Component
highways: I-69
US 41 Length 114.8 km | South end: I-24 near Hopkinsville | |
North end: I-69 / US 41 in Henderson Counties Christian County, Kentucky, Hopkins County, Kentucky, Webster County, Kentucky, Henderson County, Kentucky Major cities Hopkinsville, Madisonville, Henderson | ||
The Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway is a 71.306-mile-long (114.756 km) controlled-access highway from Henderson to Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The parkway begins at Henderson as a continuation of the limited-access U.S. Route 41 (US 41) at exit 81; the northernmost three miles (4.8 km) of the Pennyrile Parkway are signed as US 41. It travels south through rolling hills to its southern terminus at Interstate 24 (I-24) south of Hopkinsville. A seven-mile (11 km) section was left unconstructed from US 41 Alternate south to I-24 despite its approval in 1976 from the Parkway Authority for construction. This connection was completed and opened to the public on March 1, 2011. The first 1.8 miles (2.9 km) of the extension to the US 68 bypass (exit 6) were completed and opened to traffic in September 2008. The construction was then completed to exit 5, with the final section to I-24 opened on March 1, 2011.
Contents
- Map of Pennyrile Pkwy Kentucky USA
- Pennyrile parkway southbound to interstate 24 eastbound
- History
- Exit list
- References
Map of Pennyrile Pkwy, Kentucky, USA
The next phase of the extension—now completed—encompassed the portion of the parkway between US 41 Alternate and I-24. As of May 2010, the Lover's Lane interchange (exit 5) is open to local traffic via US 68 ramp (exit 5). The final segment, from US 68 to I-24, opened on March 1, 2011.
It is one of nine highways that are part of Kentucky's parkway system. The section between the Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway near Mortons Gap and the northern terminus in Henderson became part of I-69 with the passage of federal legislation on June 6, 2008. The length of the road carries the unsigned designation Kentucky Route 9004 (EB 9004). From the Western Kentucky Parkway to interchange 148 (formerly interchange 76), the Pennyrile Parkway also carries the signed designation of I-69, effective November 16, 2015. North of Interchange 148, the Pennyrile Parkway runs concurrently with US 41.
The road is named after Edward T. Breathitt, a former Kentucky governor. Originally called the Pennyrile Parkway from its opening in October 1969 at a cost of $69.2 million, it was renamed for Breathitt in 2000.
The parkway passes the cities of Madisonville, Sebree, Mortons Gap, Slaughters, and Earlington. It intersects with the Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway near Madisonville, and with the Audubon Parkway just south of Henderson. Interstate 69 follows the Pennyrile Parkway from Henderson to the Western Kentucky Parkway interchange at Madisonville. At this interchange, I-69 turns west and follows the Western Kentucky Parkway toward Eddyville, while the Pennyrile Parkway continues south toward Hopkinsville.
Pennyrile parkway southbound to interstate 24 eastbound
History
The Pennyrile Parkway, as with all nine parkways, was originally a toll road. By Kentucky state law, toll collection ceases when enough toll has been collected or funds received from other sources, such as a legislative appropriation, to pay off the construction bonds for the parkway. In the case of the Pennyrile, toll booths were removed in 1992 when bonds were paid off ten years ahead of schedule.
A section near the middle of the parkway, in the Madisonville area, was free from tolls from the road's opening; this section was also signed as US 41. The US 41 designation has since been removed and applied to the former US 41A through Madisonville and other nearby cities; this road was the original US 41 before the parkway opened. This redesignation followed a horrendous blizzard on January 17, 1994, which forced the Governor of Kentucky to close all Interstates and limited access highways in the state. Heavy trucks were forced to take US 41A through downtown Madisonville for a week, snarling local traffic.
Exit list
Kentucky is in the process of renumbering exits between I-69/Western Kentucky Parkway interchange and the parkway's northern terminus in Henderson to reflect I-69 mileage through the state.