ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (WDRB) -- Those who live near the site of Ford's new battery plant are concerned about the impact construction and an increase in traffic might have on their quiet streets.
Hardin County residents packed a town hall meeting Tuesday evening to get their questions about the BlueOval SK battery plant answered.
For about an hour, people asked questions about applying for jobs at the battery plant in Elizabethtown. But for the remaining 10 minutes, many wanted to know how the widened roads going to and from the plant might affect their homes.
"I love Glendale," David Drane said. "I love this place, I don't want to move."
When Drane moved to Glendale nearly four years ago, he had never heard of BlueOval SK.
"It didn't appear like it was going to make that much of a difference for our house," he said.
But that quickly changed with the multimillion-dollar plant under construction along Interstate 65.
"The more it grew and the more meetings we went to, we realized it would make a huge difference," said Drane.
He lives off of Gilead Church Road, a once quiet street. Now, it sees a lot more trucks and traffic thanks to the battery plant's construction.
"When they're coming in from our side, those headlights come into our windows and we see every car that comes in and out," Drane said. "Traffic has just multiplied."
Ursula Madden, external affairs director for BlueOval SK, directed questions about traffic to the transportation commission.
"They're the ones who know the safest routes and the safest flow," Madden said.
Several other residents expressed similar concerns, including people who don't live in Glendale.
"If you're staying home and staying on the sideline, eventually something is going to effect you and it may be too late," said Jose Torres, who lives in Elizabethtown.
While many are feeling the growing pains, they also feel excited about the 5,000 new jobs the plant will bring to Kentuckians.
"Growth is important for this community, and it's inevitable," said Torres.
Construction is on schedule, and is expected to wrap up by 2025.
Related Stories:
- Some Hardin County residents may need to sell their homes to expand roads for battery plant traffic
- Ford battery plant will bring more than 22,000 new residents to Hardin County, study finds
- BlueOval SK hiring for positions at its Glendale, Kentucky facility
- BlueOval SK battery plant officials answer questions from Glendale residents amid construction
- Glendale ECTC facility to serve as onboarding training site for Ford battery plant in early years
- BlueOval SK battery plant officials answer questions from Glendale residents amid construction
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