Nelson County

From Kentucky Tranportation Cabinet Department of Highways District 4 (Sept. 11, 2012):

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From the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Department of Highways District 4:

Transportation Cabinet to upgrade Bluegrass Parkway guardrail

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (Aug. 13, 2010) — The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has awarded a $1.36 million contract to upgrade guardrail along a 27-mile stretch of the Martha Layne Collins Bluegrass Parkway in Nelson and Washington counties.

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From the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Department of Highways District 4 (Aug. 18, 2010):

Railroad repairs require U.S. 62 closure at Boston

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (Aug 18, 2010) — Repairs to the Kentucky Railway Museum’s rail crossing on U.S. 62 at Boston, in Nelson County, will require closure of the highway beginning Monday, Aug. 30. The road will be closed through Wednesday, Sept. 1.

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The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet recently announced a preferred route for the proposed reconstruction of US 31E north of Bardstown: (Bardstown) Kentucky Standard: U.S. 31E routes selected (Oct. 19, 2005) 

The Transportation Cabinet recently released funds to complete the design of a project intended to improve safety on US 31E in Nelson County: Bardstown Kentucky Standard: Funds to be made available for U.S. 31E project (May 1, 2005) 

In response to the number of accidents along the road, area residents would like to see safety improvements along US 31E between Bardstown and Louisville: WAVE 3: Residents Want Deadly Road Improved (Dec. 21, 2004) 

$600,000 in federal funds will be used to help finance a project along KY 247 in Nelson County. The project will move the route further away from the Abbey of Gethsemani: Bardstown Kentucky Standard: Federal funds available for KY 247 project (Nov. 29, 2004) 

Last Wednesday, a group of concerned citizens proposed work to straighten a curve along KY 55 in Nelson County: (Bardstown) Kentucky Standard: Group protests Big Spring road project (Oct. 22, 2004) 

A project to reconstruct a half-mile segment of KY 55 near the Big Spring Cemetery in Bloomfield was scheduled to begin today. Area resident have expressed some concern that about the impact the project will have the nature of the nearby cemetery.

More information: The (Bardstown) Kentucky Standard: KY 55 road project begins Monday (Oct. 11, 2004) 

• A section of the Blue Grass Parkway was temporarily closed in early July due to a chemical spill: WKYT: Bluegrass Parkway Reopened Following Chemical Spill (July 12, 2004) , Associated Press: Accident closes part of Bluegrass Parkway (July 13, 2004) 
• The I-64 Sherman Minton over the Ohio River was temporarily closed in early August after being struck by a barge: Cincinnati Enquirer: I-64 bridge closed after being hit by barge (Aug. 8, 2004) 
• Transportation Cabinet Secretary Bailey gave Associated Press reporter Joe Biesk a guided tour of the Transportation Cabinet’s new headquarters: Bailey relies on military experience as transportation secretary (July 12, 2004) 
• Work continues at the US 41/US 60 interchange in Henderson: The Henderson Gleaner: Another bypass ramp closing (July 13, 2004) 
• The first phase of construction has begun an Oldham County recreation trail. The trail is being constructed on an abandoned railroad right-of-way: Courier-Journal: First phase of construction begins on Oldham walking trail (July 13, 2004) 
• Butler County officials have voted to close Aberdeen Church Road. The road was used by some residents who felt a nearby intersection of KY 79 was unsafe; however, accident data shows that the interchange is not unsafe and Butler County leaders believe the road to be closed is more dangerous: Bowling Green Daily News: Butler says road too dangerous to stay open (July 13, 2004) 
• Several projects in Pulaski County are nearing completion: WYMT Mountain News: Millions Of Dollars Are Being Spent in Road Projects in Southern KY (July 14, 2004) 
• The lack of a state budge could cause delays to a number of road projects statewide: Bowling Green Daily News: Budget: Projects may be delayed (July 14, 2004) , Danville Advocate-Messenger: Several area highway projects delayed (July 25, 2004) , Danville Advocate-Messenger: Kentucky's road projects taking bumpy path (July 26, 2004) , Kentucky Post: Stalled budget may stall road projects (July 26, 2004) , Evansville Courier-Press: Western Kentucky road projects facing delays (Aug. 2, 2004) , Evansville Courier-Press: Lawmakers expect widening of U.S. 641 to proceed, despite budget impasse (Aug. 16, 2004) 
• Impact studies related to a project to reconstruct US 31E in Bullitt, Spencer, and Nelson Counties is behind schedule: Kentucky Standard: State's U.S. 31E project behind schedule (July 14, 2004) 
• A hearing regarding Convington’s citation of CSX for allowing a railroad overpass to deteriorate was delayed so CSX could prepare a defense: Kentucky Post: Hearing on rail bridge delayed (July 15, 2004) , Cincinnati Enquirer: Covington wants CSX bridge fixed (July 29, 2004) 
• A resident of Oldham County is backing a campaign to rename the KY 329 Pewee Valley bypass in honor of veterans: Courier-Journal: Oldham bypass is step closer to honoring war veterans (July 16, 2004) , Oldham Era: Legion receives local support to rename bypass (July 30, 2004) 
• A new book on scenic drives will feature Powell County’s Red River Gorge National Scenic Byway among the country’s fifteen best scenic drives: Courier-Journal: Book salutes E. Kentucky scenic route (July 23, 2004) 
• The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet held a public meeting to discuss the possible impact of a project to reconstruction KY 55 near the Nelson and Spencer County line: Kentucky Standard: KTC meets with citizens about KY 55 project (July 23, 2004) 
• A $1 million study of I-471 suggests reconstruction of the I-471/I-275 interchange and construction of ramps at the Ohio River bridge: Cincinnati Enquirer: I-471 study to include new ramps at each end (July 28, 2004) 

The scheduled completion of part of a project to widen KY 245 between Bardstown and Clermont has been pushed back due to delays during utility relocation: The (Bardstown) Kentucky Standard: KY 245 widening project delayed (July 7, 2004) 

Gov. Fletcher and Transportation Secretary Bailey have appointed chief highway engineers for nine of the Division of Highways' twelve districts.

• Edward “Ted” Merryman has been appointed as Chief Highway Engineer for districts 1 and 2. Previously, Merryman was chief highway engineer for district 2. [more information ]
• Greg Meredith has been reappointed as Chief Highway Engineer for district 2. [more information ]
• Gary M. Raymer, P.E. has been appointed as Chief Highway Engineer for district 4. [more information ]
• David Jones, P.E. has been appointed as Chief Highway Engineer for district 6. [more information ]
• Jim Rummage, P.E. has been appointed as Chief Highway Engineer for district 7. [more information ]
• Katrina O. Bradley, P.E. has been appointed as Chief Highway Engineer for district 9. [more information ]
• Samuel H. Beverage, P.E. has been appointed as Chief Highway Engineer for districts 10 and 11. [ more information ]

More information: WKYT: Gov. Fletcher Hires New Highway Engineers (June 29, 2004) , Associated Press: Fletcher appoints top highway engineers (June 30, 2004) , Hardin County News-Enterprise: Highway engineer appointed in E'town (June 30, 2004) , Maysville Ledger-Independent: New KTC Engineer Sees District as Unique (July 2, 2004) 

Work to reconstruct a curvy section of US 62 known as “Dump Hill” is planned to begin early next year: (Bardstown) Kentucky Standard: State purchases land for Dump Hill project (June 9, 2004) 

Monks from the Abbey of Gethsemani of Nelson County would like to see the highway which runs in front of their Abbey moved in order to preserve the monastic nature of their abbey. The state currently has no plans to move the highway; however, the monks are starting a campaign to attend donations of land and money to help move the route. They also plan to seek assistance from U.S. Senator Jim Bunning to obtain Federal funds for the project.

More information: Bardstown Kentucky Standard: Monks would like to see part of KY 247 moved (Feb. 13, 2004) 

A public meeting was held in Nelson County recently to discuss options for widening just over a mile of KY 245 outside of Bardstown. The widened route will provide improved service to the Flaget Memorial Hospital which is currently under construction near the route. This is the second phase of a widening project that is already underway. The current KY 245 widening project is expected to be completed this July.

Eventually, KY 245 is to be widened along the entire distance between Bardstown and I-65.

More information: /Kentucky Standard: Phase II of KY 245 road expansion planned (Feb. 9, 2004) , Kentucky Standard: Alignments offer options for roadway expansion (Feb. 9, 2004) 

State Representative Jodie Haydon, D-Bardstown, is attempting to develop a tourist railway between the Kentucky Railway Musuem in New Haven and Lebanon Junction off of I-65. Such a train faces a number of hurdles, including obtaining permission from CSX to use the line.

More information: (Bardstown) Kentucky Standard: Plans underway to develop potential tourist railway between county, I-65 (Jan. 28, 2004) 

The Kentucky Standard reports that three spots along US 31E in Nelson County are receiving attention due to a high accident rate: High Grove, Gobel Lake Curve and Hibbs Lane accounted for more than 60% of the accident reported along that US 31E north of Bardstown. US 31E through the area is a two-lane road that is much the same as it was originally constructed back in the 1920s.

The Transportation Cabinet plans to reconstruct part of the road between Nazerth and the Salt River; however, construction has been delayed due to historic sites along the route. Construction on the $100 million project is slated to begin in 2008.

One site on US 62 in Nelson County was also noted for a high accident rate.Dump Hill.

More information: (Bardstown) Kentucky Standard: Four spots becoming most dangerous roads in Nelson County (Jan. 16, 2004) 

The last few months have seen the renaming of two parkways and the AA Highway. The Kentucky Post editorialized the situation: Kentucky Post: The name game (Sept. 17, 2003) 

Materials from recent public meeting concerning the proposed Heartland Parkway have been posted on the transportation cabinet's web site. The proposed corridor will follow KY 55 and KY 555 from the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway to the Martha Layne Collins Blue Grass Parkway.

More information: KYTC Division of Planning: Heartland Parkway 

At Gov. Patton's direction, the Blue Grass Parkway will be officially renamed the Martha Layne Collins Blue Grass Parkway in a ceremony to be held on Thursday. Martha Layne Collins was Kentucky's first (and currently only) woman governor. She was governor from 1983 to 1987. This leaves only the Audubon Parkway to have its original name.

More information: Associated Press: Blue Grass Parkway to be renamed in honor of Collins (Sept. 16, 2003) 

A project to widen 1.5-miles of KY 245 near Bardstown to four lanes began in June and is on schedule. The road work should be completed during the summer of 2004.

More information: Bardstown Kentucky Standard: KY 245 project on schedule (July 30, 2003)