The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet announced Tuesday afternoon that it was pausing a proposed reconfiguration of Dixie Highway.
The proposal, which proved unpopular among local leadership and residents, was put on hold “to allow time to re-examine the project and expand public engagement efforts about the project aimed at improving safety and traffic flow,” according to the cabinet’s announcement.
“We have heard the feedback from local officials and residents and we’re taking a pause to open up more conversation about why this direction was recommended,” said KYTC Department of Highways District Engineer Bob Yeager in a press release. “We share the same priority as local officials — protecting the lives of the people in our communities. We will continue conversations with an open mind to make adjustments where needed.”
The City of Erlanger still plans to hold a discussion about the project at its caucus meeting Tuesday night. A representative from the cabinet is scheduled to attend. The cabinet’s announcement states that additional “informational meetings will be scheduled in the near future.”
The cabinet defended the overall rationale for the reconfiguration in its announcement.
“While this portion of Dixie Highway currently has two lanes in each direction, it functions like it has a single through lane as vehicles stop in the left lane to make turns, creating backups and increasing the risk of rear-end collisions,” said Yeager. “In the right conditions, modifying lanes maintains, if not improves, the level of service of moving traffic while improving safety. It’s been done in Campbell County, large cities like Louisville, and nationwide with meaningful safety improvements.”
Find more details about the project at the cabinet’s online project page here. You can also view and download a tentative re-striping plan below.