By Angela Hatton
Madisonville, KY – Around fifty Madisonville residents turned out to a public meeting last night on the College Drive Road widening plan. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is considering two options. The first would create two lanes in both directions with a turn lane. The other would add three lanes and a raised median. Deputy State Highway Engineer Ted Merryman says some residents were concerned they would lose property to the widening.
"We actually are proposing one permanent easement for drainage purposes. And then we have several just construction easements or temporary easements to tie driveways in, etc. So our goal is to minimize the right of way, and most of the folks that I talked to felt like we listened to them and heard their concerns."
At this time, the 45 mile an hour speed limit, which has concerned some residents, will not be lowered. Merryman expects work on the site won't begin for several years. Construction will likely cost between 2.1 and 2.4 million dollars.