Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
Office of Public Affairs

For Immediate Release
Feb. 20, 2008

Media contact: Chuck Wolfe
Chuck.Wolfe@ky.gov
David Devers
David.Devers@ky.gov
502-564-3419

New Kentucky highway map beckons travelers to ‘playground’ for history, adventure
Lincoln Bicentennial, ‘adventure tourism’ highlight 2008 edition

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Official Highway Map for 2008, which beckons travelers to a multitude of attractions, is now available at welcome centers and rest areas across the commonwealth.

“From the bicentennial celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s birth and the 2008 Ryder Cup, to the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, the eyes of the nation and the world will be on the Bluegrass State this year and for years to come,” said Governor Steve Beshear. “Our new highway map will be a valuable resource for all who seek out the many diverse and exciting events on the horizon in the commonwealth.”

The new edition highlights locations that figured prominently in the life of Lincoln, the nation’s 16th president, who was born near present-day Hodgenville on Feb. 12, 1809.

As Lincoln’s birth state, Kentucky will play a central role as the nation begins the Lincoln Bicentennial Commemoration. Lincoln-related programming will occur this year in several communities around the state.

The 2008 map also promotes Kentucky as “Your Playground for Adventure.”

“For hiking, biking, paddle sports, caving, rock climbing or wildlife watching, Kentucky has everything anyone could want in an adventure destination,” said Commerce Cabinet Secretary Marcheta Sparrow. “We want Kentucky to be known as an ideal place to unleash that spirit of adventure.”

For example, the 2008 map promotes the Kentucky State Parks Golf Trail, which includes courses at 19 state parks across the state. The trail includes seven Signature Series courses, some of which have received top 10 national rankings from Golf Digest magazine, and all of which offer opportunities for championship-level play amid the pastoral beauty of the “nation’s finest” park system.

In addition to the inclusion of several features related to tourism in Kentucky, information and tips related to highway safety are conspicuously present on the 2008 map. Motorists are reminded of current Kentucky traffic laws and are urged to buckle up before every trip.

“The purpose of a good state highway map is to provide travelers with a tool to help them experience a rewarding trip in Kentucky,” said Transportation Secretary Joe Prather. “The most rewarding trips are the ones that end safely. That is why we place such a high priority on highway safety in Kentucky.”

Motorists will also find information in the new map about Kentucky’s SAFE Patrol program, which provides free assistance to stranded motorists on Kentucky’s parkways and interstates. SAFE Patrol’s toll free number, 877-367-5982, is listed on the map.

The 2008 Official Highway Map can be viewed online at

http://www.planning.kytc.ky.gov/maps/officialmap/ohm.asp

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