Blue GrassParkway

Build in the mid 1960s, theBlue Grass Parkway is a vital link across central Kentucky. Itparallels US 62 from Elizabethtown to Versailles. Along with theWesternKentucky Parkway, itoffers a southwest-to-northeast corridor across the middle of thestate. Collecting traffic from I-65(Nashville, Bowling Green) and the WesternKentucky Parkway(Madisonville, Hopkinsville, Paducah), the Blue Grass Parkwayconnects I-65to US 60. Although the parkway ends at US 60 in Woodford County,traffic can use US 60 east to access Lexington, and I-64and I-75.This route should be extended to connect to I-64somewhere west of I-75in Fayette or Scott counties, but the NIMBY horse farm owners inWoodford County have repeatedly blocked efforts to build this badly-needed connector. Completion of the Blue Grass Parkway toI-64would relieve traffic on US 60, as well as KY 4 (New Circle Road) andKY 922 (Newtown Pike) in Lexington. These highways are used byeastbound BG Parkway traffic to connect to the interstatehighways.

I-65 North

Exit 1A

Elizabethtown
Louisville

North Elizabethtown
I-65 South
To
Western Kentucky Parkway

Exit 1B

Nashville
Paducah

South Elizabethtown
Bowling Green
Owensboro
Hopkinsville

If I-75 is Kentucky's Main Street, then I-65 is the commonwealth's Broadway. This major north-south interstate links Chicago and Mobile, serving intermediate cities of Indianapolis, Louisville, Nashville, Birmingham and Montgomery. In Kentucky, I-65 connects Louisville, Elizabethtown and Bowling Green. Here, I-65 north heads toward Louisville and offers access to Elizabethtown via US 62 and KY 61. Southbound I-65 offers the connection to the Western Kentucky Parkway and Paducah, along with the through route to Bowling Green and Nashville.

Exit 8

KY 583, To US 62

Youngers Creek
Lyons Station


No Re-entry to Parkway Eastbound

This partial exit was completed in 1997. It offers access only from the eastbound BG Parkway, and traffic can enter the parkway only headed west to Elizabethtown. It allows residents of Hardin, Larue and Nelson counties who live in the area to use the parkway to drive to Elizabethtown, rather than forcing them to use US 62/KY 61.

Exit 10

KY 52
KY 52

Exit 10

New Haven
Boston
New Haven
Boston

This exit was where the first toll booth was located. KY 52 ends at US 62/KY 61 at Boston, west of this exit. Taking KY 52 east leads to New Haven, at an intersection with US 31E, and on to Lebanon.

Exit 21

US 31E
US 31E

Exit 21

Bardstown
Hodgenville
Hodgenville
Bardstown

New Haven
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site

Kentucky Railway Museum
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site

Kentucky Railway Museum

US 31E offers north-south traffic between Louisville and Nashville a more rural alternative than either I-65 or US 31W. Taking US 31E north at this exit leads to downtown Bardstown. From there, it is multiplexed with US 150 through Mt. Washington to Louisville. Following US 31E south leads to New Haven and Hodgenville, then on through the south-central Kentucky countryside to Glasgow and Scottsville, and on into Tennessee.

Exit 25

US 150
US 150

Exit 25

Bardstown
Springfield
Springfield
Bardstown

My Old Kentucky Home State Park

Makers Mark Distillery National Historic Landmark
My Old Kentucky Home State Park

Makers Mark Distillery National Historic Landmark

US 150 is an important northwest-to-southeast link across central Kentucky. Going west on US 150 takes you to Bardstown, and then a US 31E/US 150 multiplex goes to Mt. Washington and to Louisville. An eastward journey on US 150 leads through Springfield, Perryville, Danville, Stanford, and finally to a connection with I-75 at Mt. Vernon. US 150 is being improved in various locations between Louisville and Mt. Vernon, and it offers a shortcut for traffic leaving Louisville to Lexington, then south on I-75. This exit was originally built as a partial interchange. Traffic could only leave going westbound on the parkway, and could only enter going eastbound. It was expanded to a full interchange in the early 1980s.

Exit 34

KY 55
KY 55

Exit 34

Springfield
Bloomfield
Bloomfield
Springfield

Lincoln Homestead State Park

Taylorsville Lake State Park
Taylorsville Lake State Park

KY 55 is a major north-south route through the central part of Kentucky. A northbound trip on this route leads to Bloomfield, Taylorsville, and I-64 at Shelbyville. Heading south, you'll go through Springfield, Lebanon, Campbellsville and Columbia, where the route intersects the Cumberland Parkway. The second toll booth was located at this exit

Exit 42

KY 555
KY 555

Exit 42

Springfield
Lebanon
Springfield
Lebanon

Willisburg

Lincoln Homestead State Park

This route was constructed after the BG Parkway was built. It offers a high-speed link from the parkway south to Springfield and Lebanon, where following the US 68/KY 55 corridor leads on to Campbellsville, Greensburg, and Columbia. Parts of the route overlap the former route of KY 53; indeed, parts of the route used to be numbered KY 53. Now, KY 555 leads all the way to Springfield.

Exit 48

KY 53, To US 62
KY 53, To US 62

Exit 48

Willisburg
Willisburg

KY 53 is something of a "little brother" route to KY 55. Although the road is a primary link between I-64 and I-71 near Shelbyville and LaGrange, it is not of such importance at this exit. Here, the road primarily serves local traffic in western Anderson and northeastern Washington counties. Taking KY 53 south goes to Willisburg, then on to Springfield via KY 555. Northbound, the highway leads to US 62 and KY 44 before heading toward Shelbyville.

Exit 59

US 127
US 127

Exit 59

Harrodsburg
Lawrenceburg
Lawrenceburg
Harrodsburg

Frankfort
State Capitol

Danville
Frankfort
State Capitol

Danville
Old Fort Harrod State Park
Old Fort Harrod State Park

Few roads in Kentucky have received the attention in recent years that US 127 has. The highway has been identified as a major north-south corridor in the central part of the state. Due in large part to the efforts of former Gov. Wallace Wilkinson, a native of US 127 community Liberty (Casey County), this road has been slated for major upgrading throughout the state. From this exit, taking US 127 north leads to Lawrenceburg, Frankfort (and I-64), Owenton, and finally links with I-71 near Glencoe for traffic heading north to Cincinnati. The entire road is either improved or slated for construction in the next few years. Taking US 127 south leads to Harrodsburg, Danville, Liberty, the Lake Cumberland area (where it intersects the Cumberland Parkway) and finally Albany. At the Kentucky-Tennessee state line, the route intersects with TN 111, an Appalachian Regional Commission corridor which leads southwest to I-40 at Cookeville.

Exit 68

KY 33
KY 33

Exit 68

Versailles
Versailles

Originally built as a partial exit serving only traffic heading east on the parkway, the exit was expanded to a full interchange in recent years. KY 33 north leads to Versailles. Following the highway south leads to US 68, where the roads are multiplexed through the Kentucky River Palisades. Near Shakertown, the highways split and KY 33 continues south to Danville, while US 68 runs southwest to Harrodsburg.

Exit 72A

US 60 East

Lexington

Exit 72B

US 60 West

Versailles

The BG Parkway ends at US 60, a couple of miles east of Versailles and just a few miles west of Lexington. Following US 60 east provides access to I-64 and I-75 at Lexington, where traffic can head for Cincinnati, Ashland, and Paintsville/Prestonsburg/Pikeville (via the Mountain Parkway). Westbound traffic on US 60 can bypass downtown Versailles, then can take US 60 on to Frankfort or US 62 east to Midway and Georgetown.

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Thispage created May 28, 1998
Last modified Jan. 7, 1998
© 1998, H.B. Elkins