KYTC seeking input about widening 'slow-moving' Highway 44 in Mt. Washington

MT. WASHINGTON, Ky. (WDRB) -- Bullitt County drivers are all too familiar with the frustrations that come along with traveling Highway 44. Traffic, congestion and speeding are some of the common complaints.

"Everything is slow-moving," said Mike Beard, who lives in Mt. Washington. "It's been getting bad for years."

Those who frequently navigate the highway feel, there's only one solution to the issues.

"The problem is not going to go away," said Jo Perkins, who works at one of the five schools located on Highway 44. "They're going to have to widen it."

Doug Jones, who lives just off of Highway 44, agrees with that solution.

"They need to widen it in some places, but, obviously, it's hard to do because we have so many houses down through there right on the road," he said.

There are some obstacles to widening the road but, following a study that examined Highway 44 from Shepherdsville to the Spencer County line, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials agreed that changes are necessary.

KYTC said the study revealed that improvements were needed along several sections of Highway 44, but the top priority project is aimed at easing congestion between Water Street and US 31 East in downtown Mt. Washington. A variety of solutions are up for consideration, including widening the 1.5-mile stretch of road from two lanes to four or five lanes, or building a Median U-Turn (MUT) at the US 31E intersection.

"It's been there for years, and there's not a lot of possibilities," Jones said. "But there does need to be changes, if possible."

KYTC said it'll begin the final design phase this fall, and construction is "possible" starting in 2027. That's why officials are holding a public input meeting to get feedback from those frustrated drivers on potential solutions.

If you'd like to speak with local elected officials and project stakeholders, the meeting will be held from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, at Mt. Washington Elementary School.

And to provide public comment online, click here.

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