A crowd almost one hundred strong showed up at the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Fredonia Tuesday night to meet with state transportation officials concerning the US 641 project that will run through Caldwell and Lyon counties.
Crowds were confused at first, milling about, talking amongst themselves, and studying two large maps set up in the gymnasium, but soon learned the meeting was considered an open house format where Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) officials and project leaders were available for one-on-one discussions about the newly announced preferred route and the benefits and impacts of the project.
The over nine mile project aims to realign and widen the US 641 corridor between Eddyville and Fredonia and is part of a larger project that seeks to improve the highway and better connect communities in Western Kentucky with Interstates 69 and 24 and Interstate 40 in Tennessee.
KYTC Secretary Greg Thomas states that they evaluated more than a dozen alternatives before selecting a route that is safer, saves taxpayer dollars, and limits the impact to homes, farms, businesses, and private lands along the US 641 corridor. District 1 Chief Engineer Kyle Poat noted that officials haven taken into consideration every public issue brought to their attention.
Caldwell County Judge/Executive Larry Curling expressed that at least the current route will supposedly take less private land from citizens.
Lyon County Judge/Executive Wade White echoed Judge Curling’s sentiments adding that the preferred route follows closely to the route he originally proposed to the state.
Fredonia Mayor Jimmy Seibert, however, expressed his displeasure in the project as a whole, stating he didn’t believe it would be lucrative for the area.
Fourth District Representative Lynn Bechler advocated for the potential business and economic development boost Crittenden County would experience following the completion of the project.
He added that the state’s willingness to attempt to bypass as much private property as possible and their instance in moving forward should be taken positively.
KYTC officials initially studied widening and improving the US 641 corridor from Fredonia to Eddyville in 2004 and gleaned public input through about a half-dozen public meetings but were unable to move forward until last year due to the lack of funding.
Following selection of the preliminary preferred alternate, the state will finalize environmental and design studies allowing the start of property acquisition required to move the project toward construction with the goal of starting construction within three years.
