Why are there so many wrecks along one section of Interstate 75?

ROCKCASTLE COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - A section of Interstate 75 has been the scene of numerous crashes, especially during winter weather events.

Rockcastle County’s section of I-75 is often closed periodically during snow storms to allow crews to clear multiple wrecks.

The frequent interstate shutdowns have many drivers looking for places to stay until the road clears. Christopher Longhurst has managed the Mt. Vernon Quality Inn for four years. Each winter, it’s often the same story.

“Just last year, we had an accident just below me. Just a few minutes later, there was another wreck right behind them,” said Longhurst.

It happens as several plow trucks are specifically assigned to the interstate alone.

“Of course, they are well aware of what goes on in the area,” said Amber Hale, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. “We will have them staged there before the weather even hits.”

Last year, one family needed a place to stay for a week after their car flipped during a crash.

“Luckily, they were not injured in the vehicle. The woman does not remember getting out of her vehicle. Her husband says she came through the skylight [sunroof] once they stopped turning,” Longhurst said.

Someone else who used to work at another hotel told me during a recent shutdown there were so many people asking for rooms people were offering to pay to sleep on the floor.

Many have asked why so many crashes keep happening, despite a widening and other improvements a few years ago.

“It’s mainly people need to slow down. That’s the biggest thing, we harp on, ‘people, reduce your speed.,’” said Hale.

Hale says it’s common for the interstate to be clear in one area and quickly turn treacherous a few miles down the road.

Officials say the interstate in Rockcastle County is also very hilly and hard for some trucks to navigate when slick.

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