During a mid-September listening session between local stakeholders and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District I leadership, one thing became clear about Trigg County’s KY 139 and KY 276.
A frequent number of crashes occur on both roads following implemented detours off of I-24.
However, many — if not more — crashes occur on both roads when there aren’t detours.
That’s according to Trigg County High School graduate and KYTC District I Civil Engineer Austin Hart, who is beyond familiar with these winding roads.
The former connects Cadiz to Princeton, while the latter twists its way from Hurricane Baptist Church, through Blackhawk and up through Wallonia and eventually Cerulean and into the great blue yonder, and he noted a soon-to-be published study will reveal major needs for many reasons.
Hart said that six-year planning projects can take considerable time between the identification and planning phases — and from there includes looking at buildable sections and units, before acquiring property and utility rights.
KYTC, he said, is 75% through planning discussions with both of these roads, which are being analyzed in the following portions.
For KY 139, consider the northern-most section from Exit 56 to the KY 124 Cerulean Road intersection just inside the Cadiz city limits, then from there to the West Cadiz Park traffic signal, and then from the West Cadiz Park to the US 68/80 bypass.
For KY 276, consider from KY 139 and the new Dollar General in Blackhawk to Wallonia, then a small section from Wallonia to Cerulean Road, and then from Rocky Ridge Road back up through the campgrounds and all the way to Wildcat Chevrolet.
Hart said these sections had to make sense not only for the KYTC, but also Trigg County residents, with a financial cost/ultimate safety ratio serving as a key rubric when requesting state and federal funding.
Hart said KYTC leadership went to Frankfort at the end of September, looking to lobby and request help for both roads, and that improvements for each are already part of the annual SHIFT plan — which helps guide both the legislature and local leadership through order of importance.
Projects like KY 139 and KY 276, Hart added, don’t necessarily compete for the same funding required of major and semi-major projects — projects like the eventual corridor widening of I-24, as well as an improved Cairo Bridge from Wickliffe to southern Illinois.
The immediate next step in this process, Hart said, is to take the “good feedback” from the “very well attended” listening session, and continue to work on the study — which is due back to elected officials and the Pennyrile Area Development District no later than 1Q 2026.
A new highway plan will be voted on during the 2026 Kentucky General Assembly Legislative session, and Hart said funds have been requested for both of these roads. He also said it was more likely that smaller projects — like addressing the Blackhawk/KY 139 intersection, the one-lane roads coming in from the Lyon County side, the big culvert on north KY 139 that topples semis, and the lane coming in off of Hurricane Road — could happen within the next two-to-three years, while major leading for widening begins in the 2030-32 budget window.
Furthermore, as of mid-September, KYTC District I spokeswoman Carrie Dillard said the Jefferson Street/Cerulean Road intersection project had been slightly delayed, in order to allow for additional utility design work. She said once plans for the necessary utility relocations are approved, work can return to schedule.
Those relocations were expected to begin at the start of October, with the overall project’s scope completed before the end of the year.
Meanwhile, District 8 Representative Walker Thomas confirmed he has had conversations with KYTC District I Chief Engineer Kyle Poat about sidewalks being constructed around this area — especially with the growing business of the nearby Dollar General.
This is a developing story.
