winchester avenue streetscape project

Road closures to begin as construction starts on final Winchester Ave. mini-roundabouts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 18, 2024

(ASHLAND, Ky.) Contractors will begin work on April 22, 2024 on the two final miniroundabouts as part of the Winchester Avenue Streetscape and Improvements Project. These final mini-roundabouts will be constructed at the intersections of 17th and 18th Streets, and will be worked on concurrently.

Since the completion of the 14th St. mini-roundabout, construction crews have been busy pouring curb, tearing out sidewalks, prepping for the final roundabouts, and prepping for landscaping.

Closures to vehicular traffic on Winchester Ave. from 16th-19th St. will be necessary for approximately two weeks to allow the final two mini-roundabouts to be constructed. Drivers will be informed and directed with signage to take alternate routes during this time.

Key highlights:

1. As indicated on the accompanying map, Winchester Ave. from 16th St. to 19th St. will be closed. This closure will start April 22.
2. Side streets will be closed to the alley. Alley access will still be available at this time.

As always, we want to encourage people to continue supporting our businesses during this time, and we appreciate everyone’s patience as we work toward making downtown Ashland a safer, more walkable environment! We can’t wait to see everyone gathering downtown for First Fridays, Makers Markets on the Square, and much more in just a few short months.

Road closures to begin as construction starts on third Winchester Ave. mini-roundabout

(ASHLAND, Ky.) Contractors will begin work on March 11, 2024 on the miniroundabout at 14th St. and Winchester Ave. This is the third of five miniroundabouts being constructed as part of the Winchester Ave. Streetscape and Improvements Project. Significant progress on sidewalks, curbs and decorative brick paver installment has occurred over the last month. Closures to vehicular traffic on Winchester Ave. from 13th-15th St. will be necessary for approximately two weeks during the construction of the 14th St. miniroundabout. Drivers will be informed and directed with signage to take alternate routes during this time.

Key highlights:

  1. As indicated on the accompanying map, Winchester Ave. from the 13th St. intersection to the 15th St. roundabout will be closed. This closure will start March 11, 2024.

  2. Drivers will not have any access to 14th St. from Greenup Ave. or Winchester.

  3. The far right lane (southbound) of Winchester Ave. from 12th St. to 13th St. (directly in front of Burger King/Starbucks) will be closed. This is to prevent drivers from getting stuck while attempting to access the 1300 block of Winchester, which will be closed. Access to Burger King and Starbucks will still be available from Winchester.

  4. While 14th St. access will be restricted, drivers will still be able to access the two city parking lots on that street. Drivers will need to enter the lot next to the Paramount through Carter Ave., and can access the lot next to the Delta Hotel through 15th St.

  5. The 15th St. roundabout will remain open, but both openings on the west side will be closed.

As always, we want to encourage people to continue supporting our businesses during this time, and we appreciate everyone’s patience as we work toward making downtown Ashland a safer, more walkable environment! The City of Ashland and Visit AKY remain committed to communicate throughout the construction process and educate residents on the changes that are happening. Updates are provided on the City of Ashland and Visit AKY Facebook pages, and their websites (www.ashlandky.gov and www.visitaky.com/winchester) to keep residents and business owners in the loop.

construction Update February 15, 2024

Progress is continuing on Winchester Avenue! The installation of the decorative pavers have started and are continuing onto the 1500 block.

Construction is progressing!! The installation of decorative pavers is moving right along. Each section has to be prepped, sanded, cut, and each paver is strategically placed by hand according to a specific pattern. There is a lot of sidewalk demo/pouring being done around the 1500 & 1600 blocks, plus curbs being installed near the Paramount and on the 1600 block.

A commonly asked question is about truck routes. Below is the city oredinance with a map of what the routes are. We are working on strengthening signage to encourage truck drivers to take the proper route.

Progress Update January 29, 2024

Palmer Engineering and Allard Construction strategized and worked together, nonstop, through freezing tempuratures, wind, rain, and lots of snow for three straight weeks to get the first two roundabouts completed and open to vehicular traffic. The construction and engineering crews are top notch!

The roundabouts at 15th and 16th Streets opened around 6 pm on January 29, 2024.

Progress update January 26, 2024

EXCITING NEWS! The first two roundabouts are set to open on Winchester Avenue to vehicle traffic early next week. Contractors will continue to be hard at work through the weekend to get it ready. These photos give a great bird’s-eye view of the transformation that’s happening!

Progress update January 24, 2024

The rain, snow and ice over the last week have presented some construction challenges. Because of this, we are now targeting Monday, Jan. 29 as the reopen date for Winchester Ave.

For the safety of our community, it's crucial that drivers and pedestrians avoid driving or walking through construction zones marked off by cones, barriers, and caution tape. Safety and efficiency are priorities during this project!

Please note that when the mini-roundabouts open up, drivers will still be navigating on a milled surface until the asphalt is poured later on in the project. Until then, the curb will seem higher than it will be after the road is poured back.

We appreciate everyone's patience during this time, and we're so excited about the progress being made!

Progress update January 12, 2024

Construction crews are working late into the cold nights to get the block between 15th and 16th Streets completed! Both roundabouts have been poured and stamped, our brand new main street is beginning to come to life. Work continues on this block through next week.

You may notice large portions of the sidewalks that remain incomplete between 13th and 18th Streets, especially along the corners and intersections. These spaces will be filled in with decorative pavers that will not be delivered until late February. They will be set in place as soon as they arrive.

progress update january 10, 2024

Despite the poor weather conditions, contractors are making great progress on the first two mini-roundabouts located at the intersections of 15th and 16th Streets. Today, they poured and stamped the concrete in the middle of the roundabout at 15th Street and demolished the corners of that same intersection. As we gear up for the road to reopen in a few weeks, check out the graphic below that helps break down navigating through a mini-roundabout.

construction update January 8, 2024

The traffic lights have been removed at the intersection of 15th and 16th Streets and Winchester Ave, and the construction of the first two roundabout is officially underway. Click on the photos below to see a full screen version. Drone photos courtesy of Commissioner Josh Blanton.

PROGRESS UPDATE JANUARY 3, 2024

We're still on track for our expedited timeline of the Winchester Avenue construction! If you're feeling uneasy about driving through mini-roundabouts, check out the video above made by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

Keep in mind closures begin Monday, Jan. 8, so please ensure your vehicles are not parked on Winchester or the side streets from 14th-17th St. to allow contractors to work. If you missed last week's press release on the expedited timeline and closures, keep reading.

Progress update December 28, 2023

Change in Winchester Ave. construction plan, mini-roundabouts to start in January

(ASHLAND, Ky.) After extensive consideration and planning, the construction timeline for the Winchester Avenue Streetscape and Improvements project has been expedited, with the construction of mini-roundabouts set to begin in January, ahead of the initially scheduled start date in March/April. This decision is an effort to minimize disruptions to the downtown area and reduce overall impact on businesses. It’s anticipated this will shorten the overall construction time by at least a month.

Work on the mini-roundabouts at the 15th and 16th St. intersections and the demolition of sidewalks on both sides of Winchester Ave. from 15th to 16th Streets will happen concurrently. This will aim to optimize construction efficiency and allow for improvements on this block within a concentrated time frame.

Closures of Winchester Ave. from 14th-17th St. and side streets to the alleys will be necessary during the construction of the mini-roundabouts. Drivers will be encouraged with signage to take alternate routes during this time.

Key highlights:

1. Timeline:
a. Jan. 2: Sidewalk demo from 15th to 16th begins
b. Jan. 8: Road closures (see attached map) begin, construction of mini-roundabouts start
i. Vehicles must be parked outside of the closure area by Sunday, Jan. 7 at 2:00 PM to ensure contractors can begin work on the mini-roundabouts on Jan. 8.
c. Jan. 23: Roads reopen

2. Parking options: There will still be several options for free parking downtown during this time.
a. City lot on 14th St. & Winchester next to the Paramount
b. City lot on 14th St. & Winchester next to the Delta Hotel
c. City garage on 17th St. and Carter Ave., which will continue to be open and free during the month of January
d. Side streets (past the alley), Carter Ave., and Greenup Ave. all remain options for parking

3. Delivery zones: During the roundabout construction, street closures and delivery zones will be temporarily unavailable and the delivery access will be shifted to an alternate street location as much as an additional block away from normal.

4. Support local business! We understand this will be a difficult time and want to stress that businesses will still be open. We’re hopeful our community will rally around our small business owners by still coming downtown during this construction and enjoying our wonderful local shops, restaurants and specialty stores.

As we are in the winter months, weather may impact this timeline and it is subject to change. However, the contractors working on this project are committed to exhausting all efforts on getting this portion done as quickly as possible. Once this portion is done, contractors will move to another block. We will be sure to provide those updates once we get more information.

The City of Ashland and Visit AKY remain committed to communicate throughout the construction process and educate residents on the changes that are happening. Regular updates will be provided on the City of Ashland and Visit AKY Facebook pages, and their websites (www.ashlandky.gov and www.visitaky.com/winchester) to keep residents and business owners in the loop.

construction update december 26, 2023

This week, contractors began sidewalk demo on the Paramount side of the 1300 block of Winchester Avenue. Concrete and curb installation will continue on the irver side at 1300, 1400, and 1800 blocks.

Our Winchester Ave Streetscape and Improvements Project will include reverse angle parking. It’s not as tricky as it seems - - follow these three simple steps to ace it every time!

PROGRESS UPDATE DECEMBER 15, 2023

Photo shows fresh concrete sidewalks and a new curb are partially complete on the riverside 1300 block of Winchester Ave. New, underground electric will be placed in the space shown between the sidewalk and curb, then topped with new, decorative pavers.

UPDATE DECEMBER 12, 2023

This week, contractors will continue the sidewalk demo of the river side of the 1700 and 1800 blocks. They will also be pouring concrete back into the sidewalks on the 1300 and 1400 blocks. Intermittent closures of the river side of Winchester Ave may be necessary. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Update December 6, 2023

Artists rendering of the final project from 15th Street to 18th Street. Not shown is 13th and 14th Streets.

Week of December 4 - 8, 2023

This week, contractors will begin pouring concrete on the river side of the 1300 block. Once that's complete, they will move down to the river side of the 1400 block to demo the sidewalk. During that time, there may be intermittent road closures on that side of the block. Contractors will try to maintain as minimal disturbance as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Reminder that the parking garage located at 17th and Carter is open and free all December long!

Update December 1, 2023

Beginning Friday, Dec. 1 the parking garage located at 17th St. and Carter Ave. will be open for free parking from 6 AM to 11 PM! After the new year, it will switch to paid hourly parking.

The garage will be available only to monthly renters past 11 PM.

November 16, 2023

Contractors are finishing up pouring the medians this week. Beginning the week of Monday, Nov. 20, Phase B of the project will begin. Here’s what you need to know:

  • Starting Nov. 20, contractors will begin milling the outside lanes (where you are driving now) up to the curb.

  • Traffic flow will be shifted to the inside lanes (next to the median, where the barrels are) in each direction starting Wednesday, Nov. 22.

  • Parking will only be impacted on the specific block they are working on. All other parking will be available. Once they are finished with the block they're working on, parking will reopen.

  • Starting Monday, Nov. 27 contractors will begin work on the sidewalks starting at the river side of 13th St. and Winchester Ave.

There will be continuous access to businesses during sidewalk construction.

September 18, 2023

Work will begin on Monday, Sept. 18 on Phase A of the Winchester Ave. Improvements and Streetscape project. This will take Winchester Ave. from 13th to 18th Streets from four lanes to two, add reverse angle parking, and mini roundabouts at each intersection. 

Here’s what you need to know:

  • The two middle lanes of Winchester Ave. starting at 13th St. will be closed as contractors begin work on the median. The outside lanes going each direction will remain open. 

  • The parallel parking spots along Winchester will remain open during this phase. 

  • Phase A is projected to complete in November.

Click here to see this information briefed at this week's Ashland Board of Commission meeting (around the 22 minute mark):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4PaevbvrKA

Once Phase A is completed in November, work will begin on Phase B. During this phase, the two middle lanes will be open for traffic in each direction, while the two outside lanes/parking will be blocked. Parking will only be unavailable in the sections of the road where the contractors are working. The end date for Phase B is TBD.

Once phase B is complete, Phase C will begin. Traffic will be maintained in each direction on both sides of the median. 

These three phases are expected to be completed in Summer 2024.