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Department of Highways, District 6
Transportation Cabinet opens new truck rest havens in Boone and Kenton counties
New facilities designed to fight truck driver fatigue, enhance highway safety
FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet today opened two new truck rest havens in northern Kentucky as part of a continuing effort to fight truck driver fatigue, which is often cited as a contributing factor in serious highway crashes. The new facilities are located at weigh stations on Interstate 75 in Kenton County and I-71 in Boone County.
“We are firm in our commitment to do everything possible to save lives on Kentucky’s highways,” said Transportation Secretary Joe Prather. “From coast to coast truckers have identified driver fatigue as a primary safety issue. By opening more than 90 long-term parking spaces in northern Kentucky today we are helping to address a major highway safety concern.”
The rest havens are equipped with restrooms, telephones and vending machines.
“This rest haven facility will provide much needed overnight parking for fatigued truck drivers who prefer a safer alternative to parking dangerously and illegally on ramps and shoulders of the road,” said Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement (KVE) Commissioner Greg Howard. “It is important that truckers understand that KVE and the Transportation Cabinet are here to help when safety is the issue at hand.”
Kentucky has two other fully equipped truck rest havens on northbound and southbound I-75 in Laurel County, south of London. In addition, truck rest havens which offer parking but no other amenities are located on eastbound and westbound I-24 in Lyon County and on I-65 northbound in Simpson County.
Also today, KVE officials launched a Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks (TACT) safety blitz. It is to educate motorists on the importance of leaving more space on the roadways and on the need for motorists to exercise greater caution when driving around large trucks.
The ceremonial ribbon cutting include left to right: President of the Kentucky Motor Transport Association- Jamie Fiepke, Tom Schomaker, Chief District Engineer for District 6, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Division Administrator for Kentucky- Pam Rice, Commissioner Greg Howard KVE, Boyd Sigler- Director, Division of Highway Safety Programs, Sonia Sanders, Deputy Commissioner Department of Vehicle Regulation, State Representative Sal Santoro (Boone County) and Major Phillip Frazier- KVE.
KVE officials launched a Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks (TACT) safety blitz that will target the northern Kentucky section of I-75 until February 15, 2008.
The new truck haven buildings are open. One is located on I -75 at the Kenton County weigh station, mile marker 168.6. The second truck haven is at the Boone County weigh station at mile marker 75.4.
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