Taylor County

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

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Construction could begin on the proposed 60-mile Heartland Parkway in 2008: Central Kentucky News-Journal: Heartland Parkway now in state road plan (Feb. 22, 2006) 

The city of Campbellsville is refusing to install "Children at Play" signs on a city street and claiming that such signs are illegal in Kentucky because they give children the right of way to play in the street. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says that while the installation of such signs is discouraged, they are not illegal and do not give children right of way.

More information: Central Kentucky News-Journal: City says no to signs (Oct. 30, 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) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has recommended that the proposed “Heartland Parkway” between Columbia and Springfield be constructed by widening KY 55, US 68, and KY 555 to four lanes along their existing route.

More information: Central Kentucky News-Journal: Heartland Parkway could be a little closer (March 6, 2005) 

$10 million that was originally earmarked for construction of a Lebanon Bypass will instead be spent to construct a new route between Columbia and Campbellsville. State Rep. Jimmy Higdon told the Lebanon Enterprise that in the Heartland Parkway priority list, the route between Columbia and Campbellsville was given higher priority than the Lebanon bypass.

More information: Lebanon Enterprise: $10 million for North Lebanon Bypass went to neighboring district (Feb. 23, 2005) 

In response to residents’ concerns a flashing warning light has been installed at the intersection of Old Hodgenville Road and the new Campbellsville North Bypass. Despite data to the contrary, many residents feel that intersection is the most dangerous in the area. More information: Cental Kentucky News-Journal: Bypass gets flashing light (Dec. 29, 2004) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has allocated $100,000 to repair the Tebbs Bend Bridge over the Green River in Taylor County. The bridge was closed after annual inspections found it to be deficient; the repairs will be temporary. A permanent replacement is planned for 2008.

More information: Central Kentucky News-Journal: Historic bridge will be repaired (Sept. 23, 2004) 

The iron bridge over the Green River along Tebbs Bend Road in Taylor County has been closed after an inspection found the 1907 bridge to be unsafe for traffic. The bridge will remain closed until it can be either repaired or replaced. The closure creates a hole in Taylor County’s Civil War trail: trail traffic must now cross the Green River via the KY 55 bridge.

More information: Central Kentucky News-Journal: Tebbs Bend Bridge Closed (Aug. 29, 2004) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet recently presented three options for the so-called Heartland Parkway in central Kentucky between Columbia and Springfield.

• Option 1 would construct a new interstate-like highway between the Cumberland Parkway and Blue Grass Parkway. The new highway would follow a corridor roughly two miles to the west of KY 55/US 68/KY 555.
• Option 2 would widen the existing KY 55/US 68/KY 555 route to four lanes.
• Option 3 would keep the current KY 55/US 68/KY 555 route at two lanes, but add passing lanes every three miles.

Area residents expressed a wide variety of opinions about the three options at the recent public meetings.

More information: Lebanon Enterprise: Opinions vary about Heartland Parkway options (August 19, 2004) 

A meeting presenting a number of proposals for the Heartland Parkway brought a variety of responses: Central Kentucky News Journal: Opinions vary about Heartland Parkway options (Aug. 15, 2004) 

Traffic shifts caused by new commercial developments and the closing of a Fruit of the Loom plant in Campbellsville have caused congestion at the intersection of KY 210 and US 68: Central Kentucky News-Journal: KY 210 traffic becoming a problem (July 11, 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) 

Team Taylor County executive director Kevin Sheilley recently reported at a meeting of the Campbellsville/Taylor County Industrial Development Authority that he believes planning for the Heartland Parkway is still on track: (Campbellsville) Central Kentucky News Journal: FOL building may be demolished (June 6, 2004) 

US 68 and KY 80 played host a 400 mile long yard sale the first weekend of June: Bowling Green Daily News: 400-mile yard sale kicks off on 68-80 (June 3, 2004) , (Hopkinsville) Kentucky New Era: The 400-mile sale (June 4, 2004) , Bowling Green Daily News: Buyers crossing nation for statewide sale (June 5, 2004) , Bowling Green Daily News: Festival gives Smiths Grove chance to relax, sell goods (June 6, 2004) 

Popular sentiment is that the new Campbellsville Bypass is dangerous; however, statistics show that the road is no more dangerous than other roads in the area: Central Kentucky News-Journal: Wrecks on bypass no more than at other intersections (June 2, 2004) 

The US 68 Yard Sale is underway today through Sunday in the 24 counties along the path of US 68 in Kentucky: more information .

• Heartland Parkway  in Central Kentucky. (more information )
• KY 44  in Bullitt County.
• KY 88  in Hart and Grayson Counties.

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a transportation project authorization bill containing a number of Kentucky projects. Including:

The Louisville-Southern Indiana Bridges Project

• $7 million for continuing the Brent Spence Bridge replacement study
• I-65 connector route in Warren County
• Pennyrile Parkway extension in Christian County
• The Heartland Parkway
• I-66 northern bypass of Somerset

The Senate has passed a similar bill. Differences between the two bills must now be reconciled and passed by both houses before going before the president for his approval or veto.

More information: Courier-Journal: Bill with bridges money held up (Apr. 1, 2004)  , Business First of Louisville: House passes bill with funding for bridges project (Mar. 29, 2004) , Cincinnati Post: $7M for bridge a drop in bucket (Apr. 3, 2004) , Kentucky New Era: $8 million approved for parkway extension (Apr. 3, 2004) , Central Kentucky News-Journal: Parkway is closer to reality (Apr. 4, 2004) 

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that greater Cincinnati area projects are fairing poorly in the bill: Cincinnati Enquirer: Local roads kicked to the curb (Apr. 2, 2004) 

This summer will see an event known as “400 Miles of Antiques, Collectibles & Stuff” along nearly 400-miles of US 68 Kentucky. The event will be held June 3-6 and involve events along in 24 counties along US 68’s route.

More information: Central Kentucky News-Journal: 400 miles of opportunity -- June event will bring thousands of visitors, dollars to Central Kentucky (March 14, 2004) 

Transportation officials have revealed three options for a proposed route between Columbia and Springfield. The proposed route has been called the Heartland Parkway and would pass through Adair, Taylor, Marion and Washington Counties.

One option would see the construction of the an interstate-type highway between the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway and the Blue Grass Parkway.

A second option would widen a route along KY 55, US 68, and KY 555 to four lanes.

A third option would simply add one mile of passing lanes to every three miles of road along KY 55, US 68, and KY 555 between the two parkways.

Current highway plans include no funding for the project other than this initial study.

More information: Central Kentucky News-Journal: Heartland Parkway -- Three options unveiled for 60-mile road (March 14, 2004) 

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 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will hold a series of public meetings to discuss the construction of a new four lane divided highway between Springfield and Columbia along the KY 55/KY 555 corridor.

• Sept. 2 - Lebanon
• Sept. 4 - Columbia
• Sept. 8 - Springfield
• Sept. 11 - Campbellsville

More information: Lebanon Enterprise: Public meeting is scheduled for Heartland Parkway discussion (Aug. 27, 2003) 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has posted information about the proposed Heartland Parkway here: KY-55 Heartland Parkway 

The new Campbellsville Northern Connector is nearly finished: new stoplights and signals on the road are already operational. When opened, the connector (KY 3350) will connect KY 210 (Hodgenville Road) to KY 289 (Old Lebanon Road) north of Campbellsville.

More information: Central Kentucky News-Journal: Bypass nearly finished (Aug. 19, 2002) 

Driving on unopened highways can be dangerous. A wreck occurred this week on the unopened Campbellsville Bypass when a driver on the unopened highway pulled in front of a motorcyclist driving on a cross road. The motorcyclist suffered minor injuries.

More information: Central Kentucky News-Journal: Wreck happens when driver is on unopened bypass (Aug. 8, 2002) 

The 2002 federal transportation spending bill includes $500,000 for the study of a proposed Heartland Parkway in Taylor, Marion, Washington and Green counties. Despite its name, this road will probably not be a toll road as my understanding is that federal law prohibits the placing of tolls on any road on which federal money has been spent. Instead, if built, this route would probably be a four lane reconstruction of KY 55. The proposed road would connect to the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway near Columbia and the Blue Grass Parkway near Springfield. More details can be found here , here , and here  (no longer online).