About the Study

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is conducting the US 60 Connectivity Study to examine the feasibility, costs, and impacts of a potential new US 60 corridor and Ohio River crossing between Barlow, Kentucky and I-57 north of Cairo, Illinois.

The study will help determine if a new corridor and river crossing will offer long-term value to the Commonwealth and the traveling public.

This study is being funded by the state, through an appropriation in Kentucky’s 2022 Enacted Highway Plan. The final study report will be complete in early 2024. See Study timeline. No future phases of this project are included or funded in the highway plan.

Study Process

The US 60 Connectivity Study is a Planning and Environmental Linkage (PEL) study. PEL studies aim to consider environmental, community, and economic goals and use the collected data, analysis, and products to inform the environmental review process—namely the decision-making process outlined in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This study requires the PEL process because there is a signed NEPA document for the US 51 Bridge Replacement project.

Components of the US 60 Connectivity Study process include:

• Data collection
• Traffic forecasting
• Geotechnical and seismic analysis
• Environmental and socioeconomic analysis
• Design concept preparation and cost estimating
• Resource agency, elected official and stakeholder coordination
• Public Involvement