View source for Kentucky Route 8

{{short description|Highway in Kentucky}}
{{redirect|KY 8|the former congressional district|Kentucky's 8th congressional district}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{update|reason=New routing in Campbell County|date=September 2018|talk=New Routing}}
{{Infobox road
|state=KY
|type=KY
|route=8
|alternate_name=
|maint=[[Kentucky Transportation Cabinet|KYTC]]
|map={{maplink-road|7|38.8|-83.8}}
|map_custom=yes 
|length_mi=114.202
|length_ref=<ref name="ktc">{{cite web|url=http://apps.transportation.ky.gov/DMI_Reports/Official_MP_RL_params.aspx|publisher=Kentucky Transportation Cabinet |author=Division of Planning |work=Highway Information System |title=Official Milepoint Route Log Extract|access-date=July 2, 2013}}</ref>
|established=
|section1=Western segment
|length_mi1=78.819
|length_ref1=<ref name="ktc"/>
|direction_a1=West
|terminus_a1={{jct|state=KY|KY|237}} near [[Francisville, Kentucky|Francisville]]
|junction1={{jct|state=KY|I|71|I|75}} in [[Covington, Kentucky|Covington]]<br>{{jct|state=KY|US|25|US|42|US|127}} in [[Covington, Kentucky|Covington]]<br>{{jct|state=KY|US|27}} in [[Newport, Kentucky|Newport]]<br>{{jct|state=KY|I|471}} in [[Newport, Kentucky|Newport]]<br>{{jct|state=KY|US|68}} in [[Maysville, Kentucky|Maysville]]
|direction_b1=East
|terminus_b1={{jct|state=KY|US|62}} in [[Maysville, Kentucky|Maysville]]
|section2=Eastern segment
|length_mi2=35.383
|length_ref2=<ref name="ktc"/>
|direction_a2=West
|terminus_a2={{jct|state=KY|KY|57|KY|3550}} in [[Concord, Kentucky|Concord]]
|direction_b2=East
|terminus_b2={{jct|state=KY|US|23}} in [[South Portsmouth, Kentucky|South Portsmouth]]
|counties=[[Boone County, Kentucky|Boone]], [[Kenton County, Kentucky|Kenton]], [[Campbell County, Kentucky|Campbell]], [[Pendleton County, Kentucky|Pendleton]], [[Bracken County, Kentucky|Bracken]], [[Mason County, Kentucky|Mason]], [[Lewis County, Kentucky|Lewis]], [[Greenup County, Kentucky|Greenup]]
|previous_type=KY
|previous_route=7
|next_type=KY
|next_route=9
}}
'''Kentucky Route 8''' is a {{convert|114.202|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} east&ndash;west [[state highway]] divided into two distinct segments across northern [[Kentucky]]. The western terminus of the route is at [[KY 237]] near [[Francisville, Kentucky|Francisville]]. The eastern terminus is at [[U.S. Route 23]] in [[South Portsmouth, Kentucky|South Portsmouth]]. The two distinct segments of this route were not meant to be connected together. KY 8 from its west end in Boone County to Augusta in Bracken County is designated as a part of an identified corridor for bikes named the Ramblin' River Tour by the [[American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials]] (AASHTO).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=U.S. Bicycle Routes in Kentucky|url=https://transportation.ky.gov/BikeWalk/Documents/USBRS%20in%20Kentucky.pdf|website=Kentucky Transportation Cabinet}}</ref>

KY 8 is named the '''[[Mary Draper Ingles|Mary Ingles]] Highway''' for part of its length. It is rumored that she was the first white woman in Kentucky. Captured by Indians in Virginia in 1755 and taken to Ohio, she later escaped a salt-making party at [[Big Bone Lick]] and made her way across the Kentucky wilderness back home to [[Virginia]].

==Route description==

===Western segment===
[[File:Landslide on Kentucky Route 8.jpg|thumb|Landslide on former section of Kentucky Route 8 in Fort Thomas, Now the section is reopened and signed KY 6335.]]
The western segment of KY 8, the longer of the two, extends {{convert|78.819|mi|km}} between rural [[Boone County, Kentucky|Boone County]] and [[Maysville, Kentucky|Maysville]]. KY 8 begins 1.5 miles west of [[Kentucky Route 237]] along River Road near [[Francisville, Kentucky|Francisville]].<ref name="ktc" /> The route runs parallel to the [[Ohio River]] as it heads eastward, passing through [[Covington, Kentucky|Covington]], [[Newport, Kentucky|Newport]], and [[Augusta, Kentucky|Augusta]] before ending at an intersection with [[U.S. Route 62|US 62]] in Maysville.<ref>{{google maps |url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=maysville,+KY&ie=UTF8&ll=38.646523,-83.763585&spn=0.009821,0.024376&om=1 |title=Maysville, KY |accessdate=June 8, 2009}}</ref>

KY 8 has been re-routed from its original path along Mary Ingles Highway in [[Fort Thomas, Kentucky|Fort Thomas]] due to a landslide.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=General Highway Map|url=https://maps.kytc.ky.gov/generalhighway/|website=Kentucky Transportation Cabinet}}</ref> According to Mike Bezold, a member of the Kentucky Transport Cabinet, the cost to repair the damaged section of road would be $50 million despite having a low number of drivers.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Smith-Randolph|first=Walter|date=21 February 2019|title=Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says KY-8 is too expensive to fix|url=https://local12.com/news/local/landslide-shuts-down-road-in-fort-thomas|website=Local 12}}</ref> Now, KY 8 follows [[KY 1998]] out of [[Silver Grove, Kentucky|Silver Grove]] until it meets up with [[U.S. Route 27|US 27]] in [[Cold Spring, Kentucky|Cold Spring]]. It then returns to its original route in Newport, but creates a small spur through [[Bellevue, Kentucky|Bellevue]] and [[Dayton, Kentucky|Dayton]]. Its previous route along Mary Ingles Highway in Fort Thomas has since been replaced with [[KY 445]] to between Industrial Road and River Road. The rest of the route up to Dayton has since been reclassified as [[KY 6335]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=General Highway Map|url=https://maps.kytc.ky.gov/generalhighway/|website=Kentucky Transportation Cabinet}}</ref> The Ramblin' River Tour which inhabits the part of the KY 8 that has been closed has not been redesignated as bicycles are still able to pass the landslide with ease.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=U.S. Bicycle Routes in Kentucky|url=https://transportation.ky.gov/BikeWalk/Documents/USBRS%20in%20Kentucky.pdf|website=Kentucky Transportation Cabinet}}</ref> This section was reopened in July 2024 however the route still follows US 27 within the area.

===Eastern segment===

The eastern segment of KY 8 extends for {{convert|39.933|mi|km}} from Concord-Trinity Road west of [[Concord, Kentucky|Concord]]<ref name="ktc" /><ref>{{google maps |url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=maysville,+KY&ie=UTF8&om=1&ll=38.683098,-83.544502&spn=0.039262,0.097504 |title=Concord, KY |accessdate=June 8, 2009}}</ref> to [[U.S. Route 23]] in [[South Portsmouth, Kentucky|South Portsmouth]] west of [[South Shore, Kentucky|South Shore]].<ref>{{google maps |url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=maysville,+KY&ie=UTF8&om=1&ll=38.725212,-82.998104&spn=0.00981,0.024376 |title=South Shore, KY |accessdate=June 8, 2009}}</ref> The western terminus of this portion is a very narrow two-lane road that becomes gravel.

From [[Kentucky Route 3037]] in [[Vanceburg, Kentucky|Vanceburg]] to its eastern terminus at US 23, KY 8 was formerly designated [[Kentucky Route 10]], with KY 8 ending at KY 3037 (then KY 10). The road became part of KY 8 in the late-1990s after KY 10 was rerouted onto the [[AA Highway]] to the south.

==Major intersections==<!--street names need checking-->

===Western segment===
{{Update|part=Table|date=January 2025|inaccurate=Yes|reason=Rerouting within Campbell County}}{{jcttop|state=KY}}
{{KYint
|county=Boone
|cspan=4
|location=none
|mile=1.528<!--actually 0 now; KY 8 was truncated here in 2014-->
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|237|dir1=south|name1=North Bend Road|to2=to|I|275}}
|notes=Northern terminus of KY 237
}}
{{KYint
|location=Taylorsport
|mile=4.575
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|2846|dir1=west|name1=Tanner Road|to2=to|I|275|city1=Hebron}}
|notes=Eastern terminus of KY 2846
}}
{{KYint
|location=Constance<!--maybe-->
|lspan=2
|mile=8.458
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|20|dir1=west|name1=Petersburg Road|to2=to|I|275}}
|notes=Eastern terminus of KY 20
}}
{{KYint
|mile=
|road=Anderson Ferry Road - [[Anderson Ferry]]
}}
{{KYint
|county=Kenton
|cspan=9
|location=Villa Hills
|mile=9.617
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|371|dir1=south|name1=Amsterdam Road}}
|notes=Northern terminus of KY 371
}}
{{KYint
|location=Ludlow
|mile=13.536
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|1072|dir1=south|name1=Deverill Street}}
|notes=north terminus of KY 1072
}}
{{KYint
|location=Covington
|lspan=7
|mile=15.929
|road=West 3rd Street ([[Kentucky Route 2374|KY 2374]] east<!--not signed here-->)
|notes=Western terminus of KY 2374
}}
{{KYint
|mile=16.152
|road={{jct|state=KY|I|71|I|75|location1=[[Cincinnati, OH|Cincinnati]]|city2=Lexington|city3=Louisville}}
|notes=I-75 exit 192
}}
{{KYint
|mile=16.312
|road=Philadelphia Street ([[Kentucky Route 3090|KY 3090]] north<!--not signed here-->)
}}
{{KYint
|mile=16.459
|road={{jct|state=KY|US|25|US|42|US|127|name3=Main Street}}
}}
{{KYint
|mile=16.551
|road=Johnson Street ([[Kentucky Route 2374|KY 2374]] west<!--not signed here-->)
|notes=Eastern terminus of KY 2374
}}
{{KYint
|mile=16.918
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|17|dir1=south|name1=Scott Boulevard}}
}}
{{KYint
|mile=16.999
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|17|dir1=north|name1=Greenup Street}}
}}
{{KYint
|county=Campbell
|cspan=12
|location=Newport
|lspan=4
|mile=17.621
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|9|dir1=south|name1=Central<!--yes, signs just say Central-->}}
|notes=Northern terminus of KY 9
}}
{{KYint
|type=concur
|mile=17.802<!--17.891 is where KY 8 east joins US 27 north-->
|road={{jct|state=KY|US|27|dir1=south|name1=York Street}}
|notes=west end of US 27 overlap
}}
{{KYint
|type=concur
|mile=18.04
|road={{jct|state=KY|US|27|dir1=north|name1=[[Taylor Southgate Bridge]]}}
|notes=east end of US 27 overlap; one-block overlap of US 27 north and KY 8 west; traffic circle
}}
{{KYint
|mile=18.553
|road={{jct|state=KY|I|471|to2=to|I|275|location1=[[Cincinnati, OH|Cincinnati]]}}
|notes=I-471 exit 5
}}
{{KYint
|location=Fort Thomas
|mile=25.310
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|445|dir1=north|name1=River Road}}
|notes=Southern terminus of KY 445
}}
{{KYint
|location=Highland Heights
|mile=25.689
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|2926|dir1=south<!--presumably-->|name1=Winters Lane}}
|notes=north terminus of KY 2926
}}
{{KYint
|location=Silver Grove
|lspan=2
|mile=26.472
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|1998|dir1=west|name1=Industrial Road}}
|notes=Eastern terminus of KY 1998
}}
{{KYint
|mile=28.189
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|547|dir1=south|name1=Four Mile Pike|city1=Alexandria}}
|notes=Northern terminus of KY 547
}}
{{KYint
|location=Oneonta
|mile=35.192
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|1566|dir1=west|name1=Oneonta Road|to2=to|KY|9}}
|notes=Eastern terminus of KY 1566
}}
{{KYint
|location=New Richmond Station
|mile=36.766
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|2921|dir1=west<!--presumably-->|name1=Painter Road|to2=to|KY|9}}
|notes=east terminus of KY 2921
}}
{{KYint
|location=none
|mile=37.316
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|1996|dir1=west<!--it's signed east and south from KY 9!-->|name1=New Richmond Road|to2=to|KY|9}}
|notes=Eastern terminus of KY 1996
}}
{{KYint
|location=Mentor
|mile=41.689
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|735|dir1=west|name1=Smith Road|to2=to|KY|9}}
|notes=east terminus of KY 735
}}
{{KYint
|county=Pendleton
|cspan=2
|location=Ivor
|mile=43.618
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|2828|dir1=west|name1=Ivor Road|to2=to|AA|9}}
|notes=Eastern terminus of KY 2828
}}
{{KYint
|location=Carntown
|mile=45.467
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|154|dir1=west|city1=Peach Grove}}
|notes=Eastern terminus of KY 154
}}
{{KYint
|county=Bracken
|cspan=6
|location=Foster
|ctdab=Bracken
|lspan=2
|mile=48.688
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|2228|name1=Foster Road}}<!--what's on the green sign? KY 9?-->
|notes=Eastern<!--or northern?--> terminus of KY 2228
}}
{{KYint
|mile=48.936
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|1019|dir1=south|name1=Lenoxburg Foster Road|city1=Lenoxburg<!--is this what's signed?-->}}
|notes=Northern terminus of KY 1019
}}
{{KYint
|location=Bradford
|mile=52.813
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|1109|dir1=south|name1=Bradford Road|to2=to|KY|9}}
|notes=Northern terminus of KY 1109
}}
{{KYint
|location=Wellsburg
|mile=55.293
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|1159|dir1=south|name1=Wellsburg Woolcott Road}}<!--what's on the green sign? Woolcott?-->
|notes=Northern terminus of KY 1159
}}
{{KYint
|location=Augusta
|lspan=2
|mile=61.326
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|19|dir1=south|name1=Augusta-Chatham Road}}
|notes=Northern terminus of KY 19
}}
{{KYint
|mile=61.431
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|435|dir1=south|name1=Augusta Minerva Road}}
|notes=Northern terminus of KY 435
}}
{{KYint
|county=Mason
|cspan=6
|location=Dover
|mile=67.824
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|1235|dir1=south<!--presumably-->|name1=Dover Minerva Road}}
|notes=Northern terminus of KY 1235
}}
{{KYint
|location=South Ripley
|mile=69.906
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|576|dir1=south<!--presumably-->|name1=Tuckahoe Road}}
|notes=north terminus of KY 576
}}
{{KYint
|location=Maysville
|lspan=4
|mile=74.114
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|1597|dir1=south<!--presumably-->|name1=Charleston Bottoms Road}}
|notes=Northern terminus of KY 1597
}}
{{KYint
|mile=75.686
|road={{jct|state=KY|US|68|location1=[[Ripley, OH]]|location2=[[Aberdeen, OH]]|road|to [[AA Highway]] ([[KY 9]])}}
|notes=interchange
}}
{{KYint
|mile=77.542
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|3056|dir1=west|name1=Jersey Ridge Road}}
|notes=Eastern terminus of KY 3056
}}
{{KYint
|mile=78.819
|road={{jct|state=KY|US|62|name1=Third Street / [[Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge]] / [[U.S. Route 68 Business (Maysville, Kentucky)|US 68 Bus.]]<!--not signed here-->}}
|notes=Eastern terminus
}}
{{Jctbtm|keys=concur}}

===Eastern segment===
{{jcttop|state=KY}}
{{KYint
|county=Lewis
|cspan=9
|location=Concord
|mile=0.000
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|57|dir1=south|KY|3550|dir2=west<!--presumably-->}}<!--what cities are signed?-->
|notes=Western terminus
}}
{{KYint
|location=Vanceburg
|lspan=3
|mile=12.622
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|3037|dir1=south|name1=Clarksburg Road|to2=to|AA|9<!--only signed to AA, not KY 9-->}}
|notes=Northern terminus of KY 3037
}}
{{KYint
|mile=12.962
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|59|dir1=south|road|Main Street}}
|notes=Northern terminus of KY 59; former [[Kentucky Route 2525|KY 2525]] east<!--given to city in 2013-->
}}
{{KYint
|mile=13.310
|road=Second Street
|notes=former [[Kentucky Route 2525|KY 2525]] west<!--given to city in 2013-->
}}
{{KYint
|location=none
|mile=15.891
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|3020|dir1=east<!--presumably-->}}
|notes=Western terminus of KY 3020
}}
{{KYint
|location=Garrison
|lspan=2
|mile=22.063
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|1306|dir1=south<!--presumably-->|name1=Kinney Road}}
|notes=north terminus of KY 1306
}}
{{KYint
|mile=23.011
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|3311|dir1=south|name1=Montgomery Road}}
|notes=Northern terminus of KY 3311
}}
{{KYint
|location=none
|mile=24.016
|road={{jct|state=KY|to1=to|KY|10|name1=via [[Kentucky Route 8C (Quincy)|KY 8C]]}}
|notes=Northern terminus of KY 8C
}}
{{KYint
|location=Quincy
|mile=24.916
|road={{jct|state=KY|KY|1021|dir1=south<!--presumably-->|name1=Briary Road}}
|notes=Northern terminus of KY 1021
}}
{{KYint
|type=concur
|county=Greenup
|cspan=2
|location=South Portsmouth
|lspan=2
|mile=34.360
|road={{jct|state=KY|US-Truck|23|dab1=South Portsmouth|dir1=north|KY|8S|dab2=South Portsmouth|dir2=north|name2=[[Carl Perkins Bridge]]|to3=to|US-OH|52|location1=[[Portsmouth, OH|Portsmouth]]}}
|notes=west end of US 23 Truck overlap
}}
{{KYint
|type=concur
|mile=35.383
|road={{jct|state=KY|US|23|name1=[[U.S. Grant Bridge]]|city1=Greenup|city2=Ashland|location3=[[Portsmouth, OH|Portsmouth]]}}
|notes=east end of US 23 Truck overlap
}}
{{jctbtm}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Attached KML|display=title,inline}}
*[http://www.kentuckyroads.com/ky_8/ KentuckyRoads.com KY 8]

[[Category:State highways in Kentucky|0008]]