US 68/KY 80 LBL Corridor Work Extends in to Nighttime Hours

(June 26, 2009) A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is extend construction work into nighttime hours along the U.S. 68/KY 80 Corridor in the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. Motorists can now expect to encounter construction in this extended work zone 24 hours a day, seven days a week starting Monday, June 29, 2009.

This extension of work hours includes construction equipment and trucks crossing through existing traffic lanes of US 68/KY 80 in LBL.

Flagging stations will be set up with light towers to improve safety during the night work. A flagger will be located about a mile east of The Trace, near the top of the hill just east of the fire tower. Another flagger station will be set up near the gun range entrance at the bottom of the hill. This is on US 68 between the 3 and 4 mile marker.

This traffic control arrangement will be activated Monday morning and operate until Wednesday evening when construction will be halted for the July 4th Holiday Weekend. Construction and operation of the flagger stations will resume the morning of Monday, July 6, 2009, and continue 27/7 from that point.

All LBL facilities are open and operating on normal schedules. Construction work is being phased to maintain public access to all LBL attractions.

Visitors to LBL and commuters who travel through LBL on the U.S. 68/KY 80 Corridor should be aware of this change in traffic control. Travelers along U.S. 68/KY 80 through LBL will continue to encounter construction vehicles parked along the highway and traveling along the corridor in the work zone. Appropriate caution is required through this busy work zone due to construction personnel and equipment being in close proximity to passing traffic.

Motorists should be alert for specific traffic updates as the project moves forward in coming months. Any future changes due to road construction will be posted at the following web sites:

www.us68lbl.com

www.511.ky.gov

www.lbl.org

The U.S. Forest Service and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will be working closely with contractors and sub-contractors to provide timely updates on highway conditions along the 8-mile route from Canton to Aurora through western Trigg County. The U.S. 68/KY 80 Corridor provides the only east-west crossing of the LBL.

The Rogers Group is the prime contractor on the $50 million design-build project through approximately 8 miles of the Land Between The Lakes.

Summer Drag Boat Race Series Thunders into LBL

(May 28, 2009) Do you have the need for speed? Fulfill it when the Kentucky Drag Boat Association (KDBA) thunders into Pisgah Bay, located at the north end of Land Between The Lakes (LBL), for the first weekend of their 2009 summer racing series.

Events are scheduled for June 13-14, July 11-12, and August 1-2 from 10am to 5pm. Time trials will be held on Saturday and the final races on Sunday.

The heart-pounding events feature blown-alcohol boats, hydros and jet-powered boats, and flat-bottom racers skimming the water at speeds exceeding 150 mph. Spectators are invited to bring lawn chairs or ground blankets to Birmingham Ferry and enjoy a day of exciting racing. There is a spectator fee of $5 per person; children under 12 are free.

"The KDBA summer drag boat races are a regional tradition," said Gary Hawkins, Recreation Program Specialist at LBL. "It is a great spectator event, and adds a very exciting, high-speed element to all the other great outdoor recreation opportunities around LBL." George Onnybecker, of the KDBA adds, "This is a truly exciting race. It’s amazing to see boats go side-by-side at such high speeds!"

For more information contact KY Drag Boat Association by calling 1-800-732-0088 or visit www.kdba.net.

Land Between The Lakes is managed by the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, in partnership with “Friends of LBL,” to provide public lands outdoor recreation and environmental education. We encourage visitors to review our website at www.lbl.org each season, and throughout the season, for our Calendar of Events, updates on programs and policies, and temporary trail and road closures. Additional LBL information is also available on our website or by calling 1-800-LBL-7077 or 270-924-2000. You can find out more about “Friends of LBL” at www.friendsoflbl.org.