Over the years, I’ve written several posts in opposition to the proposed I-75 Connector that would slice through Jessamine and Madison counties to connect Nicholasville with the interstate. The proposed road is expensive, wouldn’t add much time savings for travelers, would destroy natural landscapes and historic places, and is an all-around bad idea.
In one post, I wrote about how the Economics of I-75 Connector Don’t Add Up. The proposed cost of this 13-mile road is about $400-500 million. All to build a new road while existing infrastructure needs critical repairs. In another post, Marble Creek is a Jessamine County Treasure, I observed that “once lost, natural and historic resources cannot be created.” There is too much to lose with the connector.
Since I published these posts, I’ve gotten several inquiries on what people can do to stop the connector. How do we put a stake in the Vampire Road?
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| Projected paths of the I-75 Connector |
A Call to Action
Well, now through August 15 you have the opportunity to do something. Next Monday, August 15, 2016, is the deadline for public comment on the State Transportation Improvement Plan, or STIP. STIP is a 3-year statewide list of transportation projects in the state. This period of public comment is intended to solicit the opinions of the people ofKentucky – so let your voice be heard!
Stand up against the I-75 Connector!
According to the STIP, $2 million is proposed to be expended in 2017 for design, $10 million in 2019 for right-of-way acquisition, and $3 million in 2020 for moving utilities. That’s real tax dollars going toward an unnecessary and expensive project that will negatively alter the future of Jessamine County.
Comments should be directed to Sherry Curry. Her email is [email protected]. Additional information about the Statewide Improvement Plan can be found by clicking here. In your email, be sure to reference your opposition specifically to “Item No. 7-8404 in Jessamine County.”
Take action and contact Ms. Curry with your opposition to Item No. 7-804, the I-75 Connector in Jessamine County.”