ES‐1 

Princeton Small Urban Area Study: Executive Summary

TheKentuckyTransportationCabinet(KYTC),inpartnershipwithCDMSmith,hasundertakenthisSmallUrbanAreaStudytoexaminethestate‐maintainedhighwaynetworkinPrinceton,KYinCaldwellCounty.Thepurposeofthisstudyistoidentifytransportationissuesincoordinationwithstakeholdersandtodevelopprioritizedimprovementconceptstoaddressthem.Thisstudybuildsuponpreviouslycompletedplanningstudiesintheregion,includingthecity’s1999ComprehensivePlanandthe2013ComprehensiveEconomicDevelopmentStrategiespreparedbythePennyrileAreaDevelopmentDistrict.

Existing Roadway Characteristics Chapter2ofthereportprovidesanoverviewofexistinghighwaycharacteristicsintheurbanarea.

ArterialstreetsinthestudyareaincludeUS62,KY91,KY139,andKY293.I‐69passesalongthenorthsideoftownwithinterchangesatKY91andKY293buttheinterstateisnotincludedinthescopeofthisstudy.

Trafficvolumesalongtheseroutesarerelativelylowtomoderate.ThehighestvolumeoccursalongUS62(MainStreet)betweenKY91andtheone‐waypairdowntown,whichhasarecentaveragedailytrafficvolumeof13,100vehiclesperday.Levelofserviceanalysisindicatesexistinghighwaysegmentsoperateatacceptablelevels(LOSDorbetter)basedonbothcurrentandprojected2040trafficvolumes.Individualintersectionswerenotevaluatedforthisanalysisbutarediscussedconceptuallyinthetext.

KeygeometricdeficienciesrestricttrafficmovementsthroughPrinceton,particularlyforcommercialtrucktraffic.LowclearancerailoverpassesonKY2080andKY139restricttruckmovements.AlocaltruckdetourhasbeendesignatedalongLegionStreet,SeminaryStreet,andGreenStreetalthoughtrucksmustnegotiateaseriesoftightturnsthroughresidentialareastousethisroute.Othergeometricdeficienciesincludesubstandardhorizontalandverticalcurves,tightturns,narrowlanesandshoulders,nonstandardintersectionconfigurations,andinadequateclearzones.

Numeroussegmentsand0.10‐mile“spots”withinthenetworkexhibithighcrashrates,orcriticalratefactors(CRF)definedonpage15.HighCRFsegmentsareconcentratedalongMainandMarketStreetsdowntown,plusNorthJeffersonStreetandafewoutlyingcollectorroutes.Withinthestudyarea,18spotswerefoundtohaveaCRFgreaterthan1.00,largelyconcentratedintheone‐waysegmentsdowntown,alongcommercialsectionofUS62westofdowntown,alongKY91neartheI‐69rampsandattheschooldriveways,andonKY278.

Executive Summary 

  ES‐2 

Previously Identified Projects  DescribedinChapter4,numeroustransportationprojectshavebeenidentifiedthroughpreviousplanningefforts.TwoprojectswithinthestudyareaareincludedinthecurrentKYTCSixYearHighwayPlan:ItemNumber2‐153.00and2‐193.00,bothofwhichareportionsofthecity’splannedSoutheastConnector.ThirteenProjectIdentificationForms(PIF)identifypotentialtransportationimprovementsthatfallwithintheurbanlimitsofPrinceton.Inaddition,21transportationimprovementprojectsaredescribedinthe1999ComprehensivePlan.Theseplanningconceptsprovidedthefoundationfortheprioritizedprojectspresentedinthisreport.Theprojectteammetwithlocalofficialsandstakeholderstwicethroughoutthestudyprocesstoreviewtheseprojectconceptsandgatherup‐to‐dateinformationaboutlocalperspectivesandpriorities.

Recommended Improvement Concepts Basedontheresultsoftechnicalanalysis,stakeholderinput,andengineeringjudgment,theprojectteamdevelopedasetofbothlongtermandshorttermrecommendedimprovementconcepts.Theprimarypurposeofeachproject‐levelimprovementconceptidentifiedhereinistoimprovesafetyand/orimprovetrafficoperations.Inaddition,anumberofadditionalproject‐levelgoalswereidentified:

Reducepass‐throughtrucktrafficdowntown Accommodatelocaltrucktrips(i.e.,deliveriestodowntownbusinesses)withinthestreetnetwork Enhancepedestrianconnections,particularlydowntown Enhancebicyclemobility,particularlytolocalandregionalrecreationaldestinations EnhancetourismandeconomicdevelopmentopportunitieswithintheCity Minimizeimpactstoresidents,businessesandtheenvironment

TableES.1(pageES‐4)providesoverviewinformationforeachproposedprojectwhileFiguresES.1andES.2(pagesES‐5andES‐6)presenttheprioritizedimprovementconceptsgraphically.ProjectsheetsinAppendixGofthisreportcontainadditionaldetailabouteachimprovementconcept.

Thethreehighpriorityprojectswererecommended:

TheproposedFive‐LegIntersectionImprovement(ProjectZ)includesreconfigurationoftheexistingfive‐legintersectionbetweenKY91(HopkinsvilleStreet),EastMainStreet,KY91(HawthorneStreet),KY91‐1(EastMainStreet),andEastWashingtonStreettoimprovesafety.SeveralhighCRFspotsandsegmentsappearatthislocation.Basedoninputfromlocalstakeholders,alocalprojecttoextendWashingtonStreettoKY2080couldbeconsideredalongsideProjectZwhenitadvancesforadditionalprojectdevelopmentphases.

Executive Summary 

  ES‐3 

AseriesofspotimprovementsalongthedesignatedTruckRoutearerecommendedtoimprovesafetyandtrafficflow.Componentsinclude:

o ProjectW,torealignthecurveattheGreenStreet/SeminaryStreetintersectiontoincreasedesignspeed;

o ProjectB,toaddturnlanesandimproveradiiattheGreenStreet/JeffersonStreetintersection;

o ProjectN,toreroutethedesignatedtruckrouteoneblocksouthtoGreenStreet,eliminatingtwotightturnsovertheexistingroute;

o ProjectF,toaddturnlanesattheLegionStreet/JeffersonStreetintersection;ando ProjectC,torealignasegmentofUS62northofKY3114(YoungStreet)toimprovesight

distanceandadeficienthorizontalcurveincloseproximitytoaroadsideutilitypole.

 

TheSoutheastConnector(ProjectsK,Q,andR)wouldcreateanewtwo‐lanehighwaylinkeastandsouthofdowntownPrinceton.Theprojectisintendedtocreateanalternatelinktohelproutetrucktrafficandpass‐throughregionaltripsawayfromone‐waystreetsdowntown.Thenorthernmostlink(ProjectR)includesfundinginthe2014‐2020FinalHighwayPlanthroughconstructionandisinitspreliminarydesignphase.Themiddlelink(ProjectQ)hassomedesignfundingallocatedinthe2014‐2020FinalHighwayPlan. 

Inadditiontospecificprojects,thestudyrecommendsupdatingGPSfilestofacilitatetruckrouting,conductingawalkabilityaudit,incorporatingsystem‐wideaccessmanagementprinciples,preparingaMain/MarketStreetDevelopmentPlanforthedowntownarea,anddevelopingaBicycle/PedestrianPlan.

TruckRouteImprovements

Orangelinesnotethestate‐ownedportionsofthedesignatedtruckroute;pinklinesaresigneddetoursalonglocalstreetstoavoidthelowclearanceoverpasses(markedwithyellowstars).

Bluecalloutboxesnotethelocationofthefiveproposedcomponentprojectsalongthetruckroute.

Executive Summary 

  ES‐4 

Table ES.1: Prioritized Recommendations 

Timeline Improvement Length TotalCostRecommendedHighPriorities

ShortTermFive‐LegInt.Improvements(Z) – Option1or2Option1Option2

1.8mi1.8mi

$2.5M$1.5M

ShortTerm

TruckRouteImprovements ‐ AllCombinedW(GreenSt/SeminaryStcurve)B(GreenSt/JeffersonStintersection)N(GreenStrerouting)F(LegionSt/JeffersonStintersection)C(curvesnorthofYoungSt)

0.16mi0.18mi0.23mi0.18mi0.55mi

$10.6M$1.6M$2.1M$1.7M$1.9M$3.3M

LongTerm SoutheastConnector(KQR) 3.7mi $32.0MRecommendedMediumPriorities

ShortTerm CourthouseSq.Operations(X)‐ Option2A 0.14mi $1.3MShortTerm KY278CurveImprovement(BB) 0.1mi $0.9M

LongTermKY293toUS62Connection – OptionJorGJ(newalignmentnearurbanboundary)G(GroomsLaneExtension)

1.8mi3.0mi

$9.2M$14.5M

LongTerm

WidenKY91‐AllCombinedE(I‐69rampstoKY139)S2(KY139toFredonia)S1(SoutheastConnectortoChristianCounty)

21.8mi1.7mi9.4mi10.7mi

$42.1M$8.0M$16.3M$17.8M

LongTerm WidenKY139(U) 12.8mi $22.3MRecommendedLowPriorities

ShortTerm US62/PlumStreetIntersectionImprovements(AA) 0.1mi $1.2MLongTerm NorthsideConnector(MIP) 4.9mi $41.2MLongTerm KY2080OverpassReconstruction(H) 0.1mi $6.2MLongTerm US62Sidewalks(D) 1.7mi $2.2MLongTerm KY139Sidewalks(CC)* 0.7mi $1.1M

*NoprojectsheetincludedinAppendixGasthisprojectwassuggestedduringthesecondprojectteammeetingasahigh‐levelconceptandisrecommendedforconsiderationaspartofaRegionalBike/Pedplanningeffort.

Figure ES.1

Southeast Connector High Priority, $32.0 M

KY 293 to US 62 Connector Projects J or G

Medium Priority, $9.2-14.5 M

Southern KY 293 to US 62 Connector Medium Priority, $9.2-14.5 M

Widen KY 91 Medium Priority, $17.8 M

Widen KY 91 Medium Priority, $16.3 M

Widen KY 139 Medium Priority, $22.3 M

Northside Connector Projects M, I, and P

Low Priority, $41.2 M

US 62 Sidewalks Low Priority, $2.2 M

KY 2080 Overpass Low Priority, $6.2 M

High Priority Projects Southeast Connector, 3.7 miles new alignment Project R (KY 293 to KY 91) Project Q (KY 91 to KY 139) Project K (KY 139 to KY 293) Medium Priority Projects Southern KY 293 to US 62 Connection Project J (1.8 miles new alignment) or Project G (3.0 miles new alignment) Widen KY 91, 21.8 total miles Project E (I-69 ramps to KY 139) Project S2 (KY 139 to Fredonia) Project S1 (Southeast Connector to county line) Widen KY 139, 12.8 total miles Project U (KY 293 to Cadiz) Low Priority Projects Northside Connector, 4.9 miles new alignment Project M (KY 293 to KY 91) Project I (KY 91 to Old Fredonia Road) Project P (Old Fredonia Road to US 62) KY 2080 Rail Overpass Reconstruction, 0.10 miles Project H Add sidewalks along US 62, 1.67 miles Project D Add/upgrade ADA sidewalks along KY 293, 0.7 miles Project CC Inset descriptions under each project heading above are also listed in priority order within each project. For example, Project R is the highest priority component of the Southeast Connector Project.

KY 293 Sidewalks Low Priority, $1.1 M

S2

E

S1

U

J

G

D

CC

H

K

Q

R

P

I

M

Study Area

Widen KY 91 Medium Priority, $8.0 M

↓ to Cadiz ES-5

High Priority Projects

Five‐Leg Intersection Improvements Project Z (Option 1 or 2)

Truck Route ImprovementsProject W (Green St/Seminary St Curve)Project B (Green St/N Jefferson St Intersection)Project N (Green St Rerouting)Project F (S Jefferson St/Legion St Intersection)Project C (0.55 miles of realignment north of KY 3114)

Medium Priority Projects

Operational Improvements at CourthouseProject X (Option 2A)

KY 278 Curve Realignment, 0.10 milesProject BB

Low Priority Projects 

US 62/Plum Street Intersection ImprovementsProject AA

Inset descriptions under each project heading above are also listed in priority order within each project. For example, Project W is the highest priority component of the Truck Route Improvements. 

Five‐Leg IntersectionProject Z

High Priority, $1.5‐2.5 M

Truck RouteProject  C

High Priority, $3.3 MTruck Route

Projects W, B, N, F, CHigh Priority, $10.6 M

Truck RouteProjects W, B, N

High Priority, $5.4 M

Courthouse SquareProject X

Medium Priority, $1.3 M

KY 278 ImprovementProject BB

Medium Priority, $0.9 M

US 62/Plum St IntersectionProject AA

Low Priority, $1.2 M

Truck RouteProject F

High Priority, $1.9 M

Study Area

Figure ES.2

ES‐6