The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is working on a solution to alleviate traffic flow at the intersection of Penny Lane and KY-92W in Williamsburg, but there will not be a traffic light placed at the intersection as many in the community have hoped.
Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison made the announcement during the Williamsburg City Council’s regular monthly meeting Monday during a discussion about Penny Lane.
Williamsburg Fire Chief Larry Todd added that a traffic light would not work at that intersection due in part to traffic backing up along the I-75 off-ramps at Exit 11. He noted that there have sadly been two fatalities at that intersection.
However, Williamsburg officials did discuss tentative plans that transportation cabinet officials have shared with them to relieve traffic, which involves extending Penny Lane and having it turn left behind the Whitley County Health Department and eventually flowing back onto KY-92W.
Harrison said that there might be a traffic circle placed somewhere on KY-92W because of this.
Williamsburg Police Chief Jason Caddell added that the traffic circles at Exit 15 have cut down on a lot of serious accidents along US25W near the I-75 off-ramps.
“It is a glorified slow down, but it works,” Harrison noted.
Harrison said that after the Penny Lane work occurs, Penny Lane will probably become a one-way road, and the road connecting Penny Lane to the Kentucky Splash waterpark will probably be closed to vehicle traffic past the health department parking lot. However, he hopes to keep it open for golf cart use.
Currently, most local residents traveling down Penny Lane to The Mint Gaming Hall, Tractor Supply, the Whitley County Health Department or Dairy Queen will drive through the waterpark and campground parking lot so they can more easily make a left hand turn on KY-92W.
During Monday’s meeting, the city council approved a resolution agreeing to take over maintenance and ownership of Penny Lane from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet once the expansion project is complete.
However, this won’t occur until after the road work takes place.
Currently, there is a lawsuit involving the transportation cabinet and the Zehr family over right of way acquisition and placement of the Penny Lane expansion and how close it will be to their property.
Harrison said that his understanding is the proposed roadway will be about 100 yards from the Zehr property, and there will be a hillside between the home and the roadway. Some rumors in the community have the roadway being located much closer to the home than this.
Councilwoman Erica Harris said that she doesn’t want it to appear the city is trying to take the property.
Harrison replied that the city “wouldn’t and couldn’t.”
Harrison said that the project is moving forward for the “greater good” in his opinion and is something that needs to be done.
He added that the city agreeing to take over the Penny Lane roadway once the work is done at least gives the city a little bit of a part in the process.
