Two weeks after approving a resolution to ask the state to raise the speed limit on U.S. 68 west of Cadiz to 65 miles per hour, two Trigg County Fiscal Court magistrates are concerned about how much of the road the state will change.
At its May 3 meeting, the fiscal court unanimously approved the resolution, which asked the state to raise the speed limit from the current 55 miles per hour at the west Business 68 intersection near Clarksdale Drive to 65 miles per hour west Lake Barkley.
District 1 Magistrate Mike Wright and District 2 Magistrate Barry Littlejohn said at Monday’s meeting they have received phone calls from constituents concerned about raising the limit at busy intersections.
Wright said he was concerned with the number of intersections along U.S. 68 from Main Street to Old Dover Road.
click to download audioTrigg County Judge-executive Hollis Alexander said the state will send engineers to study the area and conduct a speed limit survey. They can then decide whether to raise the speed limit to 65 at the Main Street intersection, the west business intersection, or somewhere in between.
In other business, the fiscal court approved the transfer of $2.84 million to the county’s budget as part of the American Rescue Plan Act signed into law in March by President Joe Biden.
Trigg’s share of the money will be deposited in both this fiscal year and fiscal year 2022 which begins July 1.
The money has specific parameters on how it can be spent. Options include investments in infrastructure such as water, sewer, or broadband Internet and can also be used to offset any reduction in revenue resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The money must be spent by the end of 2024.
The fiscal court also awarded a bid of $48,000 to Hamby Construction for work to correct a low water crossing on Donnie Lane off Donaldson Creek Road. The next lowest bid of three received by the county was for $65,000.
The fiscal court also held the first reading of an ordinance to reduce the speed limit on Beech Spring Road, a 1.4-mile dead-end road off Rockcastle Road, from 55 to 35 miles per hour.
On the topic of roads, the court voted unanimously to name a nearly two-mile section of west U.S. 68 the Golden Pond Atwood Highway. Alexander said the stretch of road runs from the intersection with Kentucky 272 to the bottom of Pete Light Hill.
click to download audioIn the comment portion of the meeting, District 5 Magistrate Alana Dunn expressed concern over the closing of New Hope Road less than a mile from the South Road intersection. Kentucky Transportation engineers closed the road last week to evaluate a damaged concrete box culvert and will decide to either develop a repair plan or replace it.
First responders will have to take a nearly eight-mile detour down South Road to Maggie Road just to reach New Hope Road. Dunn expressed concern that the state has not given any timetable on how long the road will be closed.
Between 250 and 300 vehicles travel New Hope Road daily, according to the state transportation cabinet.
