City and county officials have discussed which roads they are going to “push” to the state for annual road projects.
During the Mason County Fiscal Court’s regular meeting, Judge-Executive Owen McNeill said he and City Manager Matt Wallingford met earlier this week to discuss which roads need attention within county and city limits.
Local officials met in order to “rank” potential projects for the city and county as the start of the state’s SHIFT Process rankings program, according to McNeill. After deciding which roads are requiring the most attention, local officials “push” the ideas to a regional meeting.
“It changes every year, but ultimately it’s (the meetings) a way to use data to rank different projects,” said McNeill.
McNeill said the regional meetings consist of the five counties in Buffalo Trace (Mason, Lewis, Bracken, Fleming, and Robertson). Here, the regional officials determine which projects are going to be sent to the state for further action.
The region gets five to seven projects to submit to the state, McNeill said. He said there are a few intersections and roads that were discussed and will be brought up at the regional meeting.
The roads discussed are the intersection between the AA Highway and U.S. 62 (Wendy’s), Clark’s Run Road, Clarkson-Sherman Road, Springdale Road, KY 11 to Strodes Run Road, and the AA Highway from Walmart to the Market Square shopping center.
McNeill said the state is evaluating turning lanes to the intersection between the AA Highway and U.S. 62 due to “congestion” in traffic. The lanes would be added to alleviate congestion at traffic lights and stop in the county and city limits.
Clark’s Run Road would receive changes for school safety due to increased traffic once the new middle school is in use, according to McNeill. Clarkson-Sherman Road would also receive changes for safety purposes.
“We’ve seen a higher amount of data for incidents and crashes at that light,” McNeill said as he explained the changes to Clarkson-Sherman Road would improve sight lines.
Springdale Road is in need of improvements due to additional traffic at the Carmeuse plant, McNeill said.
McNeill said the four-lane road on KY 11 would be expanded to Strodes Run Road to relieve traffic buildup in the area. Any changes made to the AA Highway from Walmart to the Market Square shopping center would be due to increased commerce.
The regional meeting to discuss which projects in the region will be “pushed” to the state will take place at a later date.
Other items in the meeting included:
—Resolution authorizing the County Road Aid Cooperative Program Agreement for the fiscal year 2024.
—Approval of county reports.
—Proclamation of Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April.
—Application and administration of Kentucky Office of Homeland Security Projects (mobile radios for Sheriff’s Department).
—Second reading of off-premises signs ordinance.
—Next regular Mason County Fiscal Court meeting is May 9.