Interstate 369 Kentucky

Overview

A 38.4 mile section of the Western Kentucky Parkway, between I-69/Future I-169 (Pennyrile Parkway) near Nortonville and I-165 (Natcher Parkway) near Beaver Dam, is proposed as Interstate 369. The rural freeway connects the Muhlenberg County seat of Greenville and adjacent Powderly and Central City with the Ohio County cities of Rockport and Beaver Dam. Upgrades needed to bring the rural freeway to Interstate standards include replacing the four loop interchange at U.S. 431 (2nd Street) at Central City to eliminate weaving traffic.

Designated by the KYTC as WK-9001, Western Kentucky Parkway extends another 98.4 miles east from I-165 to I-65 and KY 61 at Elizabethtown. This portion is not currently proposed as an Interstate. Western Kentucky Parkway from Pennyrile Parkway west to I-24 near Eddyville was designated in 2011 as the first section of Interstate 69 in the Bluegrass State.

Route Information

East End – Beaver Dam, KY
West End – Nortonville, KY
Mileage – 38.4
Cities – Greenville, Powderly, Central City, Rockport, Beaver Dam
Junctions – Future

Source: Estimate from KYTC general highway map

WK-9001 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

Source: 2013-16 AADT – KYTC Traffic Counts

History

Legislation to designate Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway as Interstate 369 from the exchange joining I-69 and the Pennyrile Parkway (Future I-169) to I-165 (William Natcher Parkway) was introduced by Senator Mitch McConnell and U.S. Representative James Comer on April 3, 2019. This section would be added as a High Priority Corridor, allowing for the eventual classification of the Interstate highway. The new designation would help promote economic development and new industry in Muhlenberg and Ohio Counties.¹

Western Kentucky Parkway was completed in 1963 and operated as a toll road until 1987. The exchange at Exit 58 once housed a toll plaza below the U.S. 431 overpass.²

East End – Beaver Dam, Kentucky

Western Kentucky Pkwy – East at

The exchange connecting Western Kentucky Parkway (Future I-369) with Interstate 165 lies just east of a service plaza. 09/06/20

Western Kentucky Pkwy – West at

Signs for Interstate 165 were installed along the Natcher Parkway starting in March 2019. 09/07/20

South at Western Kentucky Pkwy

A cloverleaf interchange (Exit 77) joins Interstate 165 (Natcher Parkway) south with Western Kentucky Parkway in a rural area southeast of Beaver Dam. 09/07/20

North at Western Kentucky Pkwy

09/07/20

West End Future – Nortonville, Kentucky

Western Kentucky Parkway – West at Future

Western Kentucky Parkway connects with Future I-169 (Pennyrile Parkway) at a cloverleaf interchange adjacent to the curve of Interstate 69 around Mortons Gap. 09/07/20

Future North at / Western Kentucky Parkway

The cloverleaf interchange (Exit 34) between Edward T. Breathitt Parkway (Future I-169) and Western Kentucky Parkway (proposed I-369) was modified during a $29 million design build project to accommodate free flow movements for I-69. Work at the exchange wrapped up in November 2015.³ Photo by Peter Johnson (03/28/21).

Exit 34B joins the west end of Western Kentucky Parkway tying into i-69 south toward Princeton. I-69 curves northeast over Edward T. Breathitt Parkway beyond Left Exit 34C. Photo by Peter Johnson (03/28/21).

South at Future / Western Kentucky Parkway

Future I-169/Pennyrile Parkway branches south from I-69 leading into the cloverleaf interchange (Exit 106) with Western Kentucky Parkway. 06/25/22

Construction of the new roadways for I-69 that bypass the exchange joining Future I-169/Pennyrile Parkway and Future I-369/Western Kentucky Parkway at Exit 106 finished in November 2015. 06/25/22

Sources:

“Legislation Introduced to Designate I-369 Spur in Muhl., Ohio Counties” SurfKY, April 3, 2019.
KentuckyRoads.com – Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway.
“Rebuilt I-69/Pennyrile Parkway interchange nearing completion.” The Gleaner (Henderson, KY), October 16, 2015.

Page updated June 27, 2022.