Re: Road Trip Report: KY-OH


"H.B. Elkins" <hbelkins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message >
> The common section of US 52/62/68 was in terrible shape. Rough pavement
> and many
> slides.
>
> There's no stoplight at the intersection in Ripley where US 62/68 leaves
> US 52.
> From that intersection, the route is four lanes to Red Oak where the two
> routes
> split. Past that, US 68 is an improved two-lane route and in many cases,
> right
> of way is cleared for a possible expansion to four lanes. The quality of
> the
> road deteriorates a bit past Georgetown but it's still a decent ride
> through Mt.
> Orab, where there are only a couple of traffic lights before you get to OH
> 32.

South of Georgetown, there is an Old US 68 that is fairly far away from the
current alignment (62 and 68 were not always multiplexed). The current 68
south of Georgetown is certainly a good road although it dates back to
probably the 60s.

Most of the development around the US 68/SR 32 interchange had occured in
the last 5 years or so. It's a good thing that an exit was built there and
not an at-grade intersection.
>
> Several very oddly-shaped US 68 shields between US 62 and OH 32.
>
> OH 32 carried light traffic, but pavement is not too great in places.

....and the traffic probably got lighter as you went further east, right?
Sometimes it can actually be pretty busy until central Adams County.

As for the pavement, it has gotten a lot worse recently.

Shortly
> after I got on the route, a car with Boyd County KY license plates passed
> me and
> I followed it all the way to the US 23 exit. So apparently there are a few
> drivers who don't like using the AA Highway in Kentucky as the route
> between
> Ashland and Cincinnati.

The fastest way between Cincinnati and Portsmouth that is entirely in Ohio
is actually SR 32 to SR 73 to US 23. Then again, if they are not using the
AA maybe they don't like two lane roads or something.

>
> Traffic lights have been installed at most of the intersections with state
> routes, major exceptions being OH 73, OH 772 and OH 124.

Almost all of those lights were not there 5 or so years ago

Between Seaman and
> Peebles, there is a noticeable change in the terrain, as it goes from
> flat-to-rolling to hilly, reminiscent of Kentucky's Knobs area.

This is my favorite part of 32 and breaks up an otherwise boring drive on a
road I've been on many times. I've seen maps that show different
topographic and geological areas, and they show the Knobs of Kentucky
extending up into this area.

The change
> occurs in the area where OH 32 drops into a valley and crosses the stream
> identified in Rand McNally as "Ohio Brush Creek" but on the sign at the
> bridge
> as "Scioto Brush Creek." The speed limit was 60 mph but I didn't exceed it
> by
> much, although several other drivers did.

There is both an Ohio Brush Creek and a Scioto Brush Creek. I know exactly
what spot of 32 you are talking about (between Seman and Peebles, right?).
I just looked in a DeLorme and it is indeed Ohio Brush Creek that crosses
there. The only thing that confuses me is that it has always been labeled
as "Ohio Brush Creek" along the road. Maybe the sign has been changed since
I was last there????
>
> US 23 is obviously a much older highway and the 55 mph speed limit
> reflects
> that. It was quite congested through Waverly, where the road still goes
> through
> downtown.

As I've said before, it's a shame that Ohio doesn't want to build I-73
because it is the only state where it is needed!
>
> In Waverly, US 23 and OH 104 are multiplexed. OH 335 begins out of nowhere
> at
> the spot where OH 220 crosses, and OH 335 turns off US 23/OH 104 a few
> blocks
> north. This seems to be an arbitrary place for the route to begin/end. Why
> not
> just terminate it at the US 23 intersection? I think there may have been
> an "End
> OH 335" assembly at the OH 220 intersection on southbound 23, but I'm not
> sure.
>
> Some rather complex interchanges along the Chillicothe bypass. I don't
> think
> there is direct access from NB US 23 to EB US 35 (use US 50) or from SB 23
> to WB
> 35 (use Business 23).

The routings are kind of confusing too. Basically 23 and 35 are on
expressways and 50 goes through town, although I think a US 50 bypass is in
the works. Anyone following along know more about this?
>
> I-71, except for portions with recent resurfacing, was in horrible shape.
> I did
> note a sign with the mileage to I-275 (71, I think) and Louisville (200).

Yes, 71 miles.
>
> Most of the BGSes along I-71 have small blue tags that give the exact
> milepoint
> location of the sign. This is unusual and is something I haven't seen
> before.
>
> The route has been three-laned in the Jeffersonville area, and the OH 41
> overpass is closed for reconstruction.
>
> The US 35 exit has been much-discussed. There is no notation of old US 35
> carrying a state route number. New US 35 passes over I-71 just north of
> the
> exit, which carries I-71 over old US 35. This is a heavily commercialized
> area
> and signs point travelers to East 35 and West 35, on the old road. If you
> are
> heading east on old 35, you can only enter new 35 going east; there is no
> WB
> access.

The same is true in the other direction, I think. An unusual setup but I
would think it works well there.
>
> Wesbound drivers on US 35 see BGSes with shields for "To I-71" and OH 729,
> with
> text "Old US 35."
>
> The interchange between US 35 and US 22, US 62 and OH 3 at Washington
> Courthouse
> is interesting. At this spot, US 22/OH 3 and US 62 run nearly parallel to
> each
> other. Two-lane access routes have been built parallel to both lanes of US
> 35.
> Traffic exits onto these C-D routes and can turn toward either US 22/OH 3,
> which
> passes under US 35, or US 62, which crosses US 35. Traffic also enters US
> 35
> from these C-D roads.
>
> US 62 is a pleasant drive southwest, although it's quite congested in
> Hillsboro.
> Much of it has been improved. South of OH 32, the route quality and width
> deteriorates quickly, but it's still a pleasant drive through flat to
> rolling
> farmland before it meets US 68.

The downtown part of Hillsboro was redone within the last few years (new
sidewalks, stoplights, etc.). I'm not sure about the parts away from
downtown; I've never been on them.
>
> Did I mention no traffic light at the US 52/62/68 intersection in Ripley?
> This
> makes trying to get out onto US 52 quite difficult with heavy traffic.

It does seem odd that there is no stoplight there, although I've never seen
much of a backup when I've driven by on 52.

-Pete


.

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