A new phase has begun in the much-anticipated project to put U.S. 127 in a new alignment in Russell and Clinton counties, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 8 Office in Somerset announced Thursday.
The next phase, which will cost $105 million, involves a six mile section of the roadway, from the north banks of the Cumberland River in Russell County extending south, ending prior to the intersection of KY 3063 near the community of Desda in the northwestern corner of Clinton County. The work will include the construction of five new bridges, plus pavement work on a recently realigned section of U.S. 127 from its intersection with KY 55 to the Cumberland River.
U.S. 127 runs the north-south length of Kentucky, from the Ohio River to the Tennessee border, south of Albany. It is one of the main arteries in southern Kentucky, where its current alignment crosses Wolf Creek Dam, which impounds Lake Cumberland. The current, overall project will re-route U.S. 127 off of the dam.
District 8 officials said Bizzack Construction LLC, prime contractor for the new project, began mobilizing equipment this week with full construction activities to begin in the next couple weeks.
Construction activities will have minimal impact on motorists at this time, according to officials.
Work is scheduled to be complete in the fall of 2027.