Published: April 24, 2008 11:06 pm      

Traffic hearing draws dozens

Officials receive input about U.S. 60 corridor between I-64, U.S. 23

CANNONSBURG — Dozens of residents and public officials showed up Thursday at the Kyova Mall to tell representatives from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet their thoughts about what can be done to improve traffic flow along U.S. 60 between I-64 and U.S. 23 in Boyd County.

Transportation officials are in the preliminary stages of planning projects to relieve congestion along the corridor, which carries more than 30,000 vehicles each day and has a high accident rate. They began last year with a study of the existing traffic conditions in the area from I-64 exits 181 and 185 to U.S. 23 on the west side of Ashland and from 13th Street to Ky. 5 at the Greenup County line.

Cabinet officials identified several key issues in the area, including U.S. 60 is only one of two direct routes between Ashland and the interstate. Numerous projects are already in the works, including adding turn lanes to a section of U.S. 60 and reconfiguring two intersections in the study area — one at U.S. 60 and Highland Avenue and the other at Ky. 766 at Darson Lane and Donta Road.

Cabinet spokesman Allen Blair said the agency wanted to hear residents’ ideas about what would be the best courses of action.

“This study is unique. We want to know both long-term and short-term solutions. We want to know what we can do now and in the future,” he said.

Solutions could range from additional turn lanes and small sectional bypasses to an entirely new road, he said.

Celia Edgell lives along 13th Street — what U.S. 60 is called in Ashland. She said the speed limit on the section of roadway between downtown Ashland and Bob McCullough Drive needs to be reduced to 25 mph and enforced. As for the remainder of U.S. 60, “I think once you get out of town it’s not a problem,” she said.

Neighbor Louise Lyon said she thinks the large trucks need to be rerouted off U.S. 60 through town. She says she’s counted 17 or 18 sitting at the traffic light at 13th Street and Blackburn Avenue.

“This area has too much traffic not to have a bypass,” she said.

Tom Morrow, also of Ashland, agreed. Using a green highlighter he drew a line across a Cabinet map indicating where he thinks the bypass should go. His road would cut off of U.S. 60 near Meade Station and reconnect with U.S. 23 on the west side of Hoods Creek Road.

Morrow said he thinks a “penetrator” road is the only answer and tried to draw his road through an area with minimal development.

Ashland City Commissioner Kevin Gunderson also thinks a bypass road is the answer. For the last two decades, he said, he’s advocated it parallel Roberts Drive.

“It may take 20 years, but if we don’t prepare for it we’ll be where we are today,” Gunderson said. “That’s the right answer. That’s the more expensive answer.”

Cabinet officials said they and their consultants will take all the suggestions into consideration and come up with a short list of alternates and improvements by mid-summer. Another public hearing will be at that time to gather residents’ input about the possible solutions. The study is expected to be completed by year’s end.

CARRIE KIRSCHNER can be reach at ckirschner@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2653.