What is 641 Connect?
641 Connect (KYTC Item #1-187.31) is a project to widen an important corridor in Lyon and Caldwell Counties in Western Kentucky. Following several years of study, a preferred alternate route was identified to reconstruct approximately 9.2 miles of US 641 between Eddyville and Fredonia. The new roadway design will be three lanes, with one through lane in each direction and a center, alternating passing lane. Overall, the project will enhance safety and mobility for residents, visitors, and commercial vehicles.
Purpose & Need
- Reduce congestion and improve safety through wider driving lanes and shoulders
- Improve freight movement from I-24 and I-69 to Fredonia and further north
- Improve emergency vehicle response times between Eddyville and Fredonia
- Connect to a previous US 641 improvement project in Marion
- Improve access to recreational and tourist areas in the region
Safety
The current US 641 corridor between Eddyville and Fredonia has a crash rate well above the state average. There were 70 crashes on this stretch of roadway from October 1, 2016 to September 20, 2019. Contributing crash factors include:
- Narrow lane and shoulder widths
- Substandard road geometry
- Insufficient stopping and passing sight distances
The new roadway addresses these factors by widening lanes to 12 ft and shoulders to 10 ft, and the new three-lane configuration, known as a 2+1, will allow for safer and more frequent passing opportunities.
Mobility
In Lyon County, 641 Connect links travelers to I-24 and I-69. These interstates provide linkage to the Land Between the Lakes recreation area and Paducah to the west, Hopkinsville to the east, Mayfield to the south, and Henderson to the north.
At the northern end of 641 Connect in Caldwell County, the project will join a 5.5-mile highway reconstruction between Fredonia and Marion that was completed in 2019.
Project Development
For the past 15 years, environmental specialists, engineers, elected officials, and the public have worked together to develop the 641 Connect project. After conducting an environmental assessment and gathering extensive public input, KYTC District 1 has reached a preferred alternate route that meets the project’s purpose. Primary factors used in the development of the preferred route include:
- Safety
- Addressing current and long-term transportation needs in the region
- Limiting impacts to farms, homes, businesses, and other private property
- Maximizing use of state-owned property
- Keeping project within budget/minimizing cost escalations
- Limiting impacts on the environment
- Avoiding further delays
Route options
2+1 ROADWAY DESIGN
The new roadway will have one 12-foot lane in each direction, a center, 12-foot alternating passing lane and outside shoulders of 10 feet. The addition of a passing lane will allow drivers to safely bypass slower vehicles, reducing the risk of head-on collisions and preventing backups that are common on two-lane roads.
2+1 roadways are a lower cost solution to improving safety on roadways. They also take less time to build and have a smaller footprint than four-lane divided highways.
Environmental Assessment
As required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), an Environmental Assessment for the project corridor was completed. This assessment provides a detailed project description, explanation of the project’s purpose and need, analysis of the alternate routes considered, and identifies environmental impacts.
Public Meetings
Past Meetings
Public Meeting: July 11, 2023
Public Hearing: July 19, 2021
Public Meeting: August 27, 2019
Comments
Public feedback is an important part of 641 Connect. Please complete the form below to submit a comment to the project team.
Contact Us
Do you have questions about 641 Connect? Please contact the project team at info@641connect.com.
Thank you for your interest in the project.
