Travelers asked to avoid travel in downtown Mayfield this week
Traffic is hampering storm recovery efforts
MAYFIELD, Ky. (WTVQ) – The state is urging travelers to avoid tornado-ravaged downtown Mayfield the rest of this week.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet crews are working with county road departments to clear roads of tornado debris. The state says crews have completed about 50% of the assigned task.
Traffic in downtown Mayfield is hampering and delaying storm recovery efforts, according to the state.
Transportation crews will be working along the southbound lanes of U.S. 45/ 8th Street between James Street and KY 80/Broadway on Tuesday, December 14, 2021. Crews will be clearing this section of U.S. 45 north of the downtown area.
Traffic will be required to detour via side streets creating additional opportunity for gridlock in the downtown area.
Once this section of U.S. 45 is completed, crews will be continuing efforts to clear adjacent streets in the downtown area through the week.
Due to heavy equipment and trucks involved in the road clearing process, only vehicles directly involved in recovery efforts should be on the road in downtown Mayfield.
The new KY 80 Mayfield South Bypass and the KY 121/Dick Castleman Bypass provide opportunities to avoid travel through downtown Mayfield. However, gridlock along those routes has hampered street-clearing efforts by slowing trucks hauling debris to dump sites.
As a reminder, these crews are clearing streets and sidewalk areas to facilitate additional clean-up and recovery efforts to come. This initial street clearing project will not include debris on private property.
Homeowners and businesses will be provided additional instructions at a later date on how to disposed of waste on private property once FEMA approved contractors arrive on site.
To get traffic advisories and alerts for KYTC District 1 counties via email please go to https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/KYTC/signup/13651 and click on the District 1 counties you regularly drive through, or for any of the specialty corridors you travel. Be sure to check your SPAM filtering to assure Gov Delivery is on your approved list.
Timely traffic advisories for the 12 counties of KYTC Highway District 1 are available by going to www.facebook.com/kytcdistrict1. You do not have to be a Facebook member to access this page.
Navigate traffic at goky.ky.gov, at waze.com, or with the WAZE App.
