Local News
Push continues to improve Ky. 90
Work to improve Ky. 90 east of Glasgow may resume by the first of the year.
Whether that will happen will depend on the availability of funding, according to officials.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet was in the process of acquiring rights of way along the section of the highway from the Louie B. Nunn Parkway to a half mile east of Lick Branch Road earlier this year, but the work was suspended due to a lack of money in the state’s highway construction budget.
Judge-Executive Davie Greer said she was not happy with the news.
“I think it’s awful,” she said. “I think we need to have it done. I think it’s a very dangerous road. If there was anything I could do, I would do it.”
Keirsten Jaggers, public information officer for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Bowling Green office, said the state highway department’s central office had been provided with the additional paperwork necessary to obtain funds to continue the project.
“We hope to see some movement by the first of the year,” she said.
The project could have continued with stimulus monies, but it didn’t qualify. The road project that did was the Glasgow Veterans Outer Loop.
“In recent years, federal funds have provided a more stable and consistent method of getting highway projects to construction. Even so, without the federal stimulus of early 2009, one section of the Glasgow Outer Loop would not have gone to construction this year,” Jaggers said.
Kentucky was scheduled to receive $421.1 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money, of which $12.6 million is dedicated to the Transportation Enhancement Program.
A portion of the stimulus money was set to be used for the Ky. 90 project, but it did not qualify as being a “shovel-ready project” and state bond funds were allocated for the project instead.
Rep. Johnny Bell (D-Glasgow) met with state highway officials a few months ago to discuss why the project isn’t moving forward at a quicker pace.
“What the issue is, there are so many rights of way to buy that we’re trying to make sure we are getting compensated fairly. That’s putting a strain on monies we’re projecting to put in there and that’s what’s slowing us down,” Bell said. “We did commit about a month-a-half ago with a meeting to move the money from Stage 2 back into Stage 1 and 2 and I was told that would be enough to get all of the rights of way so that we could get something done concerning that road.”
He added he wants his constituents to know that the project is a high priority because of the number of fatalities that have occurred along the highway.
“I agree with most of the people in this community that we’ve not been treated fair concerning that road,” he said. “For example, up in Burkesville on this far end of this thing they have spent a tremendous amount of money moving a mountain, straightening out some curves up there that I think was frivolous when compared to the death rate and the danger we have with 90 east. But of course, I don’t have much input in what goes in in Burkesville. Once we figured out that federal stimulus money couldn’t be used for 90 east, I didn’t want to lose that money at all and I also felt that the bypass was very important and that was the reason why it was then transferred to those two sections, because it is better spent here than somewhere else.”
- Local News
-
-
Many have competed for years
Sounding themes that resonate with followers of the tea party, a Louisville businessman and advocate of charter schools said Thursday he will seek next year’s Republican Party nomination for governor.
-
Local developers buy Barren River Plaza
A Glasgow shopping center that had lost the majority of its tenants during the last few years after one of the anchor stores relocated to Veterans Outer Loop may be getting a second chance at renewed life.
-
Metcalfe agrees to give recovery bond money to Barren County
At least one county has agreed to turn over its Recovery Zone Facility Bonds to Barren County for an economic development project.
-
Families work as team to show cattle
Judge Brian Hornback from Elizabethtown was keeping a watchful eye as both youth and adults led their show cattle around the ring in the pavilion at the Temple Hill Fairgrounds on Wednesday night.
-
Day of caring strikes locally
Caring is a daily practice, but for one day the Barren County Chapter of United Way and local businesses devoted their time to going over and above.
-
Lake levels fall to summer pool
Boaters and other water lovers can enjoy Barren River Lake more safely that the lake level has receded after a couple of months of high water.
-
Wheeler off to the races in California
Zack Wheeler has wanted to be an Olympian since he started running track in sixth grade. On Friday, he will go a step further to reaching that dream.
-
LOCAL BRIEFS
-
Livestock shows begin on opening day
Rebecca Hurley stood inside the show ring grooming her Boer goat before the Youth Goat Show on Tuesday afternoon at the Barren County Fair.
-
Six new members added to athletic hall
The seventh class of the Daily Times’ Glasgow-Barren County Athletic Hall of Fame has been selected by a committee vote. It includes six individuals who either left an athletic legacy through their accomplishments on the field or in the gym, or who shaped the athletic programs of the area.
- More Local News Headlines
-
