Versailles bypass alternatives are narrowed to three, one leading into US 62; citizens voice concern

Story and photos by Laura Shrake
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

At the second community meeting to discuss the proposed Versailles bypass, Versailles and Midway residents voiced their questions, comments and concerns. The meeting at the KCTCS office in Versailles revealed the three options for the route of the bypass and offered citizens the opportunity to examine maps of the plans and talk directly with engineers on the project.

Previously, the alternatives included two more options, but the Citizens Advisory Committee for the project narrowed the choices to three and a no-build option. The three corridors are: Alternative A, wrapping nearest to Versailles; Alternative B, taking a wider path at the north end and funneling into U.S. 62, Midway Road; and Alternative C, taking the widest path and connecting to U.S. 60 beyond the Midway Road interchange.

Citizens looked at Alternative A as Midway Mayor Grayson
Vandegrift, standing at right, discussed the proposed bypass.

“A lot of (the decision) was based on traffic studies that were done,” said CAC member Buan Smith, the Woodford County road supervisor. “What would move traffic out of town without being too far out of town?”

Smith said that when the committee considered the options, it discussed which would be most useful in allowing traffic to travel from the north side of town to the west side of town without having to travel through a sometimes-bottlenecked Versailles. They also discussed which options would be the most advantageous without impacting too much farmland.

Smith noted that many of the objections the committee received early on were that residents “do not want it, it’s not necessary.” Midway residents, he said, are worried the bypass’s connection to Midway Road would send more traffic toward Midway.

A state engineer discusses one of the bypass alternatives.

Mayor Grayson Vandegrift echoes the concern of Midway for more reasons than this. “A lot of my constituents have serious concerns,” he told the Midway Messenger. “I would say the main one though is the potential, and in my opinion the likelihood, of increased truck traffic on Midway Road.”

Vandegrift said Midway already has too many tractor-trailers come through town on an especially narrow Winter Street (US 62) that is lined with houses with young children.

“You have a lot of people who are really concerned about public safety,” he said. “Not only in the form of traffic accidents, but actual public safety where kids play, people walk to church and school. It just feels like there’s maybe not been enough study done on this.”

Vandegrift and Versailles attorney Whitney Dunlap cited the Entran (now Stantec) study from 2010 and wondered why it seemed the findings from this study were not more carefully reviewed. In Dunlap’s column in the Lexington Herald-Leader last Friday, he said the study recommended eight modifications to modernize Versailles’ road system, the last of which being the bypass. At the public meeting, he said he was perplexed as to why all seven other options were not fully implemented before jumping directly to the most expensive option.

These modifications found in the study, according to Dunlap, include coordinating traffic signals downtown to help reduce bottlenecking, removing some parallel parking spaces to improve traffic flow, improving signage, making the existing bypass safer and less accident-prone, improving intersections, placing signs warning non-local tractor trailers not to travel through downtown, and building a roundabout where five roads intersect.

Engineer Arrell Thompson of Burgess & Niple, the consulting engineers on the project, called the bypass the “meat and potatoes option,” giving traffic the most bang for the buck. As outlined in the handout from the meeting, the project’s goals are to blend the new roadway with its surroundings while solving congestion issues, improving safety, encourage economic development and improve roadway capacity to accommodate future traffic volumes, improve mobility within the community and accommodate pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

At the meeting, state Transportation Cabinet project manager Rob Sprague said he would like to hear more design input on the alternatives, but most of his conversations were about whether the bypass should be built. He noted that the CAC has many members from Midway who are focusing on not building the bypass, and acknowledged that state studies have predicted a slight increase in traffic on Midway Road if the bypass were to be built. But ultimately the feedback he has received has been mixed, he said.

“We have had some that are interested in trying to get the traffic out of downtown and give it another route so the truckers don’t have to go through downtown,” Sprague said. “This would give them the ability to bypass downtown Versailles. It’s not a good place for trucks to go through because you just can’t maneuver down there.” He highlighted the bypass’s goals of reducing traffic accidents and improving traffic flow.

As for the concerns in Versailles, Vandegrift said he will “take them on their word that they do have a congestion problem at times,” but said “you cannot potentially push your problem onto someone else. My main question is why not look closer at that Entran study and figure out if there are cheaper solutions that would work that would save the taxpayers a heck of a lot of money.”

The bypass project is estimated between $27 million and $32 million, depending on the route chosen. Alterntative A is esimated to cost $32.2 million; B $29 million; and C $27 million.

“This is astronomically expensive … but I think it’s a done deal, I think we’re just here for nothing,” said Versailles resident Margie Evans.

Evans said the traffic problems in downtown Versailles are largely due to poor traffic management. She cites school buses stopping at the railroad tracks in town as an issue and thinks that if and when Woodford County High School is moved to Falling Springs Boulevard that much of the traffic will be alleviated.

“I want them to spend this money on the infrastructure that’s already there,” Evans said, citing many of the same suggestions proposed in the Entran study.   

The project is in the state road plan but does not have funding beyond preliminary funds for studies and the designing of potential routes. According to the meeting’s handout, the next steps in the discussion of the project include the Transportation Cabinet’s review of the oral and written questions and comments received at the meeting and holding a CAC meeting later this year to help select a preferred alternative. Right-of-way purchase is anticipated no earlier than January 2017.

Darin Hensley's 'Chili w/Beans' beat 'Better Than Darin's' to win Chili Cook-Off, which drew record crowd

By Brittany Forte'
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications



Story and photos by Amanda Colvin
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

Nine chilis were offered for judging and eating.

Midway got its first taste of Halloween on Sunday night as Midway Baptist Church held its sixth annual chili cook-off followed by Trunk or Treat for the children.

People of all ages filled the church fellowship hall to show off their costumes and see who had the best chili.  Not only was there chili, but also crackers, cheese, hot dogs, refreshments and a full dessert table.  Residents of Midway got their full taste of fall. The scene of the cook-off was one of fellowship and happiness, one part of the purpose of the cook-off.

“For us, it’s a great outreach event and just a chance to invite the community in…just a fun time of fellowship,” said cook-off coordinator Andrea Ball.

The event brought in 125 adults and 40 children.  While the adults were eager to taste the chili, the kids seemed more interested in showing off their costumes.

Kenny Tackett placed second but may have had the best name.

Nine chili recipes were up for judging.  The recipes ranged from sweet to spicy, and with beans or noodles. The judges were selected by age to represent each generation, with one judge a child, one an adult, and one an elder member of the church. The judges each got a small sample cup of each chili recipe and picked their favorites.

The winner was Darin Hensley with “Chili w/Beans,” followed by Kenny Tackett’s “Better Than Darin’s” and Megan Price’s “Cooper Chili.”

“A lot of good chili, a lot of good flavors, a lot of good meat, a lot of good sauces,” judge Michael Webster said. “It was difficult to pick out the one that was the best.”

Trunks were decorated for Trunk or Treat.

After a difficult decision, the winners of the cook-off were named and the children headed to Trunk or Treat, in which they go from car to car in the parking lot to get candy. 

Though the cook-off was considered a competition, the sense of community and fellowship were the leading factors of the evening.

Water system flushing to be done first week of Nov.

The Midway water department will flush fire hydrants to clean the water system of mineral deposits and sediment Monday, Nov. 2, through Friday, Nov. 6, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.

Residents may notice cloudy tap water for a short time. The water will be safe to drink, but residents should avoid doing laundry until the water clears. The city says it won't be responsible for damages to laundry. For more information call City Hall, 847-4431.

Council backs bonds for Rupp, hears plans for structure in park area and 4-way stop; bypass meeting Tuesday

By Nate Yates, Nick Roush and Jamilyn Hall

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Teelcommunications

The Lexington Center’s plans for $15 million in renovations to Rupp Arena will move forward, thanks to the city of Midway. At its meeting Monday, the City Council put the city's name on bonds that will finance renovation of Rupp Arena.

The council also heard from Boy Scout Eric Witt about his Eagle Scout project idea to build a multipurpose stage/structure behind the library and next to the dog park in Midway, and discussed the possibility of making the intersection of Stephens and Brand streets a four-way stop.

When Tom Bozarth was mayor of Midway and a top official of the Kentucky League of Cities, the league created the Kentucky Bond Development Corp. to issue bonds for communities to help fund projects. KLC representative Nancy Wylie and Joe Lakofka of The Ross Sinclaire bonding firm asked the council to lend the city's name to a $15 million KBDC bond issue for the Lexington Center Corp., which runs the Lexington Convention Center and Rupp Arena, for renovations and expansions to Rupp as part of a five-year project.

Using the city's name on the bond issue would allow the center to get a lower interest rate on bonds they sell to the bank. “In order for the banks to purchase bonds they have to have a bank-qualified issuer,” Lakofa said, adding that Lexington issues more bonds than the yearly $10 million limit for banks to loan tax-free to municipalities.

According to Lakofka, the corporation needed a community close to Lexington that would not be issuing bonds in the calendar year. The corporation will use $9 million of Midway’s bank qualification this year and $6 million next year.

Councilwoman Kaye Nita Gallagher joked, “As long as our money isn’t going into that big hole,” referring to the empty lot in downtown Lexington initially reserved for the CentrePointe project.

Midway will not be responsible for providing funds. Simply put, the resolution allows the bonds to be tax free because they will bear the name of a Kentucky municipality. According to the meeting agenda, the bond issue would be payable solely from revenues to be derived from a loan agreement with the Lexington Center Corp. to pay costs of financing the renovation and expansion of its convention and Rupp Arena facilities.

Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said the resolution “is not unprecedented at all,” noting that Midway did the same for the Lexington Center when it built the Kentucky Basketball Museum.

Lakofka assured the council that the measure would not affect the city financially and they were still free to issue up to $4 million in bonds for the next calendar year. Council Member Daniel Roller asked if the city had any projects in the works and wanted the council to make sure they would not need more than $4 million in bonds for any of their projects.

“It takes a lot of money to build anything anymore,” Roller said.

Vandegrift said that he could not think of anything in the works over the next year that would cost “more than four million dollars.”

Multipurpose structure: Boy Scout Troop 400 member Eric Witt told the council about his Eagle Scout project plan to build a multipurpose stage/structure behind the Midway Branch of the Woodford County Public Library and Northside Elementary School.

Eric Witt's sketch of his proposed structure

Witt called the structure a stage, but council members said it would be a multipurpose structure. It would be 30 feet wide, 15 feet deep and approximately 17 feet high, with architecture that would resemble the library’s stone and woodwork. A line for electricity could be installed from the library. The structure could be used for a variety of purposes such as plays or concerts, but could also serve as a pavilion for people to use for picnics or outdoor activities.

“I’m building this for the library, Northside Elementary, anyone hiking the trails or enjoying a picnic by the dog park, and an outdoor gathering place for the City of Midway,” Witt said. The dog park was an Eagle Scout project, led by Tim Hagan.

Witt has estimated a budget of $23,693, with a majority going to contractors because scouts are not permitted to use power tools. The budget would come mostly from private donations, Vandegrift said. “We would have to raise money privately, but I believe it could be done,” he said. “I think we could get some in-kind donations with materials and probably some in-kind contributions for labor.”

Gallagher said they might be able to reach out to the library and the school district for money since the structure would also benefit their patrons and students.

The project could also get help from the mayor’s new citizen advisory committee on parks and trails. He said the committee’s goal is to find grants to fund an overall park system, but this project could also receive some of the benefits.

Witt came to receive feedback about the idea and see if the council had any ideas on whom to ask for donations. Roller said Witt needed to create a site plan for the structure so that when people went to donate they would know exactly what the structure would look like, as well as the lay of the land. Another thing the council wanted was a drawing that shows what the structure would look like from the side. (Image from Google maps)

Witt’s initial proposal is just the first step in what could be a lengthy process. He took note of several suggestions from council members. Sara Hicks, a theater major in college, suggested a different design to the roof for lighting purposes. Steven Craig suggested the surface be all concrete, rather than oak wood, to make maintenance easier.

Vandegrift said Witt met with him early on about ideas to benefit the city, and although the project is still in the early stages of planning and development, he said the project would be good for Midway and applauded Witt on taking on such a big project.

“He came to me asking for some ideas. I threw out a few, and he had a few as well. I commend him because he took the one that to me is, yes, the most ambitious, but it’s also the one that would probably have the most impact in our community,” Vandegrift said. He told Witt, “I like it when people think big, and you think big. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

There is no set start date for the project, but Witt intends to start next spring. 

Four-way stop: The council discussed making the intersection of Stephens Street and Brand Street a four-way stop. Council member Bruce Southworth proposed the idea because of how fast people are traveling through the intersection.

The council had previously discussed adding lines on the sides of the street, to make it seem narrower, but Southworth said a stop sign would be a better solution. “When you’re coming down Higgins, there’s a stop on Gratz. When you’re coming down Walnut, there’s a stop on Gratz. When you’re coming down Cross, there’s a stop on Gratz. Coming down Bruen, there’s a stop on Gratz, so what would be wrong with a stop on Stephens?” Southworth asked.

One concern the council had was how to alert motorists to new stop signs. Council Member Libby Warfield said the council should reach out to police for suggestions.

Southworth suggested having sawhorses with flashing lights on top to alert people that something new was up ahead. The council also discussed having signs with LED lights, powered by a small solar panel on top, so motorists would be sure to notice it.

The council plans on studying the potential impact to determine the best way to ensure safety at the intersection moving forward.

Meeting on Versailles bypass: Vandegrift announced that the final public meeting for the proposed Versailles bypass will be held at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, at the KCTCS office in Versailles. The proposal is generally opposed in Midway, for fear it would route more truck traffic onto narrow US 62, which becomes Winter Street, the main north-south thoroughfare in Midway. For the Midway Messenger's report on possible routes for the bypass, click here.

Iron Horse Half Marathon, in sixth year, is bigger and better than ever

Video story by Kelly Brightmore
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications


Iron Horse Half Marathon 2015 from Al Cross on Vimeo.

Runners show varied looks, from pain to pleasure, on Weisenberger Mill Road, the last leg of the race.

Photos by Adrian Rudd, University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications
Story by Midway Messenger Staff

As dawn neared, the crowd began to gather under "the Tin Man," the old water tower.

Midway's population more than doubled Sunday, Oct. 11, as nearly 1,400 runners and probably even more companions came to the area for the Sixth Annual Iron Horse Marathon.

Organizers of the race estimated that for every two runners, three more people attended, making the estimated total crowd about 3,500.

The race is organized by John's Run/Walk Shop of Lexington. It makes a major donation to the Woodford Humane Society, which provides most of the volunteers who help along the route, and smaller donations to the Shop With a Cop program, the City of Midway and the Midway Ministerial Association.

Motorcylist Walt Leaumont and bicyclists George Vanmeter III and Alan Siebenthaler led the pack.
Mayor Grayson Vandegrift, third from right, thanked the attendees and blew an air horn to start the race.

Runners gathered under the tower, preparing to start the 13.1-mile race at 8 a.m. It was 45 degrees.

The race started at Dudley and Brand streets, going up Brand Street to Stephens Street.

Alex Payne of Franklin, Tenn., in red shirt at left, led at the start and ended the race as the winner.

Daniel Rouse (1372) and John-Michael Riegger (1340) of Lexington lead a group down Stephens Street as the pack returned from Spring Station. Rouse placed 30th overall and fourth in the 20-24 age group; Reigger was eighth in that group and 64th overall. Behind them are Kevin Bryant of Versailles, who placed 61st overall and eighth in the 40-44 age group, and Heidi Olson of Lexington, who finished 42nd overall, third among women and second in the 20-24 group.

Another view looking east on Stephens Street illustrates the large number of runners; 1,375 finished.

Two women seemed to be supporting each other as they headed up Weisenberger Mill Road toward the finish line.

Later in the race, some stragglers set a slower pace in front of Midway University on East Stephens Street.

At the finish line on Brand Street, Jarred Brewster finished first in the 20-24 group and fifth overall.

Zaan Janse of Lexington finished third overall
and second in the 25-29 age group.

Overall winner Alex Payne after the race.
His time was 1:17:49.61. He is 27 years old.

David Florence of Lexington finished 130th, but eighth in the 45-49 group, and he was happy.

Emily Frith of Eastern Kentucky University
was the women's overall winner, in 1:23:10.40.

Jon Terry of Springfield, Va., who placed 49th overall,
put his medallion on his daughter after the race.

Denise Pfefferle of Lexington placed first in the 30-34 age group and 48th overall.

Justin Strickland of Lexington smiled as he finished the race.
He placed 84th overall and 10th in the 20-24 age group.

Nathan York checked his time (1:31:37.63),
which placed him 25th overall and fourth in
the 35-39 age group.

Midway Christian Church wins Midway University's first Community Spirit Award

The church's current building on Bruen Street was erected in 1895.

Midway Christian Church is the first recipient of Midway University's Community Spirit Award, "in recognition of the congregation's spirit of vision, encouragement and giving," the university said in a press release Oct. 8.

"Midway University and Midway Christian Church have shared a strong bond since their earliest days," President John P. Marsden said. "In fact, Midway University is a result of the generosity and support of the church. Without the encouragement of his elders at Midway Christian, Dr. L.L. Pinkerton would not have founded the Kentucky Female Orphan School which has evolved to become Midway University. In its 180-year history, Midway Christian Church has gone on to support so many other people and causes in this community. That's why we could think of no more fitting recipient to honor with the Community Spirit Award."

The church dates to 1830s, when the Disciples of Christ denomination was founded. Its members participate in:
• Food collection for the food pantry in Versailles
• Providing space for weekly meetings of Al-Anon and Alcoholics Anonymous
• Purchasing Christmas gifts for children whose parents are serving time at the prison in Lexington
• Many projects with Northside Elementary, including the Christmas Shoe Box Project, Loads of Love, and the Win-Win Tutoring program
• Supporting the Hope Center in Lexington, and administering the Midway Ministerial Fund which is supported by numerous churches in the community
• Running a weekly clothing closet where price is no barrier for those in need
• Hosting monthly community dinners that provide hot meals to citizens on fixed incomes and allow attendees to engage in social activities.

From left: Dr. John P. Marsden, Anita Wilson, Jack Morgan, Gloria Batts, the former
Megan Reynolds, the Rev. Heather McColl, Sharon Burchell, Etta Manor, Bobbie Dare,
Jeanne Clark, Ray Clark, Shirley Eckels, Joni Burchett, Pat Wilson and Phill Burchell

"When you look at the many ways the church and its members serve the community of Midway, Woodford County and the region, it is obvious that their community spirit is strong," Marsden said.

The Community Spirit Award was presented Oct.1 at the university's "Day for Midway," held each fall to celebrate the long-standing relationship between the institution and Woodford County.