Ramps at Purchase Parkway U.S. 51 Fulton Exit 1 To Close Starting This Afternoon

Purchase Pkwy/KY 339 Wingo Exit 14 Expected To Reopen this week

PADUCAH, Ky. (October 24, 2023) – A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) plans to close all ramps at the Julian Carroll-Purchase Parkway/U.S. 51 Fulton Exit 1 interchange starting this afternoon.  Ramps at the interchange are expected to remain closed for about 45 days.

Barrier wall used to enhance the safety of workers and motorists during reconstruction of ramps at KY 339 Wingo Exit 14 will be moved to Fulton Exit 1 over the next two days.  Moving the barrier wall will require Exit 1 to close before Exit 14 can reopen.

The contractor anticipates that the ramps at the KY 339 Wingo Exit 14 interchange will be ready to reopen by late in the day on Thursday, once the construction barrier wall is moved.

The Purchase Parkway Wingo Exit 14 ramps have been closed since July 10 to allow reconstruction of the old toll booth interchange to meet current interstate standards.  The work is part of upgrades aimed at allowing Interstate 69 to be extended southward along the parkway from the 21 mile marker at Mayfield to the Kentucky-Tennessee State Line at Fulton.

There will be no public access to or from the Purchase Parkway at U.S. 51 Fulton Exit 1 while ramps are extended and shoulder areas reconstructed.  Portable message boards will alert motorists to the ramp closures with a signed detour.

Once Fulton Exit 1 is closed, there will be a marked detour for U.S. 51 with motorists using KY 2568 Fulton Exit 0 at the Kentucky-Tennessee State Line, U.S. 45, and KY 307 Exit 2 as Parkway access points.

Southbound traffic on U.S. 51 seeking to take the Purchase Parkway northbound will continue to U.S. 45 North to reach KY 307 North to access the parkway at Fulton Exit 2.  Northbound U.S. 51 traffic from Tennessee into Kentucky can access the City of Fulton via U.S. 45, Purchase Parkway/KY 2568 Fulton Exit 0, KY 307 Exit 2, or continue northbound on the Purchase Parkway toward Mayfield.

This extended ramp closure at Exit 1 will also impact Clinton/Hickman County area residents who access the parkway southbound via Exit 1.  The closure of all ramps at Exit 1 is expected to be in place for about 45 days or until approximately December 15, 2024.

The contractor continues to have northbound and southbound lane restrictions along the Purchase Parkway for various construction activities, including placement of new guardrail, as well as reconstruction of bridges and overpasses.

Motorists should be mindful of construction activity along the Purchase Parkway from the Kentucky-Tennessee state line at Fulton (mile point 0.0) to the end of I-69 at the 21-mile marker near the U.S. 45/KY 80-Bypass at the southwest edge of Mayfield.

There is a 55 mph work zone speed limit with an enhanced police presence in areas where construction crews are present.

Jim Smith Contracting of Grand Rivers is the prime contractor on this $33.9 million project.  The target completion date for all of the parkway upgrades is December 15, 2024

On completion, the project will allow Interstate 69 to be extended along the final 21 miles of the existing parkway to the Kentucky-Tennessee State Line.

Along with ongoing construction to complete a new I-69 Ohio River crossing between Henderson and Evansville, Indiana, this project through parts of Graves, Hickman and Fulton counties is a significant step toward completing I-69 through Kentucky.

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