May 2005

H.B. Elkins will be hosting an Eastern Kentucky Road Enthusiast Meeting this Saturday, May 21 in Pikeville.

Date and Time:
Saturday, May 21, noon EDT

Location:
Reno's Roadhouse
4053 North Mayo Trail (US 23)
Pikeville, KY 41701
(606) 218-1163
www.renosroadhouse.com  (for location and menus)

After lunch, the group will go on an informal tour of the US 119 reconstruction project north of Pikeville.

For more information or to RSVP, please contact H.B. Elkins at kyroadgeekreply@yahoo.com .

New stop signs will be installed on the square in downtown Elkton.

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3.9 Miles of Cave City Road in Barren County will be repaved this year.

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Nearly a half-million dollars in improvements—including resurfacing and installation of reflectors—are slated for US 60 in Boyd County: Ashland Daily Independent: Resurfacing, markers slated for area roads (May 19, 2005) 

Progress is once again visible on the U.S. Grant Bridge south of Portsmouth, Ohio. A new bridge is being constructed over the Ohio River on the site of a bridge demolished in 2001. The Ohio Department of Transportation has a scheduled opening date of October 31, 2006 for the new bridge.

More information: Ashland Daily Independent: Bridge to Portsmouth shows signs of progress (May 19, 2005) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has agreed to lower the speed limit on Hands Pike (KY 1501): Cincinnati Enquirer: Hands Pike drivers have to slow down (May 19, 2005) 

The U.S. Senate recently passed their version of the “Transportation Equity Act.” The senate version of the bill must now be reconciled with the house version of the bill. The president has threatened to veto bill if Congress cannot limit the cost of the bill to $284 billion.

I will report on the sections of the bill relating to Kentucky once a conference version is prepared.

More information: Associated Press: Senate approves huge highway bill (May 17, 2005) , U.S. Library of Congress: Status of H.R. 3 

The week of May 15-21 is National Transportation Week: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: National Transportation Week is Celebrated May 15 – 21 (May 17, 2005) 

Several news reports this week shed more light on the alleged violations of the state’s hiring merit system in the Transportation Cabinet under Gov. Fletcher. Douglas W. Doerting, assistant director of personnel in the cabinet, alleged in a formal complaint that the hiring decisions were made using an “illegal political patronage” system.

On Tuesday a search warrant was served on the Governor’s office.

A letter from the Federal Highway Administration detailing how the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet had failed to meet its Affirmative Action goals has also surfaced. It was reported that he U.S. government might freeze $600 million in Kentucky road projects because the Transportation Cabinet hired almost no minorities in 2004: of 317 merit employees hired during that time 97% were white; however, later reports claimed there was no immediate threat of the freezing of road funds.

More information:

• Courier-Journal: Complaint alleges political patronage in Merit System (May 16, 2005) 
• Associated Press: Personnel Tinkering Allegations Prompt Weekend Standoff (May 16, 2005) 
• Associated Press: Allegations of personnel abuses prompt investigation (May 16, 2005) 
• WKYT 27 Newsfirst: AG Investigating Possible Inappropriate State Hiring Practices (May 16, 2005) 
• Courier-Journal: 'Substantial' violations of merit system alleged; Stumbo: Evidence is 'a smoking gun' (May 17, 2005) 
• Lexington Herald-Leader: Alleged merit law violations investigated; Stumbo looking at Transportation Cabinet hiring (May 17, 2005) 
• Lexington Herald-Leader: Cabinet hirings are under investigation; Attorney general looks at alleged Transportation violations (May 17, 2005) 
• Courier-Journal: Complaint details patronage charges; Fletcher's office faces accusations (May 17, 2005) 
• Courier-Journal: Treasurer's nephew got a state job (May 17, 2005) 
• Associated Press: Probe targets state cabinet (May 17, 2005) 
• Cincinnati Enquirer: Murgatroyd part of probe (May 17, 2005) 
• Associated Press: AG personnel probe widens; search warrant issued on governor's office (May 17, 2005) 
• Associated Press: AG Warns Transportation Employees Against Destroying Evidence (May 17, 2005) 
• Kentucky Post: Murgatroyd facing probe (May 17, 2005) 
• Assocated Press: Search Warrants Served On Governor's Office (May 17, 2005) 
• Associated Press: Governor's outreach office handled job recommendations, e-mails show (May 18, 2005) 
• Lexington Herald-Leader: Complete text of the federal agency's letter to Kentucky (May 18, 2005) 
• Cincinnati Enquirer: Murgatroyd's state office searched; Gov. Fletcher also hit by patronage investigation (May 18, 2005) 
• Assoicated Press: AG personnel probe widens; search warrant issued (May 18, 2005) 
• Lexington Herald-Leader: Investigators search the offices of two top Fletcher aides (May 18, 2005) 
• Lexington Herald-Leader: Outreach office vetted job seekers (May 18, 2005) 
• Associated Press: Search warrants served on Gov. Fletcher's offices (May 18, 2005) 
• Courier-Journal: Fletcher aides' offices searched; Warrants seek data on personnel (May 18, 2005) 
• Associated Press: Personnel investigation may lead outside Transportation Cabinet (May 18, 2005) 
• Lexington Herald-Leader: Hiring inquiry widens; Washington threatens to freeze road money over affirmative action (May 18, 2005) 
• Associated Press: Emails show outreach office handled job recommendations (May 18, 2005) 
• Kentucky Post: E-mails suggest man vetted on his politics (May 18, 2005) 
• Kentucky Post: State merit jobs investigation widens (May 18, 2005) 
• WAVE 3 TV: AG Expands Probe Into State's Hiring Practices (May 18, 2005) 
• Associated Press: Personnel investigation leading outside of Transportation (May 18, 2005) 
• Cincinnati Enquirer: Ex-Boone Co. official named in state probe; Stanton e-mails reviewed in patronage investigation (May 19, 2005) 
• Courier-Journal: Office governor created helped with state hires; E-mails show LINK was funnel for jobs (May 18, 2005) 
• Courier-Journal: Transportation missed goal for minority hirings in 2004 (May 19, 2005) 
• Lexington Herald-Leader: Perennial issue in Frankfort bites the governor (May 19, 2005) 
• Courier-Journal: Cabinet: Personnel moves unrelated to probe (May 19, 2005) 
• Kentucky Post: Officials deny threat to freeze road funds (May 19, 2005) 

A complete record of the Courier-Journal’s coverage of the hiring investigation can be found here: Courier-Journal: Merit System Investigation 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has released a press release concerning the Governor’s state-owned vehicle inspection initiative: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: Governor Ernie Fletcher’s Comprehensive State Vehicle Study Begins (May 16, 2005) 

Barring any unforeseen problems, the Roebling Suspension Bridge over the Ohio River at Covington will be repainted next summer: Kentucky Post: River Rainbow (May 14, 2005) 

A Southern Indiana historical society fears that Southern Indiana’s history is being buried under a collection of landfills. One of the landfills has received and provided construction materials for projects such as the Kennedy Bridge and reconstruction of I-65 in Southern Indiana: Courier-Journal: Clarksville down in the dumps; Some fear fort buried by debris (May 16, 2005) 

H.B. Elkins will be hosting the Eastern Kentucky-Central Appalachia Road Enthusiast Meeting this coming Saturday, May 21 at noon EDT at Reno’s Roadhouse in Pikeville, Kentucky. Afterwards there will be an informal tour of the US 119 reconstruction project in Northern Pike County. If you are interesting in attending, please RSVP to H.B. Elkins at kyroadgeekreply@yahoo.com .

More information: H.B. Elkins: Eastern KY-Central Appalachian roadgeek meeting -- one-month notice (April 26, 2005) , H.B. Elkins: Eastern KY roadgeek meeting info (May 16, 2005) 

The Tompkinsville News reports that around 40 people attended a public meeting on May 5th to discuss alternatives for a KY 163 Bypass of Tompkinsville. A final decision on the preferred route is expected next year.

More information: Tompkinsville News: By-Pass public hearing held (May 14, 2005) 

Transportation Cabinet official Tim Henderlight set up a desk in a highway work zone in Breathitt County Friday to make his point as he discussed the need for driving safely in construction zones. Henderlight held a news conference to discuss work zone safety in Eastern Kentucky at the site of a $37 million construction project to relocate KY 15 and widen it to four lanes. Photo by H.B. Elkins, District 10 PIO.

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Heavy rains in April caused mudslides that forced the temporary closure of parts of KY 404 and KY 194 in Floyd County.

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State government vehicles will be inspected at various places across the state this week. This is part of Governor Ernie Fletcher’s comprehensive state vehicle study

A preferred alternative has been chosen for the proposed reconstruction of KY 259 from the Green River to Kyrock in Edmonson County.

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Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Press Release:

Frankfort, KY (May 2, 2005)—The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has successfully completed 80% of the LED signal upgrades throughout the Commonwealth. The remaining upgrades are expected to be complete by early summer and result in projected savings of more than $3.2 million a year to taxpayers as well as improved safety at intersections.

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The state is investigating allegations that hiring in the Transportation Cabinet has been based on political affiliations instead of qualifications: Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer: State road department hiring probed (May 15, 2005) 

“Countdown” pedestrian signals have been installed at a number of Louisville crosswalks. These signals include a countdown timer to indicate how much time a pedestrian has to cross the street before the signal changes.

More information: Lousville Courier-Journal: 'Don't Walk' signs eliminate guesswork (May 14, 2005) 

A project to rehabilitate the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge was recently completed: Cincinnati Post: Clay Wade Bailey in good repair (May 14, 2005) 

A project to widen a stretch of US 68/KY 80 in northern Warren County was completed this week.

More information: Bowling Green Daily News: U.S. 68 opens today with additional 3 lanes (May 13, 2005) 

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A federal appeals court recently reinstated parts of a lawsuit against the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet that claims the Cabinet inappropriately classified some companies as “disadvantaged businesses”—a designation that provided those companies with special consideration in some contracts: Associated Press: Federal court reinstates lawsuit against Transportation Cabinet (May 12, 2005) 

The president of a company accused of installing faulty guardrails on Tennessee road projects claims his company did nothing wrong: WPSD NewsChannel 6: Tennessee: Faulty Guardrail Debate (May 10, 2005) 

A recent report on change orders issued by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet determined that no intentional misuse has taken place; however, new controls on change orders have been placed.

A change order allows for payment in excess of the contract originally approved for a project; change orders are used to pay for unforeseeable events that occur during the completion of a project.

More information: Lexington Herald-Leader: Questionable change orders to state highway contracts put millions into road builders’ pockets, according to report (May 6, 2005) , Louisville Courier-Journal: Study says contractor influence raised cost; Kentucky finds no evidence of criminal wrongdoing (May 7, 2005) , Associated Press: Contractor influence cited in costly change orders (May 7, 2005) , Lexington Herald-Leader: Change orders criticized in report (May 7, 2005) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Federal Highway Administration held a “freight summit” in Frankfort last week to discuss issues related to the conveyance of freight, both locally and globally.

More information: Business First of Louisville: Transportation Cabinet to hold first freight summit (May 6, 2005) 

250 people attended recent public meetings to discuss widening US 60 between Henderson and Morganfield: Union County Advocate: 250 Attend Two Nights of Public Meetings on New U.S. 60 Route Between Morganfield & Henderson (May 4, 2005) , Union County Advocate: Waverly U.S. 60 Public Meeting (Letter to the Editor, May 4, 2005) 

An entire home was moved recently to make way for a new bypass around Maysville: Maysville Ledger-Independent: House yields to new Maysville bypass (May 4, 2005) 

Last week the Kentucky State Police and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Division of Driver Safety held “Operation Drive Smart Blitz” along the AA Highway: Maysville Ledger Idependent: Campaign to enforce traffic safety on the AA Highway coming May 8-14: Operation Drive Smart Blitz (May 4, 2005) , Cincinnati Enquirer: AA Hwy. patrols beefed up (May 8, 2005) , Ashland Daily Independent: State pushes drive smart on A-A (May 12, 2005) 

Budget concerns in Indiana may delay a project to widen US 231 in Southern Indiana from the Natcher Bridge to I-64. The priority of unstarted highway projects has been under review since Gov. Mitch Daniels took office in January. Under the revised 10-year plan the US 231 widening project might be delayed until 2014.

Local leaders (including officials from Daviess County in Kentucky) met with Indiana’s Gov. Mitch Daniels last week and were assured that while the project would be delayed, it would not be delayed until 2014.

More information: Evansville Courier&Press: Officials upset over potential U.S. 231 delays (May 4, 2005) , Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer: U.S. 231 expansion on hold (May 4, 2005) , Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer: Officials: U.S. 231 expansion project back on track (May 12, 2005) 

A route has been chosen for the proposed southern bypass of Russellville. The chosen route was the longest of three alternatives considered and will connect at the existing northern bypass at both ends. Right-of-way purchase for the eastern leg of the bypass (between US 68/KY 80 and KY 100) is expected to begin this year.

More information: Bowling Green Daily News: Logan selects route for bypass (May 3, 2005) , Logan County News-Democrat & Leader: Commissioner says Southern Bypass coming (May 3, 2005) 

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Covington city officials recently helped the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet perform a traffic study to examine patterns of traffic coming from the Roebling Suspension Bridge: Cincinnati Enquirer: Traffic patterns getting hard look (May 3, 2005) 

The annual 400 Mile Sale stretching along US 68 from Maysville to Paducah will be held June 2-5: Maysville Ledger-Independent: A 400 mile opportunity: Yard sale is a big chance for buyers and sellers (May 1, 2005) , West Kentucky Corporation: 400 Mile Sale Across Kentucky , Logan County News-Democrat & Leader: 400 Mile events listed along U.S. 68-80 (May 10, 2005) 

Residents would like to see improvements to Senour Road in Kenton County; however, no money for such improvements exists in the state’s budget. A speed limit cut has been proposed to ease safety issues.

More information: Cincinnati Enquirer: Who Can Fix this Bad Road? (May 2, 2005) , Cincinnati Enquirer: Patching, not repaving, near for Senour Road (May 3, 2005) , Kentucky Post: Senour work has to wait; Speed limit may be cut on deteriorating road (May 12, 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)