Drivers along a heavily traveled stretch of Dixie Highway will need to find alternate routes or budget extra time through Friday, August 7. A $1.39 million resurfacing project kicked off Monday, July 20, bringing single-lane closures from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily across portions of Boone and Kenton counties.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) said crews began milling operations Monday on a half-mile segment from north of Dortha Avenue to the Boone/Kenton County line. Work also covers a 1.29-mile stretch in Kenton County, from the county line to north of Hallam Avenue.

Paving begins Thursday, July 23, weather permitting. Milling and paving should wrap up by Friday, July 31, with the full project — including sidewalk ramp improvements, pedestrian signal upgrades, and radar detection at intersections with traffic signals — finished by August 7.

Drivers can find project updates at KYTC's District 6 Roadshow page or at drivingnkyprogress.org.

What local drivers say

Boone County driver Rick Elkins welcomed the project.

"If you're going through there at any speed, you're gonna tear a tire up. Tires aren't cheap," Elkins told WCPO on Monday, July 20.

Elkins said he plans to take different routes during the closure hours but is willing to deal with the inconvenience. Ada Spegal, another Boone County driver, called the closures a worthwhile trade-off for better pavement.

Riegler Blacktop, Inc. is performing the work under contract with KYTC District 6. The project was first announced in August 2025 with a fall completion target but was delayed; the Dixie Highway milling and paving phase began this month.

Beyond the road surface, the project scope includes base failure repairs, drainage fixes, and sidewalk and curb repairs. Some of that work was completed before milling began Monday.

Plan to narrow highway dropped

A previously planned reconfiguration that would have narrowed Dixie Highway from four lanes to three between Turfway Road and Commonwealth Avenue will not happen. KYTC dropped that proposal on Monday, June 8, after backlash from residents and elected officials.

The cabinet's media contact for the project is James Heatherly at (859) 341-2700.