Hal Rogers Parkway
Encyclopedia
The Hal Rogers Parkway, formerly named the Daniel Boone
Parkway, connects London
and Hazard
in southeastern Kentucky
. This toll road opened in November 1971 and the tolls were removed June 1, 2003. The original extent of the highway was to be 65.7 miles (105.7 km) instead of today's 62.90, with that mileage to have been used on a limited-access London
bypass. This, however, was not completed. The road is designated unsigned Kentucky Route 9006 (HR 9006).
was the forerunner in getting the tolls lifted on the Daniel Boone Parkway, securing $13 million in federal funding. Former governor Paul E. Patton
, to thank him for removing the tolls on the highway, renamed the Daniel Boone Parkway the Hal Rogers Parkway. This stirred a lot of controversy among Kentucky
residents and descendants of Daniel Boone who were offended that the famous pioneer, who helped settle Kentucky
, was renamed for a sitting congressman whose main accomplishment was getting the tolls lifted off of the parkway. Soon after, the Associated Press
picked up the controversy regarding the renaming of the parkway and outrage over the renaming has been heard across the United States
and as far as the United Kingdom
.
The toll booths were dismantled soon after the tolls were removed on June 1 of 2003 and new Hal Rogers Parkway signs replaced the Daniel Boone Parkway signs. The two at-grade toll booths at exits 34 and 44 were converted into regular intersections and the mainline toll booth near London
was dismantled. It is the only parkway in the state of Kentucky
to be almost exclusively two-lanes with the occasional truck lanes on the hills. There is a center paint divider with rumble strips added as a safety feature. The only at-grade intersections are at Exit 34 and 44, from the western terminus at US 25 to KY 192, totaling four-miles (6 km), and from milepost 58 to Exit 59.
Corridor," a proposed four-lane Interstate utilizing the existing Cumberland
and Hal Rogers Parkway, among other routes, across the southern tier of Kentucky. It cannot be signed as an Interstate until it has permanent connections to the east and west, both of which have not been determined due to the King Coal Highway in West Virginia being built as a corridor
-standard roadway for US 52
. When further studies were made for the new I-66 corridor plans were changed to make no changes to the parkway but to create an entire new interstate corridor parallel to the parkway but merging off to near the east end to create a southern bypass at Hazard, Ky where it will then continue east. Rumors and suggestions were made to completely replace the parkway name and number to an upgraded Ky 80 giving the present lower standard Ky 80 a completely new 3 or 4 digit number (not taking the Ky 9006 number). No plans have been made that action.
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits mad']'e him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of...
Parkway, connects London
London, Kentucky
-Education:All of the following schools are administered by the Laurel County School District.-Primary schools:* * * * * * * * * * * * -High schools:* * -Colleges:* Laurel Technical College* * -Notable natives:...
and Hazard
Hazard, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,806 people, 1,946 households, and 1,266 families residing in the city. The population density was 684.6 people per square mile . There were 2,291 housing units at an average density of 326.4 per square mile...
in southeastern Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. This toll road opened in November 1971 and the tolls were removed June 1, 2003. The original extent of the highway was to be 65.7 miles (105.7 km) instead of today's 62.90, with that mileage to have been used on a limited-access London
London, Kentucky
-Education:All of the following schools are administered by the Laurel County School District.-Primary schools:* * * * * * * * * * * * -High schools:* * -Colleges:* Laurel Technical College* * -Notable natives:...
bypass. This, however, was not completed. The road is designated unsigned Kentucky Route 9006 (HR 9006).
Renaming controversy
U.S. Representative Hal RogersHal Rogers
Harold Dallas "Hal" Rogers is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1981. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and early career:...
was the forerunner in getting the tolls lifted on the Daniel Boone Parkway, securing $13 million in federal funding. Former governor Paul E. Patton
Paul E. Patton
Paul Edward Patton was the 59th governor of Kentucky, serving from 1995 to 2003. Because of a 1992 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution, he was the first governor eligible to succeed himself in office since James Garrard in 1800...
, to thank him for removing the tolls on the highway, renamed the Daniel Boone Parkway the Hal Rogers Parkway. This stirred a lot of controversy among Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
residents and descendants of Daniel Boone who were offended that the famous pioneer, who helped settle Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, was renamed for a sitting congressman whose main accomplishment was getting the tolls lifted off of the parkway. Soon after, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
picked up the controversy regarding the renaming of the parkway and outrage over the renaming has been heard across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and as far as the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The toll booths were dismantled soon after the tolls were removed on June 1 of 2003 and new Hal Rogers Parkway signs replaced the Daniel Boone Parkway signs. The two at-grade toll booths at exits 34 and 44 were converted into regular intersections and the mainline toll booth near London
London, Kentucky
-Education:All of the following schools are administered by the Laurel County School District.-Primary schools:* * * * * * * * * * * * -High schools:* * -Colleges:* Laurel Technical College* * -Notable natives:...
was dismantled. It is the only parkway in the state of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
to be almost exclusively two-lanes with the occasional truck lanes on the hills. There is a center paint divider with rumble strips added as a safety feature. The only at-grade intersections are at Exit 34 and 44, from the western terminus at US 25 to KY 192, totaling four-miles (6 km), and from milepost 58 to Exit 59.
Interstate 66
The parkway was designated a part of the "Future Interstate 66Interstate 66 (west)
The U.S. Department of Transportation had plans to extend Interstate 66 westward across the country to California. However, Interstate 66 west of Wichita, Kansas, has been postponed, with the Nevada and California sections cancelled...
Corridor," a proposed four-lane Interstate utilizing the existing Cumberland
Cumberland Parkway
The Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway is an 88.547 mile long east–west controlled-access highway in the U.S. state of Kentucky, extending from Barren County in the west to Somerset in the east...
and Hal Rogers Parkway, among other routes, across the southern tier of Kentucky. It cannot be signed as an Interstate until it has permanent connections to the east and west, both of which have not been determined due to the King Coal Highway in West Virginia being built as a corridor
Appalachian Development Highway System
The Appalachian Development Highway System is part of the Appalachian Regional Commission in the United States. See: .-History:...
-standard roadway for US 52
U.S. Route 52
U.S. Route 52 is a United States highway that runs across the northern, eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S...
. When further studies were made for the new I-66 corridor plans were changed to make no changes to the parkway but to create an entire new interstate corridor parallel to the parkway but merging off to near the east end to create a southern bypass at Hazard, Ky where it will then continue east. Rumors and suggestions were made to completely replace the parkway name and number to an upgraded Ky 80 giving the present lower standard Ky 80 a completely new 3 or 4 digit number (not taking the Ky 9006 number). No plans have been made that action.
Major intersections
From US 25/KY 80 to KY 192 in London, the Hal Rogers Parkway is a four-lane at-grade highway. East of KY 192, the parkway narrows to two lanes and becomes a grade-separated, limited-access highway except for intersections at the former locations of toll barriers along the road. In Hazard, the parkway intersects three local streets at-grade before terminating at KY 15/KY 80.| County | Location | Mile | Exit Exit number An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore.... |
Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurel Laurel County, Kentucky Laurel County is a county in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 58,849 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is London.The London Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Laurel County.... |
London London, Kentucky -Education:All of the following schools are administered by the Laurel County School District.-Primary schools:* * * * * * * * * * * * -High schools:* * -Colleges:* Laurel Technical College* * -Notable natives:... |
0.000 | |||
| 0.766 | Northern terminus of KY 1769 | ||||
| 1.089 | Southern terminus of KY 30; northern terminus of KY 354 | ||||
| 2.250 | |||||
| 3.010 | |||||
| 3.877 | Eastern terminus of KY 192 | ||||
| Begin limited-access highway eastbound; begin at-grade intersections westbound | |||||
| Clay Clay County, Kentucky - Demographics :As of the census of 2011, there were 21,000 people, 8,556 households, and 6,442 families residing in the county. The population density was 52 people per square mile . There were 9,439 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile... |
Manchester Manchester, Kentucky As of the census of 2000, there were 1,738 people, 778 households, and 455 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,148.4 people per square mile . There were 844 housing units at an average density of 557.7 per square mile... |
20.437 | 20 | ||
| Big Creek | 33.804 |  KY 66Kentucky Route 66 Kentucky Route 66 is a 46.59 mile long state highway in southeastern Kentucky. The route runs from Oneida in Clay County to Pineville in Bell County.-External links:**... |
At-grade intersection; formerly exit 34 | ||
| Leslie Leslie County, Kentucky Leslie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 12,401. Its county seat is Hyden. The county is named for Preston H. Leslie, Governor of Kentucky... |
Thousandsticks Thousandsticks, Kentucky Thousandsticks is an unincorporated community in Leslie County, Kentucky, United States. Thousandsticks is located at the junction of the Hal Rogers Parkway and Kentucky Route 118 northwest of Hyden. Thousandsticks has a post office with ZIP code 41766.... |
44.188 |  KY 118Kentucky Route 118 Kentucky Route 118 , also known as the Hyden Spur and the Tim Couch Pass, is a 3.524 mile long state highway in southeastern Kentucky, running entirely in Leslie County... |
At-grade intersection; formerly exit 44; northern terminus of KY 118 | |
| Perry Perry County, Kentucky Perry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 29,390. Its county seat is Hazard. The county is named for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, a naval hero in the War of 1812.- Geography :... |
56.428 | 56 | |||
| Hazard Hazard, Kentucky As of the census of 2000, there were 4,806 people, 1,946 households, and 1,266 families residing in the city. The population density was 684.6 people per square mile . There were 2,291 housing units at an average density of 326.4 per square mile... |
59.088 | 59 | |||