Mackville Road repair work to start Friday

Jeff Moreland

The “thrill hills” on KY 152 known as Mackville Road will soon be a little less thrilling. State crews will begin work this Friday to remove approximately six feet from the height of those hills.

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The Kentucky Department of Highways will begin a project on Mackville Road, KY 152, starting on Friday.
As of 6 p.m. Friday, a two-tenths of a mile stretch of the road, beginning at mile point 9.5 east of the US 150 intersection will be closed.

Detour signs mark the area, and drivers will have the option of traveling to KY 555 and using Kelly Shop Lane to access Mackville Road. Beyond that point, Mayes Creek Road will lead to Davis Lane, and then to Mackville Road as a second detour.
Washington County Judge-Executive John Settles previously said the work is being done to make the road safer for motorists.
“The state has decided that it is a safety hazard, and there have been some people killed (along that portion),” he said. “For the project, it’s to go in and lower the thrill hills without obtaining any new property. They’re going to do it within the right of ways we have now.”
Chris Jessie, a spokesperson with the Department of Highways, confirmed that the work will be done within current right of ways. Jesse added that the work will lower the vertical curve of the thrill hills by about six feet, making the road safer. He said the work is being paid for by Federal Highway Safety Funds.
Settles said the state will allow the road to be closed for up to nine days.
“They’re hoping it will be less than that, because that’s really going to inconvenience some people, especially the ones that live just right on the other side of it,” Settles said.
The project will keep the section of KY 152 closed through July 18, Jessie added.