Staff report

ASHLAND, Ky. — Construction starts this week to improve the U.S. 60 and Boy Scout Road (KY 1012) intersection near Ashland in Boyd County by reconfiguring it for “continuous green-T” traffic.

A continuous green-T intersection, like the one now at U.S. 23 and Diederich Boulevard (KY 693) in Greenup County, is a low-cost intersection alternative that reduces congestion by allowing some traffic on a high-volume highway to move freely with a continuous green light.

Once construction is complete, here’s how it will work at US 60 and Boy Scout Road:

Traffic on westbound U.S. 60 coming from Ashland will not have to stop at the Boy Scout Road signal. Instead, both westbound lanes will have a continuous green signal allowing traffic to flow freely.

On eastbound U.S. 60 going toward Ashland, the signal will stop traffic as usual – but in shorter cycles — to allow vehicles to cross to and from Boy Scout Road.

On Boy Scout Road, traffic can turn right or left onto U.S. 60 at each green signal as usual — but also in shorter cycles. The key difference is that traffic turning left onto westbound U.S. 60 toward Summitt will cross into a new acceleration-merge lane and have several hundred feet to merge right into the free-flowing westbound U.S. 60 traffic.

Overall, the intersection improvement project will reduce signal wait times and decrease the number of cars stopped at the traffic signal, thereby reducing traffic delays and congestion. There’s also a potential reduction in crashes associated with continuous green-T intersections.

Contractors have started working to reconfigure the U.S. 60 and Boy Scout Road intersection to build raised concrete medians, install traffic separation posts, restripe pavement for new merge and turn lanes and install new signal equipment.

Over the next two to three weeks, U.S. 60 will be reduced to one lane each direction through the intersection. Traffic on U.S. 60 and Boy Scout Road could be flagged at times. Motorists should use caution in the work zone.

Work is being done by Hinkle Construction Services, LLC, under a low-bid $134,582 Kentucky Transportation Cabinet contract.