July 10, 2015
HARD WORK CONTINUES AS CREWS CLEAN UP ROAD SLIPS AND ROCK SLIDES
The much awaited highway construction project which straightens out Route 32 towards the golf course area is now underway… again. This well-traveled road has been damaged by rock slides and other hazards that cause it to be dangerous.
Storms in Eastern Kentucky are not easy to live through. Residents have been seeing an increase in destroyed property along with roadways being damaged by mother nature. The city of Louisa has recently seen an increase in road work being complete and it is now expanding to other parts of Lawrence County.
The project will reconstruct a four-mile section of Louisa-Sandy Hook Road (KY 32) between U.S. 23 and towards the end of Yatesville Lake. The work will widen the road to 12-foot lanes with 8-foot shoulders, creating a safer route for drivers by improving sight distance and straightening several sharp curves and providing easier access through Lawrence County.
Route 32, that leads to areas such as Blaine, Sandy Hook and Yatesville Lake, is currenty under construction by contractor Elmo Greer & Sons, who has a 2016 deadline to complete the project, said Todd Moran, Highway Superintendent for the Department of Highway. Elmo Greer & Sons was awarded the bid in 2013 for a little over $17 million and was previously expected to have the job done sometime in 2014.
Sarah George, Highway District 12 Information Officer, Karen Parsons, Secretary to Chief District Engineer and Todd Moran, Highway Superintendent, said Doug Wright would be the person to contact about the work. Doug Wright is a District 12 TE Section Supervisor that deals with Lawrence and Johnson County.
The weather put a stop to a lot of the work the state is doing, Wright said.
“So far we are on schedule to have this construction completed by upcoming Spring,” Wright said. “Roads all the way up towards the [Yatesville] lake will be completed.”
This is not the first time crews have started work on this project. It has taken several times already and this time it is hoping to get finished. The Transportation Cabinet is working hard to complete the task set out, Wright said.
Many large trucks are in the area hauling boulders, bulldozers moving materials around and other large machinary doing work to help this area get back in safe shape. Be careful when driving through the area as there are many heavy equipment trucks and debris surrounding the roads.
The reconstruction of Kentucky Route 32 will improve safety for the traveling public and will enhance economic opportunities for our communities.
