About 80 people attended the meeting in the gymnasium of Northside Elementary School in Midway. |
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media
Community members heard a hopeful timeline but remained
skeptical after an information session on the Weisenberger Mill Bridge project
Thursday.
The meeting was held from 6 to 8 p.m. in the gym at
Northside Elementary School, where officials from the state Transportation
Cabinet met with around 80 community members to discuss the details of the
project. Booths were set up with information on design, construction, the
environmental process and acquiring right of way. At each booth, officials for
that part of the project discussed details and answered questions. Each booth
had blank posters for citizen to write comments.
Project Manager Casey Smith discussed the bridge design. |
First, the environmental review document must be completed,
which Smith said is being wrapped up now. Tim Foreman, the environmental
project manager, said he hopes it can be completed in November or December.
Next, the state will focus on purchasing easements for the right of way, said
Diane Forrester with the Division of Right of Way and Utilities, which she said
could be done by March. But, she said, the time frame may be altered by other
factors. “It’s all very preliminary right now,” she said.
Liles Taylor, who won the Democratic primary for Midway district magistrate in May, said he has concerns about resources. “It’s very encouraging if the timeline we’re hearing is legitimate,” he said, but said the timeline puts work before July 1, the start of next fiscal year, and he is concerned about state budgeting.
“The Road Fund is already over-programmed,” he said, “to the point that there’s more budgeted than is actually in the Road Fund. So to say that they’re gonna actually literally not follow what is in the current Road Plan and fund something that is not set for another year is a pretty bold thing.” He said he’s interested to see how the funds are freed up, and, “I’m hoping we’ll have a pleasant surprise on that.”
“The Road Fund is already over-programmed,” he said, “to the point that there’s more budgeted than is actually in the Road Fund. So to say that they’re gonna actually literally not follow what is in the current Road Plan and fund something that is not set for another year is a pretty bold thing.” He said he’s interested to see how the funds are freed up, and, “I’m hoping we’ll have a pleasant surprise on that.”
Isaac Hughes discussed the process with state officials. |
Hughes said if the timeline stays as is and he sees progress
in April 2019, he will be glad. “But looking at the process, I think it needs
to be changed because it’s one-sided. … It’s not only the bridge I’m concerned
with. It’s how we as Kentuckians and Americans are doing people. Their
‘process’ is not for the people.” Hughes said he watches other projects being
completed and feels the bridge that has cut off his community is being put on
the back burner because “it’s land value over people value.”
He also said Scott County ambulances s still have to go
around the closed bridge and the counties are still more worried about
logistics than people’s lives. “It’s almost like you’re holding a gun to
someone’s head and your waiting for it to go off. The state has a chance to get
the gun out of his hand. But they’re letting him hold the gun and wait until
something bad happens. When something bad happens, that’s when we’ll all come
together and say ‘hey, we need to do something.’ We needed to do something two
or three years ago.”
Phil Weisenberger on the bridge at his family's mill (2015 photo by Jamilyn Hall) |
Weisenberger said the process has taken so long that he is numb to it in many ways. Though he said he tries to look at the bright side, he knows people are frustrated and the project team must be tired of answering the same questions.
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