Which Kentucky Roads Are Closed to Larger Trucks Even Near the National Truck Network?

Which Kentucky Roads Are Closed to Larger Trucks Even Near the National Truck Network?

Table Of Contents

• Introduction

• The Short Answer

• How Access Near the National Truck Network Works

• The Restricted Streets in Anchorage

• The Restricted State Highway Segments

• What These Restrictions Mean for Your Route

• When You Need a Kentucky Oversize Permit Instead

• How to Plan Around the Restricted Roads

• Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Why Many Trucking Companies Choose Our Service

• FAQ

Introduction

Kentucky lets larger trucks, such as 102-inch-wide trailers, 53-foot semitrailers, and twin-trailer combinations, run on the National Truck Network and on short access routes to reach terminals, fuel, food, repairs, and rest. Many carriers assume that access applies to every road near the network.

It doesn't. Kentucky names specific streets and highway segments that these trucks may not use, even when they are inside the normal access distance. This guide lists those roads and explains when a Kentucky Oversize Permit comes into the picture.

The Short Answer

Under 603 KAR 5:070, trucks with increased dimensions may not use:

• Four streets in Anchorage (Jefferson County): Evergreen Road, Bellewood Road, Lucas Lane, and Old Harrods Creek Road.

• Four state highway segments: parts of KY 146 in Anchorage, KY 418 and KY 1973 in Fayette County, and U.S. 119 in Letcher County.

These roads are excluded from the automatic access rules, so you need to plan a different route.

How Access Near the National Truck Network Works

Kentucky's dimension rules are in 603 KAR 5:070. The standard limits are 8 feet wide, 13 feet 6 inches high, 45 feet for a single unit, and 65 feet for a combination.

Under Section 4, larger trucks can run without an overweight or overdimensional permit on:

• The National Truck Network,

• The 15-mile access from an interstate or parkway exit,

• The 5-mile access on a state-maintained highway from the network,

• The 1-mile access on a local public road from the network.

On the network, a truck is still limited to 102 inches wide, a 53-foot semitrailer in a single-trailer combination, 28-foot trailers in a double combination, and 80,000 pounds. Under Section 4(6), these limits have no enforcement tolerance.

The access routes may only be used to reach a terminal or a facility for food, fuel, repairs, or rest.

The Restricted Streets in Anchorage

Under Section 7, the city of Anchorage in Jefferson County adopted ordinances that remove certain local streets from the 1-mile access for safety reasons. Trucks with increased dimensions may not use:

• Evergreen Road

• Bellewood Road

• Lucas Lane

• Old Harrods Creek Road

These are local streets inside the Anchorage city limits, near the I-71 and I-265 corridors in eastern Louisville.

The Restricted State Highway Segments

Under Section 8, these state highway segments are removed from the 5-mile and 15-mile access for safety reasons:

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet posts this list on its National Truck Network page.

What These Restrictions Mean for Your Route

If your truck uses the increased dimensions allowed on the National Truck Network, these roads are off limits for reaching a terminal or service stop. That includes:

• A 102-inch-wide trailer,

• A 53-foot semitrailer,

• A double-trailer combination with 28-foot trailers,

• Any combination longer than the standard 65 feet allowed on other roads.

The restriction applies even if the road is within 1 mile, 5 miles, or 15 miles of the network. A GPS that isn't set for truck routing can easily send you onto one of these roads.

When You Need a Kentucky Oversize Permit Instead

The access rules only cover trucks within the network limits. Under Section 4(2), a truck on the National Truck Network needs an overdimensional permit if it is:

• Wider than 102 inches,

• Pulling a towed unit longer than 53 feet in a single-trailer combination,

• Pulling towed units longer than 28 feet in a double combination.

A load that also exceeds 13 feet 6 inches in height needs a permit too. If your load goes past any of these limits, you need a Kentucky Oversize Permit, and your route will be set by the permit, not by the automatic access rules.

How to Plan Around the Restricted Roads

• Check the destination first. If the shipper or receiver is in Anchorage, eastern Fayette County, or the Whitesburg area, map your approach before dispatch.

• Use truck routing. Set your GPS or routing software for your actual width and length.

• Look for another entrance. Many facilities have a second access road that isn't restricted.

• Ask the receiver. Local shippers usually know which roads trucks use.

• Get a permit when needed. If the load is oversize, the permit will list the approved route.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming every road within 5 miles is allowed. Section 8 removes specific segments from that access.

• Following a car GPS. It doesn't know about restricted segments.

• Using the access routes for other trips. They only cover reaching terminals or food, fuel, repairs, or rest.

• Counting on an enforcement tolerance. Kentucky gives none of these limits.

• Skipping the permit for an oversize load. Going past 102 inches wide needs a permit.

Why Many Trucking Companies Choose Our Service

Kentucky Trucking Online helps carriers figure out when a load fits the network limits and when it needs a Kentucky Oversize Permit. Our oversize permit service is $97. We review your truck's dimensions and your destination so your route avoids restricted roads.

We provide support 24/7 and also work weekends and holidays.

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FAQ

• Can a 53-foot trailer use any road within 5 miles of the National Truck Network in Kentucky?

  No. Specific segments of KY 146, KY 418, KY 1973, and U.S. 119 are excluded from the access rules.

• Which streets in Anchorage are closed to larger trucks?

  Evergreen Road, Bellewood Road, Lucas Lane, and Old Harrods Creek Road.

• Why are these roads restricted?

  The regulation cites safety concerns for the traveling public.

• Where can I find the official list?

  On the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's National Truck Network page or from its Division of Planning in Frankfort.

• Do I need a Kentucky Oversize Permit to use the National Truck Network?

  Only if your truck goes past the network limits, such as 102 inches wide, a 53-foot single trailer, or 28-foot double trailers.

For more information, visit the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.