Public Info Meeting held for possible widening of Ky. 90

Keegan Harris, Commonwealth Journal, Somerset, Ky.
·2 min read

Sep. 15—Pulaski shoots for having a safer way to say "Hello" to Monticello, and Thursday the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet held a public meeting to discuss broadening the road to Monticello, Ky. 90.

The meeting took place in First Baptist Church in Bronston. Representatives from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet spoke with guests and citizens and answered questions.

GRW Engineers, Inc. created three different design alternatives for the meeting. The three designs included:

A 3-lane highway with shoulders and a Two-Way Left Turn Lane (TWLTL),

A 4-lane highway with shoulders and TWLTL,

And a combination of the 4-lane and 3-lane highway with shoulders and a TWLTL.

The project will extend from the Pulaski-Wayne County line to a previously improved segment near the Cumberland River Bridge. The project aims to improve the traffic flow and the safety of the road. About 90 accidents have occurred in the past four years on this stretch of Ky. 90 (with two fatalities).

"Studies show that if you provide a center turn lane, that can reduce crashes overall by between 20-40%," explained Joe Gossage who works in design for Somerset's KY Transportation Cabinet.

Greg Gabbard, a design consultant with GRW Engineers, is even more optimistic.

"We did a traffic study for this project, and we estimate this will decrease these crashes by 36%," said Gabbard.

Gossage plans for the project to have as little effect on people's private property as possible.

"We've tried to make a good effort to effect all the right of way down there as little as possible," said Gossage. "No use in improving a road if you're going to wipe everybody out on either side of it."

Making sure that people's property is preserved is the primary purpose of the meeting, and there was a comment box by the entrance so folks could submit their qualms and suggestions.

As far as the cost of the project, Gossage said the plans are still too "rough" and it will likely be a while until a reliable price estimate is finalized. Gossage believes that a legislative session in January, which will bring forward the project's six-year plan, will help get the project closer to an estimate.

The pair assured that two-way traffic will continue on the road for most of the project's timeline.

Gabbard and Gossage warn that the project is still a long way away from being completed. The preferred alternate will be selected December of this year with a Preliminary Right of Way Plan being submitted March of next year.

Citizens who missed the meeting can view details at: transportation.ky.gov/DistrictEight.