ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (WDRB) --Â State transportation officials are proposing a roughly 2-mile extension of Ring Road (KY-3005) that would run from the Western Kentucky Parkway interchange to a new interchange at Interstate 65 and then connect to U.S. 31-W.
The two-mile extension of Ring Road would run from the Western Kentucky Parkway interchange to a new interchange at I-65 and then connect to U.S. 31-W.
Officials said the extension is intended to spread traffic more evenly across area interchanges and improve access to southern Elizabethtown.
"There's a lot of extra traffic in that area of the county, and so this is the state's response to that," Hardin County Judge Executive Keith Taul said. "A lot of people use it to get to and from work from all over the county. So this will be helpful for those that are coming from the southern part of the county — even in adjacent counties — to come and work in Elizabethtown."
The extension of Ring Road, one of Hardin County's most traveled arteries, comes during the midst of an effort to revitalize southern Elizabethtown. City officials have worked to revitalize the area for the last several years, hoping it can one day mirror the north side of town, where hotels and restaurants line the interstate exits.Â
The city has already invested $4 million to upgrade utilities, and another $11 million from the state will fund major infrastructure improvements. The development of a new hotel on 31-W was just announced in October.
State, county and city leaders are working to accommodate the growth in Elizabethtown.
"This is a county in transition," Taul said. "There is a lot of growth going on, and we have to try to stay ahead of it with some of the improvements that need to happen."
Businesses already operating on the south side of Elizabethtown, like Sportsmans Rod & Gun, welcome the proposal to extend Ring Road.
Owner JJ Akins said the store has been in its location for five years and hopes easier access will bring more customers.
"We are the largest gun shop in Hardin County," Akins said. "It's going to give our customers easier access to us, not only from I-65, but also just from other parts of southern Hardin County."
The extension of Ring Road would connect to 31-W just south of Akins' gun range.
"It's all about exposure and traffic count, and we have good traffic now, but I think that the expansion of ring road, bringing that road just south of a far location, will allow us to even increase that even more," he said.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will need to acquire private land within the project's 75-acre outline where the road would be built.
"That's the downside. It's not a huge number of homes, but if it's my home, then yeah it's very disruptive to have to move and go somewhere else," another added. "It's hard to come up with a solution that is positive across the board."
There is no timeline for construction right now, as the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet seeks public input on the environmental assessment of the project.Â
A meeting seeking public comment happened on November 18, but written comments are being accepted until December 3. Written statements can be sent to Joseph Ferguson at Kentucky Department of Highways, District 4 at 634 E. Dixie Avenue, Elizabethtown, KY 42701.
The estimated cost of the extension of Ring Road is around $36 million.
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