2,098,821,000. Average annual cost for construction would amount to about $105,000,000 with mainte- nance and administration totaling another $39,- 000,000. The ratios of construction to total annual program costs vary by systems—from 88 percent for construction on Interstate routes, to 62 per- cent on County Feeder Systems. Municipal needs for all systems inside in- corporated areas total 17 percent of the 20-year requirements for all systems. 69 Urgency of construction work among princi- pal systems also varies, as the following table then keep up with highway needs. The program requires a long range continuing effort on the Annual average total cost per capita, esti- mated for the period, is another guide to consid- indicates: eration of program feasibility. Such costs for a part of all highway agencies. Highway systems System Construction Backlog 20-year program show: are never “completed,” but investments can be Percent made to last longer and therefore cost less per of 20-year Annual Cost Per Capita year through better advance planning and ade- Cost conſºon Kentucky $ 45 quate basic designs. Interstate Michigan 44 º º Rural $275,843,000 95 Minnesota 46 - Total financial requirements must be con- Urban 92,584,000 95 Mississippi 28 sidered in the light of the separate fiscal study. Other State Trunklines Ohio 33 The features and recommendations of both stu- Rural 381,873,000 60 * West Virginia 46 dies a TC geared together:—the long-range financ, Urban 17,643,000 31 ing possibilities are based on the costs estimated 232,703,000 57 29,903,000 29 County Arterials Municipal Arterials With the volume of this backlog work already deferred beyond tolerable limits, it would be desirable to find means to expedite its com- pletion within financial feasibility. Today, Kentucky is spending on highways, roads and streets the equivalent of about 1.1 cent per vehicle mile of travel, about 12 percent of the total average cost of owning and operating the average motor vehicle. With the expected in- crease of about 72 percent in travel by 1975, average traffic during the next 20 years would be 36 percent above the 1954 level and costs to develop and maintain all systems properly would amount to about 1.2 cents per vehicle mile. That value compares favorably with other states: Kentucky 1.2 cents Michigan 0.97 cents Minnesota 1.02 cents Mississippi 1.18 cents Ohio 1.04 cents *West Virginia 1.46 cents * Less feeder streets Only Kentucky and Michigan data include the high standards of Interstate System improve- ment described in this report. Other studies were completed prior to determination of need for full freeway design on that system. The $45 esti- mated for Kentucky is the equivalent of about 12 cents per day per person. Kentucky's economic future and the welfare of its citizens depend in large measure on the adequacy of its highway transportation network. For many years, investment in improved highways has lagged behind needs of mounting traffic, with the result that there are large mileages of roads and streets which now fail to give tolerable serv- ice. This report gives a reasonable and conserva- tive statement of what is required to catch up and in this study; the costs are based on the proposed classification of systems; improvement needs are keyed to proposed developments on other systems, such as construction of the Interstate system; all phases presume efficient management developed in general along the lines recommended herein. Should one element be adopted without the others, careful analysis should be made of the effect upon the whole structure. One of the basic difficulties now existing is an unbalanced opera- tion, proceeding without full realization of its far-reaching effects. For example, the report em- phasizes the importance of county and city govern- ment in road and street operations and financing; if their role is diminished, rather than enhanced, a greater burden is thrown upon the state. Continued change is characteristic of a dy- namic economy, and highway affairs must keep pace. Continued planning and restudy of all pertinent matters by all highway agencies is es- sential to properly advise legislators and the public on needed changes of the future. For the time being, this report furnishes a sound basis for appropriate action which should lead to beneficial results. 7O - Fºº - Nº. COUNTY ROAD MILEAGES AND EXPENDITURES Mileages as of January 1, 1955 Expenditures in year ending June 30, 1953 *Less than $60,000 per county, or less than $150 per mile Direct County Rural Highways Expenditures from Fund Allotment Truck Licenses Total Spent on Expenditures County Mileage Spent by State and Local Taxes County Roads Per Mile Adair 651 $ 41,805 $ 16,400 $ 58,205* $ 89* Allen 451 37,767 20,750 58,517* 130° Anderson 214 27,970 38,020 65,990 308 Ballard 282 29,676 26,970 56,646* 201 Barren 673 48,355 44,898 93,253 139* Bath 198 32,189 58,663 90,852 459 Bell 235 52,718 17,993 70,711 300 Boone 208 32,805 11,761 44,566* 695 Bourbon 250 33,024 60,772 93,796 375 Boyd 178 33,590 220,860 254,450 1,430 Boyle 175 29,142 78.375 107,517 615 Bracken 219 27,514 26,076 53,590° 244 Breathitt 305 47,235 17,040 64,275 211 Breckinridge 563 46,983 27,533 74,516 132* Bullitt 334 33,412 34,816 68,228 204 Butler 472 38,967 14,628 53,595* | 1.4° Caldwell 317 32,945 21,647 54,592* 172* Calloway 733 39,694 54,031 93,725 128* Campbell 204 31,334 131,280 162,614 797 Carlisle 243 25,435 19,651 45,086* 186 Carroll 109 24,655 20,014 44,669* 410 Carter 468 45,929 21,047 66,976 143* Casey 643 43,326 17,031 60,357 94% Christian 522 64,121 80, 184 144,305 277 Clark 233 30,534 57,633 88,167 378 Clay 583 49.204 13,427 62,631 107* Clinton 173 29,174 9,064 38,238.* 221 Crittenden 322 35,547 17,096 52,643* 163 Cumberland 279 32,367 11,821 44,188” 158 Daviess 61.2 49,217 199,512 248.729 406 Edmondson 215 32,066 11,961 44,027* 205 Elliott 266 27,823 24,639 52,462* 197 Estill 347 34,461 21,050 55,511 + 160 Fayette 259 48, 164 19,946 68,110 263 Fleming 303 35,831 32,448 68,279 226 Floyd 3.13 69,417 68, 197 137,614 439 Franklin 23 31.966 123,889 155,855 665 Fulton 2.13 31,466 25,233 56,699° 266 Gallatin 84 19,982 15,868 35,850° 427 Garrard 262 30,590 48,898 79,488 303 Grant 308 30,287 57,270 87,557 284 Graves 819 51,960 91,158 143,118 175 Grayson 586 46,120 25,362 71,482 122* Green 439 32,642 27,553 60,195 13.7% Greenup 37 45,670 79,486 125,156 337 Hancock 219 24,933 28,662 53.595* 245 Hardin 587 70,993 96.490 167.483 2.85 Harlan 173 79.937 57,732 137,669 795 Harrison 373 35,541 81,331 116,872 3.14. Hart 435 41.314 51,250 92,564 2.13 Henderson 407 40,805 160,422 201,227 494 Henry 261 33,016 49,526 82,542 316 Hickman 282 28,663 25,822 54,485* 193 Hopkins 535 55,805 80,972 136,777 256 Jackson 559 36,191 15,074 51,265* 92* Jefferson Jessamine Johnson Kenton Knott Knox Larue Laurel Lawrence Lee Leslie Letcher Lewis Lincoln Livingston Logan Lyon McCracken McCreary McLean Madison Magoffin Marion Marshall Martin Mason Meade Menifee Mercer Metcalfe Monroe Montgomery Morgan Muhlenberg Nelson Nicholas Ohio Oldham Owen Owsley Pendleton Perry Pike Powell Pulaski Robertson Rockcastle Rowan Russell Scott Shelby Simpson Spencer Taylbr Todd Trigg Trimble Union Warren Washington Wayne Webster Whitley Wolfe Woodford Totals Average 702 437 40.4 202 252 337 317 492 367 276 395 185 216 356 229 304 419 414 116 428 57.1 459 177 914 164 309 25 | 343 250 651 | 43 1,152 481 194 310 183 42,557 115.609 29,452 41,518 44.984 42.428 49,551 30,789 50, 190 40,630 27,910 40,974 5.1.112 42.291 40,545 30,945 52,047 28,505 35,273 42,181 30,721 46,393 35,424 39,554 36,369 30,966 29,891 32,258 24,910 30,195 32,115 36,583 26,908 37,839 56,621 45,023 26,757 52,198 28,629 34.191 26,325 31,268 56,581 101,607 24,998 63,327 19, 193 35,841 34,056 34,511 31,475 41,684 31,280 25,280 35,112 37,592 38,628 22,676 37,789 52.963 34,772 44,540 38.137 50,661 27.718 29, 128 $4,699,895 643,132 38,200 18,120 215,118 20.548 26,388 21,291 29,024 56,157 23,877 6,696 19,779 36,715 69,169 11,817 31,680 16,914 152,733 15,842 29,762 69,968 12,500 70,095 13,856 8,374 93,792 29,418 15.349 77,903 13,584 15,532 48,977 11,132 57,506 153,787 68,429 95,883 40,786 28,816 11,903 36,947 44,441 90,053 13,485 52,955 9,030 19,826 23,494 27,500 61,902 82,724 31,038 19,665 33.897 30,715 14,283 16,534 104,326 110,805 31, 161 20,990 54,372 11,534 13,337 105,659 $6,190,457 Counties with less than $60,000 Counties with under $150 per mile 758,741 67,652 59,638.* 260,102 62.976 75,939 52,080° 79,214 96.787 51,787° 47,670* 70-891 79,006 109,714 42,762° 83,727 45,419° 188,006 58,023* 60,483 116,361 47,921* 109,649 50,225* 39,340° 123,683 61.676 40,259° 108,098 45.699° 52,115* 75,885 48,971* 114,127 198.810 95,186 148,081 69,415 63,007 38,228* 68,215 101,022 191,660 38,483.” 116,282 28,223* 55,667* 57,550° 62,011 93,377 124,408 62,318 44,945° 69,009 68,307 52,911° 39,210* 142,115 163,768 65,933 65,530 92,509 62,195 41,055* 134,787 $10,890,352 43 23 1,081 405 210 1,120 191 229 172 93* 237 135° 154 406 181 272 190 195 225 748 172 191 216 131* 397 127° 212 574 173 176 355 109% 126* 654 14* 200 433 532 162 424 204 153 199 404 2.94 269 101* 330 11.8% 297 200 3.11 392 216 292 201 292 160 227 620 345 149* 156 239 104* 152 739 256 NEW CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS FOR RURAL COUNTY FEEDER ROADS TRAFFIC URFACE URFA RA S S CE GRADE CURVES GRADES AND º BRIDGES º: NON- PASSING SIGHT DISTANCE DESIGN | Ci EAR VERT. AOT (1965) TYPE WIOTH WIOTH Wiſ)TH | LOAD º FT. CLEAR FT|PROTECTION OVER 7OO US E C ON ST RUCTION STAN DAR D S FOR COUNTY ARTE RIAL ROADS T g sº ºf so ** 2 SAFE FOR 40 MPH. 5 O | H – 15 || 24 || || 4 42 STANDARD NO.2 | SURFACE |OO - 4 OO 4! TREATED 18 24 4 SAFE FOR 35 MPH 5O H-15 22 |4 Z2 STANDARD NO.3 || TRAFFIC 5 O - 10O BOUND | 6 22 SAFE FOR 30 MPH 4 O H - O 18 | 4 42 GRADED STANDARD NO.4 WARNING AND *= 2O SAFE FOR 25 MPH 4O IO-T 18 |4 UNDER 50 /s DRAINEO SIGNS Al includes built-up subdivision streets. Z2 Floshing.Lights Signols when highway trofic (ADT) times number of troins per doy exceeds 3500. Worning signs of all crossings. 43 On Roods in this closs which ore Moil or Bus Routes use stondord No.3. 4 Grode width moy be reduced 2' in heavy mountoinous terrain. TABLE OF TO LERABLE CONDITIONS FOR RURAL COUNTY FEEDER ROADS TRAFFIC SUR FA C E | GRADE CURVATURE, GRADE 8. NON-PASSING T BRIDGES A DT (1952) TY PE WID TH p S. Ols.T. LOAD | CLEAR VERT. RAT ING | Wł OTH | CLEAR. TOLERANCE NO sº USE CHART OF TOLERABLE CONDITIONS FOR COUNTY ARTERIAL ROADS OVER-7OO to enace noz snace treated a SAFE FOR M P H * t 200-700 a 2 LANES 3O H-IO || ||8 |2 TOLERANCE NO 3 T. 8 Zl * REASON- 2 O SAFE FOR 3O M P H H-1 i |OO - 2 OO MEDIUM O || || 6 ABLE TOLERANCE NO 4 l B SAFE FOR P º: TO | M. P. H | LAN 50 – 1 OO LIGHT 8 25 IO-TONS F | SERVE PRESENT TOLERANCE NO 5 || PASSABLE G 8 D SAFE FOR 2 O M P H # | Lee | uses: | 4 | UNDER-50 a. EARTH 6-TONS 43 £4 NOTE: Culverts should be roodway width with sufficient waterway T. B. Medium 9CO – ||OO Tons Per mile Light 500-700 Tons Per mile On Roods in this closs which ore Bus routes use Tolerance No. 3; For moil routes only use Tolerance No. 4. Roods not required to provide doily service (used for only a few trips a yeor ) are tolerable in present condition. Grode widths in Heavy Mountainous Terrain to be reduced 2 feet. Includes built-up subdivision streets. to hondie normal run-off. NEW CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS FOR COUNTY ARTERIAL RURAL ROADS, STRUCTURES 8. R.R. GRADE X-ING PROTECTION FUTURE MAX. CURVATURE | STOPPING SiGHT MAX. GRADE MIN. BºIDGES ANNUAL AVG. SURFACE SURFACE GRADE (DEGREES) DISTANCE (FT.) (PER CENT) R/tº R. R. GRADE 24 HR TRAFFIC TYPE widºrr: I who'ſ M width | DESIGN | clear | verſ | CROSSING IN. V. P. D. (FT.) (FT) TERRAIN TERRAiN TERRAIN (FT.) |Loading| width cultan | PROTECTION (1965) As | Flar Earl MT. Ft. Aſ Round $4T. Fu. Aſ |sound tº T. (FT.) I ( FT.) OVER 2000 USE SAME STANDARDS AS FOR RURAL TRUNKLINE SYSTEM IOOO-2OOO MEDiUM TYP (sro. Nos. 1, 2,3) (2"TO3." tº 22 34 5 |2 525 || 375 || 3OO 5 6 8 7O | H - 20 || 26 | & 42 400- IOOO |MEDIUM TYPE |OO - 4OO & | SURFACE - tsſp. Nos. 7, c.9)| TREATED | 8 28 9 | 4 2O 3OO || 275 225 5 8 |O 5 O | H - 15 22 | 4 42 LESS THAN º LOW TYPE - WARNING (STD. Nos. Ko, it, 12) (T.B.) | 8 24 | 4 2O 25 275 225 | 200 5 | O | 2 5O | H - 15 || 20 | 4 SIGNS STANDARD NUMBERS ( EXCEPTING TRAFFIC OVER 2000):- TERRAIN TRAFFIC (ADT) 1965 |OOO-2COO 4OO - |OOO |OO - 400 LESS THAN | OO FLAT | 4. 7 ROLLING 2 5 8 | | MOUNTAINOUS 3 6 9 | 2 Al Use higher Volues for roods corrying heavy Truck Traffic 42 Floshing Light Signals when highwoy troffic (ADT) times No. of trains daily exceed 3500, worning signs of all crossings. Z3. Grade widths may be reduced 3' to 4' in Heavy Mountainous Terroin. (Except that no grade width will be less thon 22 feet. Z4. Use this closs for built - up subdivision streets. TA BLE OF TO LERA BLE COND|T| O N S FOR COUNTY ARTE R AL ROADS 8, STRUCTURES Annudi |Maximum Curvature and Stopping Sight Distonce Measured Moximum Grode Bridges Average Surface Surface || Grode By Safe Speed (M.P.H.) Per Cent 24 Hour Type Width Width Troffic (ft) (ft) - Cleor Verticoſ Mountoin: - in V.P. O. F|Q f Rolling Mounfo inous Flot Rolling trº Logº Wid? h Cleordnc (1952 Volume) Gūs Rating (ft) (ft) Above iOOO Apply Toble of Tolerable Conditions For State Rural Trunk Line System Surface Sofe for Sofe for Sofe for & 4. 4 OO- |OOO Trected $ 8 2s, 45 MPH. 4OM.PH. 35 M.P.H. 6 8 ! O | H - IO || ||8 | 2 Surfcce Sqfe for Sofe for Solfe for & Zº 2OO - 40C) Tred?ed | 6 24.5 40 M.P.H. 35M.P.H. 3O M. PH. 6 9 12 H - O |8 #2 Low Type Sofe for Sofe for SOfe for 43 | OO - 200 (Medium) 2 Lone 22 35 M.P. H. 3O M.P.H. 25 M.P.H. 8 |2 15 H-IO |8 |2 º & Low Type Safe” for Sofe for Sofe for Under IOO (Light) / | 2 Lone | 20 35 M.P.H. 25 M.P.H. 2O M.P.H. 8 12 15 |O Tons || Lone 12 TOLERANCE NUMBERS (EXCEPTING TRAFFIC OVER too O): TERRAIN: TRAFFIC (A.D.T.)- 1952 40O – |OOO 2OO-40O IOC) - 200 Under IOO FLAT | 4 7 |O ROLLING 2 5 8 | | MOUNTAINOUS 3. 6 9 12 ZL Minimum Quantity of Surfacing Material necessory for reasonable year ’ground Service. Z2. On roads in this closs which are school bus routes, use Conditions for A.D. T. of 100- 200 classification. Z: Bridge rating should be higher where subject to heavy loads. A Bridge width must equoi existing opprooch povement width ºf greater than width indicated . Aºi May be reduced 2 feet in heavy mountainous terrain. NOTE: Culverts should be roodway width with sufficient woterwoy to handle normal run-off. 73 COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH COMMISSION STATE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS CONSULTANTS: AUTOMOT VE SAFETY FOUNDATION MARCH 1954 DESIGN STANDARDS FOR RURAL STATE TRUNKLINES SYSTEM SELECTED STATE TRUNKLINE OTHER THAN INTERSTATE SYSTEM NATIONAL SYSTEM OF INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS DESIGN 1975 ADT LESS THAN IOOO iOOO – 2 OOO 2OOO-3C OO 3OOO-5COO t. ESS THAN 25 OO 25OO OR MORE CONTROL TERRAIN GO F R M F R WA F R M F R M F R M F R -- M - TANDAR ITEM sº i 2 3 4. 5 7 8 9 !C | | !2 |3 |4 |5 i5 17 18 DESIGN SPEED (MPH) (3)|| 6 O 5 O 4 O 70 60 50 70 6O 50 7O 70 6O 70 6O 5 O 70 7O 60 OPERATING SPEED (MPH) (3)||45-50|40–45|35-40 |45–50|45–50|40-45}45-50|45-50 |40-45]50–55|45-50|45-50 |45–50 |45-50 |40-45 |50 – 55| 5o 18-so CURVATURE (MaxiMUM DEGREE) (3) 6 9 14 4 6 9 3 5 7 3 4 5 3 5 7 3 3 5 STOPPING SIGHT DISTANCE (FT)(3)|| 475 350 || 275 || 6oo || 475 || 350 || 7oo 525 || 4oo 7oo 7oo 525 7OO || 525 4OO || 7 OO 7OO 525 - - - 4 4 5 7. *...*.*.*.*. 3. 4 5 Amt Rt. Quigg ºf M*s &5 F&R chaoenſ (MAXIMUM PERCENT) (3) Add l º Foº GRAoºs utto&R 750' $º: º 3% to ":::::::::::::: º: *::::: * For STANdAR as to 7-12 PASSING SIGHT DISTANCE 15oo' ||writRE FEASIBLE IO 5 IO |O IO |O iO IO IO IO "Ainthºuw, "... Avalu ABLE (3) t # PER MILE | 8 OO #: IO |O to iO |O LANE WIDTH (FT) #O IO 1O ! ! |t | | 12 #2 12 12 2 ſiz 12 | 2 12 12 t2 12 In curs|| 7 6 3 7 6 4 8 7 4. 8 8 7 8 7 5 8 8 7 SHOULDER WIDTH (3) H (FT) on FILLSI 7 7 5 B 8 7 9 8 7 |O |O 8 |O 1O 8 |O |O 8 RIGHT OF WAY "..." Q|| 70 || 70 || 70 so so so too too too | 120 | 120 | 120 | 120 | 120 | 120 | 150 | 1so 150 SURFACE T YPE MEDIUM – –- || <– MEDIUM —- || --—— HIGH —- —- || --— HIGH -— -- |-s—-— HIGH —- || -- HIGH º- OESIGN LOAD ||-s— H-15 —- || ---— H-2O —- H–20 , s - 16 BRHOGES AR WiſDTH - 80 OR LESS ||<– 24' —--— 26' —- |-s— ROADWAY WIDTH -- I -sº - ROAD way W. DTH —- At L 4 MINIMUM IN LENGTH v ERTICAL CUEARANCE ºf...; 24' - || -— 26' —- 3O' ——º- I -st 3O' -- GRADE SEPARATHONS 8-SiC DESIGN AS FOR BRDGES *— NONE REQUIRED —- *— SPECIAL STUDY FOR WARRANTS - —º- and sight distonce, O TERRAIN ABBREVIATIONS: F - Flot to ond including light rolling, R - Medium through heavy rolling, M - Mountoinous (2) For volumes in this ronge, or greater, copo.city studies moy indicote need for four lones. Standords ore some as for nos iO, 1, 12, ond note (O with these exceptions: Possing sight distonce is not o foctor; Medion strip is required, width of leost 20 feet except in special coses, minimum in any cose 4 feet, Right of woy requires minimum of 200 feet, plus access control on new locotions (3) in urban-like congested oreos outside incorporoted Himits, or in rurol-like sections inside incorporated pioces, design ond operoting speeds may be reduced 10 M.P H, with oppropriate curvatures (See Text) (3) Grodient ond possing sight diston.e stondards for volumes of 2000 or more ADT shot be the best obtainoble with reasonable economy On that bosis, capocity onolysis will determine possible need for truck climbing Iones, or four lones. (5) For stondards nos 7 to 18, use stobilized shoulders up to 8 feet wide. (3) Right of woy should include control of occess on of new locations on the interstate system ond on other highwoys corrying over 3000 ADT (See Text) COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH COMMISSION STATE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS CONSULTANTS: AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY FOUNDATION MARCH 1954 TOLERABLE CONDITIONS FOR RURAL STATE TRUNKLINES SYSTEM CLASSIFIED STATE TRUNKLINES OTHER THAN INTERSTATE SYSTEM NATIONAL SYSTEM OF INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS .DESIGN 1952 ADT || LESS THAN IOOO |OOO - 2000 2OOO - 3OOO 3OOO - 5000 LESS THAN 2500 25OO OR MORE CONTROL TERRAIN". F R M F R *M F R M F R M F R M F R M |TEM *śH 2 3 4. 5 6 7 8 |O || || 12 || |3 14 15 |6 17 | 8 DESIGN SPEED 1 MPH) 5 O || 4 O || 35 || 5 O || 45 | 40 || 60 || 5 O || 4 O || 60 || 5 O 45 || 60 5O 40 60 6O 5 O OPERATING SPEED (MPH) ino capacity PRo8LEMI40-45|35-40 || 35 |40-45 |40-45 35 |45-50 |40-45 40 |40-45 |40-45 35 |45-50 |45-50 |40-45 CURVATURE ( MAx}MUM DEGREE) | 4 2O 9 12 14 6 9 | 4 5 7 9 6 9 | 4 5 5 7 stopping sight Distancertº 275 225 || 350 || 3OO 275 || 475 350 275 || 475 350 | 3OO || 475 || 350 || 275 || 475 || 475 || 350 4. 7 4. 7 4 5 7 4. 5 7. GRADIENT (MAXIMUM PERCENT) ***** wºod 5 7 8 5 sueſ Racf Iº, foſt i.e. oVER IOOO" PASSING SIGHT DISTANCE 15oo' |O 5 |O |O |O |O |O l'O |O |O MiN. */, AVAILABLE BY NOT APPLICABLE 2 MILE SECTIONS 8OO' |O ; O |O IO iO LANE WIDTH (FT) 9. 9 9 |O IO |O |O |O HO [O HO |O |O |O |O |O IO 1O AVERAGE NORMAL SHOULDER WHDTH (FT) 3 3 3 4. 4 3 6 6 4 7 6 4. 6 6 4 7 6 4 SURFACE TYPE BRIDGES losson LOAD _ surface TREATED GOOD CONDITION -— H - I O —- MEDIUM GOOD CONDITION H - 15 ALL 12 MINIMUM V ERT CLEARANCE CLEAR W iDTH is is is 22 || 22 22 |- 24 witH MINIMUM of 2' wider THAN APPROACH PAVEMENT —- GRADE SEPARATIONS 843& 2RSlsº AS FOR BRiOGES NONE REQUIRED SPECIAL STUDY FOR WARRANTS GD TERRAIN ABBREvt.ATIONS: Four lone sections ore toleroble if condition stoted in reference If existing right of way is sufficient to provide for toleroble road widths ond related conditions it witſ be considered occeptable. F - Flo to ond including light rolling, R- Medium through heavy rolling, M - Mountoinous (2) in urbon like congested dreds outside incorporoted limits, or in rurol like sections inside incorporated ploces, tolerable design ond operating speeds ore 10 MPH less thon shown with curvolure and sight distance occordingly. (3) For 1952 ADT of 2000 or more, existing grodes ond possing sight distances will be used for colculating troffic copo.cities of the toleroble operating speeds (3) if the existing lone width is less than tolerable, the tolerable average normol shoulder width must be increosed by o dimension equot to the lone width deficiency. nos. iO, 11, 12, ond note 2 ore met. (See Text) BASIC PRINCIPLES FOR STUDY OF MUNICIPAL STATE AND ARTERIAL ROUTE PROBLEMS AND NEEDS The first objective in the municipal street needs appraisal is to provide a plan for an integrated arterial street system, including State Trunklines, County Arterial roads and major streets, adequate to serve the esti- mated 1975 traffic requirements. The second objective is to determine how best to fit present streets into the desirable future plan at least cost, what new facilities are needed to complete the plan and what the total cost would be. The third objective is to divide the 20- year plan into stages of work according to degree of urgency and practicability. 1. Reasonable freedom from delay should be provided, varying in amount in each community, depending on time losses. Spe- cial attention should be given to delays at major intersections. 2. The solution should anticipate the probable direction and extent of population, industry, business and traffic growth. State- wide, traffic is estimated to increase by 80 percent by 1975. The rate of traffic growth will vary between areas of a municipality, as well as between municipalities, depending on present and future land use, economic conditions and other factors. 3. Traffic control measures are required to the maximum extent to keep the existing street system at top efficiency but, in most cases, they cannot be expected to solve the basic, long-range physical problem. 4. Generally, there are several streets available to serve a directional traffic flow, and alternative solutions to traffic problems are possible. 5. State and local traffic must be con- sidered jointly—not independently. Since main arteries are usually State Trunklines, development plans should be keyed heavily to trunklines. 6. Trunkline re-routing or rural by-passes should be considered when large volumes of through traffic are encountered and where other internal improvements within the municipality would be minimized thereby. 7. Central business districts are estab- lished and in many cases little physical im- provement within such areas is possible to aid traffic circulation. Adequate by-passes of these districts are justified wherever there is heavy through traffic. 8. The best modern engineering practices should be followed in new designs. Widen- ing of existing streets where feasible, should produce at least one added full traffic lane, or at least the 1975 capacity requirement. 9. On the other hand, terrain and existing urban development may severely restrict lo- cation and type of facility which can be provided with reasonable economy. 10. Resurfacing or reconstruction of pavements will be needed in accordance with estimated pavement life expectancy. 11. Removal of parking at peak periods, or at all times, may gain sufficient capacity to satisfy the demand. No construction project will be considered where diagonal parking is maintained. Neither will a con- struction project be considered where pro- visions for parallel parking will require additional right-of-way involving extensive property damage. NEW CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS FOR STATE TRUNKLINES AND ARTERIAL STREETS IN MUNICIPALITIES ſº. ALL CITIES CITEs of over 5poo Population CITIES OF UNDER 5 odo Population design FEATURES ControLi-Ed Access Z! A R T E R LA LS A R T E R A LS MTROLL CCESS Zl Business AREA sºfia. |onlºng area business Asia || Afts OUTLYING AREA 1975 Avg. RAGE DARLY STATE TRUNKLing TRAFFIC VOLUM E 40,000 UP TO | By-Passes ONLY 5 ºf E & E L O Hy TOTAL FOR NO OF LANES SHOWN 60000 4Opoo 'º a SURFACE T YPE A A | A Oſt 8 A | A I A,B OR C Z. NUMBER OF LANES 6 Al 4 Li 2 £1. CONTROLLEO BY ANTICHPATED 975 TRAFFIC VOLUMES AND OPERATING CONDITIONS (SEE MANUAL) SURFACE wrot H 72' 4 8' 24' DETERMINE REQuirzo STREET widt H 8 Y COMSULT ING CAPACITY TABLES 15. NOTREQUIRED, FEDESTRANS Nor PERMITTED LY AS Y a CUR8S AND SIDEWALKS estriaN CROSSING YES YES Hºst; YES YEs jºint; Yo BE PROVIDED WHERE NEEDED SHOULDER WHDTH 12" 12' 1 o' - - 8." | - | - | 8' MINIMUM 4" |F NOT 4 MEDIAN WIDTH MountasLE, OTHERwise 20' - 4' MEDIAN where Ave RAGE DAILY TRAFFIC volume ExCEEOS Iopoo, IF FEASIBut NOT PERMITTED For stree TS HAVING Ave RAGE DALY TRAFF ic volume Exceeding 750o, PARKING PARK in G GENERALLY TO BE D15 COURAGED, witH PARAL LEL PARK iNG PERMIT TED on L Y ExcEPT on FRONTAGE ROAOS DURING OFF - PEAK Houſe S PARALL EL PARK iNG PERMITTED FOR LESSER TRAFFIC VOLUMES ! LLUMINATION CONTINU0US AT INTERSECTIONS CONTINUOUS | A † INTERSECTIONS | CONTInuous | A T IN TER SEC T ONS INTERSECTION TREATMENT CHANNELIZED PROGRESSIVE TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEM OR FIXED T ME SIGNAL WHERE WARRANTED toº, OR MORE OF TRAFFIC ON GRADE SEPARATED INTERSECT NG STREET SiGNALlz E 0 s Top sign controL FOR LOWER TRAFF to vol. UMES te." toº, OF "º, inter CHANGES 1 NTERSECTION AT G RAO E TRAFFIC or PEDESTRIAN ACTUATED SIGNALs whº RE waſ RANTED, OR STOP SIGN con TROL UNDERT TOOTLONG-FULLTROADWAY WIDTH Z STRUCTURES w 10TH ove R iOO' LONG-PAVEMENT with TH PAVE MENT widt H. PLUS SIDE WALKS PLUS 6" PLUS MEDIAN VERTICAL CLEARANCE t 4' | 4 | LOAD M G H - 20 - 5 - 16 For HEavy commercial TRAFFIc H-20-s-i6 ModeRATE H- 20, Light R-15 a i R INGS ſh TR T ARRYING HE Avy TRAFFI w UM RAILROAD CROSSING AT ALL RAFLROAD CROSS! NGS MAin LiNE CROSSINGS Oh STREETS C E C VOLUME sEPARATION wrie RE PRACTICAL AMD ECONOMICALLY FEASt BLE R. R. GRADE CROSSł NG FLASHING LIGHT SIGNALS AT ALL CROSSINGS witHOUT WATCH MAN OR FLAGMAN AND where PROTECTION Ave RAGE DAILY TRAFFIC X NUMBER OF TRAINS = 3500 of MORE A STANDARDS FOR CONTROLLED Access ARTERALs BASED ON 4 o M.P. H. OPERATING SPEED . Access PERMITTED ONLY AT INTERCHANGES AND INTERSECT ONs wif H of HER ARTERIALs Access FROM ABUTTING ProPERTY BY FRONTAGE STREETS wherE REQUIRED a APPLEs specific ALLY TO MEw Locations of 2. LANE staff TRUNkun E RouTES BY-PASSING BUSINESS AREAS of Municipal TIES Z, CHARACTER AND AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC SHOULD DETERMINE THE TYPE OF SURFACE REQUIRED AL 12 FOOT TRAFFIC LANES . a streer width chosen should se Divisible in To Even Number of 11" or 12' La NES, ExCEPT whe RE ONE - way operaTION IS PLANNED Zi NCLUDES SHOULDERS OF APPROACHES a Heavy commerical rRAF Fic includes LARGE NUMBER of TRACTOR-TRAILERs. MoDERATE -occasion AL TRACTOR TRALER5; L16*T-NONE Za. CONDIT ions of TolfRABILITY ARE SOME what LESS THAN THE ABOVE standa Ros, Based on Local condi Tions, FEAslatury And Economic Just 151CAT ION COST OF ROADWAY WORK IN CONSTRUCTION BACKLOG (thousand of dollars) NUMBER AND COST OF STRUCTURES IN CONSTRUCTION BACKLOG Railroad Crossing Type of Work Structures Gates or Flashers Resurface Resurface & New System Number Cost Number Cost System Total Only Widen Reconstruction Construction ($1,000) ($1,000) Interstate Interstate Rural . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240, 417 - - 2,238.* 238, 179 Rural. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386 35, 426 - - Urban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31, 423 - 398 2, 302 28,723 Urban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 61, 161° - - Other State Trunklines Rural . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275, 534 l, 642 51,924 87,446.” 134,522 Other State Trunklines Urban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 111 31 4,000 3,409 2, 67 l Rural. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,047 105,815 60 524 County Arterials. . . . . . . . 176, 187 | 17 336 130,034 45,700 Urban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 7, 188 34 344 County Feeders. . . . . . . . . 171,570 -- 337 149, 93 l 21, 302 County Arterials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,019 56,064 53 4.52 Municipal Arterials. . . . . . 19,054 476 8,856 6,758 2,964 County Feeders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 151 92, 586 19 | 29 Municipal Arterials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 8, 205 78 825 Note: All Costs include right of way * Includes costs for added lanes * Includes cost of six miles of elevated structure MILES OF WORK NEEDED STATEWIDE AVERAGE COSTS PER MILE IN CONSTRUCTION BACKLOG FOR BACKLOG ROADWAY CONSTRUCTION (excludes right of way) Type of Work Resurface Resurface & New Type of Work System Total Only Widen Reconstruction Construction System Resurface Resurface Reconstruction New Only and Widen Construction Interstate Rural . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439 - - 4 435 interstate Urban. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 * - 3 7 19 Rural. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - $413,000 $476,000 Urban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - $133,000 318,000 470,000 Other State Trunklines Rural . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 ,895 50 773 82] >k >k l & 251 Other State Trunklines Urban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 2 30 2] 9 Rural. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $33,000 59, 200 91, 500 95,000 County Arterials. . . . . . .... 6,913 1 O 6 5,352 l, 545 Urban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 500 96,800 117,500 190, 200 County Feeders. . . . . . . . . 20, 548 - 24 17,656 2,868 County Arterials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1,700 44,000 22,000 26,700 Municipal Arterials. . . . . . 147 | 6 59 62 |O County Feeders. . . . . . * * g º e º ºs e º e s e e º s a e e - 13, 600 7,700 6,700 * Does not include six miles of elevated structure Arterial Streets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28,000 110,000 77,000 164,700 ** Includes 184 miles of added lanes 75 Covers routine and periodic work on roads and bridges, including surface sealing, traffic services System Interstate Rural ". . . . . Urban *. . . . County Arterial County Feeder Arterial Street. qnd snow qnd ice control. Does not include betterments or resurfacing, except replacement stone or gravel. Surface Type High Medium Treated Stone Ecurth 4 Lones 2 Lanes or Gravel $3,000 $2,200 - - - - 4,000 - - - - - 1,850 1, 200 $1,085 $ 956 2 $ 987 2 - 3, 200 2, 200 1,700 1,300 - - 1,200 800 800 750 600 $200 - 800 550 450 3OO I 30 2,300 I,700 1,300 1,000 800 - - 1,000 850 800 600 - Feeder Street. Notes: " For freeways. ESTIMATED COSTS PER MILE PER YEAR FOR ADEQUATE MAINTENANCE © º 'º e º e º e o e º 'º e º - e s tº e e º 'º e º O e º 'º e º & G → • ‘º c tº gº e º e º e > 3 tº e º e º e º g tº e e º 'º e º e º e e o e s tº e º 'º e * On existing roads. Same value used for 13 miles of rural trunkline freeways. System Interstate County Arterials. . . . . . . . . . . County Feeders. . . . . . . . . . . . Arterial Streets. . . . . . . . . . . . System Interstate Arterial Streets in Cities over 2,500 pop. . . . e - © e º 'º - © tº º tº tº e - - - e º ºr e º e º & • * * > t e º 'º e º 'º º • Q - e º 'º () & e º 'º - e - e s tº e º 'º e º e - COST OF ROADWAY WORK IN CONSTRUCTION BACKLOG (in thousands of dollars) Right of Way 32,246 Grade and Drain 77,382 5,097 117, 194 3,035 83,864 107,524 4,706 COST OF ROADWAY WORK IDENTIFIED IN 20-YEAR PERIOD Right of Way 32, 246 Grade and Drain 77,382 5,097 160,050 9, 287 12,889 Base and Surface 130,789 6, 438 123,419 4,067 75,546 47,932 8, 664 Base cºnd Surface 130,789 6,438 180,695 17,837 32,677 Total 240, 417 31,423 275,534 10, 11 176, 187 171,570 19,054 Total 240, 417 31, 423 388, 6.15 35,538 60,279 76 NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES DATE DUE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN