Kentucky reportedly has more miles of freeways outside the Interstate system than any other U.S. state except California. This is a list of Kentucky's state parkways - most of which are entirely freeways of at least 4 lanes. In other words, most are almost up to Interstate standards, though a few may not qualify for reasons like the median being too high. All parkways were once toll. The bonds used to pay for building the parkways were gradually paid off, causing the tollbooths to be closed one parkway at a time. This process was finally completed in 2006, and all parkways are now free of cost to weary travelers.

State parkways carry unsigned, "secret" route numbers in the 9000s.

KY 9000

BEGIN: I-64, 2 mi from Winchester
Clark
• Names:
  • Bert T Combs-Mountain Pkwy
• 11.913 mi
Powell
• Names:
  • Bert T Combs-Mountain Pkwy
• 24.087 mi
Wolfe
• Names:
  • Bert T Combs-Mountain Pkwy
• 6.853 mi
END: KY 9009, 1 mi from Campton

Though 75 miles in total, at mile 42.853 - 0.408 mile east of Spur KY 15 near Campton - the Bert changes from 4-lane to 2-lane and the ''secret'' designation changes from KY 9000 to KY 9009. The 2-lane part is actually monikered the Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway Extension.

The Bert was known as just the Mountain Parkway before being named for Combs in 1976.

This parkway was ''secret'' KY 9000 and 9009 before being renumbered KY 114 in April 1985; then KY 402 in August 1985; and then KY 9000 and 9009 again in 1990.

The Bert has been labeled KY 402 on some commercial maps but I never saw it signed as KY 402.

The only spot I know of on the official county maps where the Bert was marked as KY 402 was the inset for the village of Slade (''Run runaway...'') - where you have to get off at the KY 11 exit to use the rest area.

The Bert opened in 1963 and was a toll road until the mid-1980s.

Kentucky may be the only state that has had both an Ernie and a Bert as governor.

WK 9001

BEGIN: I-69, 1 mi from Oak Hill
Hopkins
• Names:
  • Wendell H Ford-Western Kentucky Pkwy
• 5.098 mi
Muhlenberg
• Names:
  • Wendell H Ford-Western Kentucky Pkwy
• 22.251 mi
Ohio
• Names:
  • Wendell H Ford-Western Kentucky Pkwy
• 21.869 mi
Butler
• Names:
  • Wendell H Ford-Western Kentucky Pkwy
• 0.889 mi
Grayson
• Names:
  • Wendell H Ford-Western Kentucky Pkwy
• 31.216 mi
Hardin
• Names:
  • Wendell H Ford-Western Kentucky Pkwy
• 17.147 mi
END: US 31W/KY 61, Elizabethtown

Most of the Western Kentucky Parkway opened in 1963.

Tolls were removed in 1987.

This parkway ran from near Eddyville to Elizabethtown.

Part of this road near its Eddyville end opened in 1968 and was once ''secret'' KY 9010.

Named for Ford in 1998.

The portion from I-24 to the Edward Breathitt Parkway became I-69 in 2011.

This parkway can serve as part of an alternate route from Memphis to Louisville.

BG 9002

BEGIN: I-65, Elizabethtown
Hardin
• Names:
  • Martha Layne Collins-Bluegrass Pkwy
• 8.837 mi
Nelson
• Names:
  • Martha Layne Collins-Bluegrass Pkwy
• 30.430 mi
Washington
• Names:
  • Martha Layne Collins-Bluegrass Pkwy
• 5.540 mi
Anderson
• Names:
  • Martha Layne Collins-Bluegrass Pkwy
• 7.508 mi
Mercer
• Names:
  • Martha Layne Collins-Bluegrass Pkwy
• 3.972 mi
Anderson
• Names:
  • Martha Layne Collins-Bluegrass Pkwy
• 5.660 mi
Woodford
• Names:
  • Martha Layne Collins-Bluegrass Pkwy
• 9.187 mi
END: US 60, 1 mi from Gaybourn

The Blue Grass Parkway opened in 1965.

The tolls were removed in 1991.

This parkway was named for Collins in 2003.

The 1980s plan to extend I-66 into Kentucky would have involved the Blue Grass Parkway. The I-66 plan was later moved to southern Kentucky.

JC 9003

BEGIN: 1 mi from Riceville
Fulton
• Names:
  • Julian M Carroll Purchase Pkwy
• 3.434 mi
Hickman
• Names:
  • Julian M Carroll Purchase Pkwy
• 4.918 mi
Graves
• Names:
  • Julian M Carroll Purchase Pkwy
• 12.933 mi
END: I-69, 2 mi from Mayfield

The Purchase Parkway opened in 1966.

Tolls removed in 1992.

For some reason it was later officially referred to as the Jackson Purchase Parkway.

In 2001 it was named for former Gov. Julian Carroll. (And then it really got pooped upon. Sorry, folks, that's an inside joke!)

Julian Carroll had a mullet.

EB 9004

BEGIN: I-24, 1 mi from Beverly
Christian
• Names:
  • Edward T Breathitt Pkwy
• 28.095 mi
Hopkins
• Names:
  • Edward T Breathitt Pkwy
• 6.161 mi
END: I-69, 1 mi from Oak Hill

The Pennyrile Parkway opened in 1969 and lost its tolls in 1992.

The road was named for a popular former governor in 2000.

For years mile numbers on this parkway started at 7 - as there were 7 more miles proposed to link to I-24 but not yet built. At the time the road started at US 41A. In 2008 it was finally extended to Byp US 68.

Completed to I-24 in 2011.

AU 9005

BEGIN: Henderson
Henderson
• Names:
  • Audubon Pkwy
• 15.883 mi
Daviess
• Names:
  • Audubon Pkwy
• 7.558 mi
END: 2 mi from Broad Acres

Perhaps the most seldom traveled parkway, the Audubon opened in December 1970 and links Henderson with Owensboro.

Owensboro officials have petitioned to have the Audubon numbered as I-369.

Tolls removed in 2006.

HR 9006

BEGIN: US 25/KY 80, London
Laurel
• Names:
  • Hal Rogers Pkwy
• 10.593 mi
Clay
• Names:
  • Hal Rogers Pkwy
• 25.336 mi
Leslie
• Names:
  • Hal Rogers Pkwy
• 15.097 mi
Perry
• Names:
  • Hal Rogers Pkwy
• 8.062 mi
END: KY 80, Hazard

Opened in 1971 as the Daniel Boone Parkway.

Most of this road is only 2 lanes and thus is not up to Interstate standards.

Though most of this parkway is a 2-lane freeway the part that runs along the north side of London is not a freeway.

Even along the parkway's freeway section there are at least 2 at-grade junctions (not counting several near the Hazard end).

Tolls were removed in 2003.

Also in 2003 the road was renamed for Hal Rogers - replacing the name of a frontiersman who helped settle Kentucky with that of a sitting right-wing congressperson. The renaming generated a firestorm of complaints.

KY 9007

BEGIN: US 231, 2 mi from Plano
Warren
• 2.079 mi
END: I-65/I-165, 1 mi from Three Springs

Originally ran from Bowling Green to Owensboro.

Most of this route became I-165 in 2019. The only remaining part is the 2012 extension south of I-65. This is also the only known instance where a Kentucky highway is signed as one of the 9000s.

Opened as the Green River Parkway in 1972.

Renamed for the late Democratic congressman in 1994.

Included what is probably the longest stretch between exits on any Kentucky freeway: 23 miles between Hartford and Owensboro. (I assume no new exits have been built on that stretch recently.)

Tolls were finally removed in 2006.

Extended from I-65 south to US 231 in 2012.

LN 9008

BEGIN: I-65, 2 mi from Apple Grove
Barren
• Names:
  • Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Expressway
• 22.357 mi
Metcalfe
• Names:
  • Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Expressway
• 13.802 mi
Adair
• Names:
  • Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Expressway
• 21.632 mi
Russell
• Names:
  • Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Expressway
• 14.296 mi
Pulaski
• Names:
  • Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Expressway
• 16.289 mi
END: 2 mi from Ringgold

The Cumberland Parkway was mostly open in 1972; the rest opened in 1973.

It was named for former Gov. Louie B. Nunn in 2000.

The toll was removed in 2003.

Though this route is now all freeway, at one time it effectively became a divided surface road for a mile at its Somerset end. Now it's been rerouted onto a new freeway stretch north of town.

Nunn was known as Nickel Louie because he instituted an unpopular 5% sales tax. Aren't Republicans supposed to be the party of lower taxes?

KY 9009

BEGIN: KY 9000, 1 mi from Campton
Wolfe
• Names:
  • Bert T Combs-Mountain Pkwy Ext
• 14.840 mi
Morgan
• Names:
  • Bert T Combs-Mountain Pkwy Ext
• 5.455 mi
Magoffin
• Names:
  • Bert T Combs-Mountain Pkwy Ext
• 12.027 mi
END: US 460/KY 3048, Salyersville

This is the 2-lane stretch of the Bert - which is limited access like the 4-lane stretch.

Some old maps show a proposed Mountain Parkway splitting up near Campton with 2 legs going to Pikeville and Whitesburg.

Recent plans call for extending this parkway to Prestonsburg, making the entire road 4 lanes, and reinstating tolls to pay for it.