The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet held an open house on the I-75/I-275 interchange project at AJ Lindemann Elementary School in Erlanger Wednesday evening.
The event showcased the breadth of the changes proposed for the relevant interchanges throughout the highway system. It allowed residents to ask questions of representatives from the cabinet as well as the organizations contracted to develop the initial studies and designs for the project.
“Currently, the interchange carries more than twice the amount of vehicles per day than it was originally designed to manage, and traffic levels are expected to continue increasing as Northern Kentucky grows,” according to the cabinet’s website.
The cabinet has been studying the area for about three years, according to official literature. The project is still in its early phases, and funding for much of the construction is contingent on the actions of the General Assembly in the next legislative session in spring, when the legislature will set the next two-year road budget. Only one interchange at Turfway and Thoroughbred Roads currently has any dedicated funding, said Mike Bezold, a project manager with the cabinet.
“We should start the detailed design for that next summer,” Bezold said. “Everything else is really dependent on when funding becomes available.”
Bezold did not know off hand how much money was currently set aside for that interchange.
The event itself was well-attended. Local residents stood in line to view placards placed on tripods throughout the school’s cafeteria, showing the recommended changes throughout the project.
Notable changes include the following:
- Additional traffic lanes on the main I-71/I-75 corridor to improve traffic flow
- New access ramps from I-275 to I-71/I-75 and to KY-236 at Donaldson Highway and Commonwealth Avenue to improve safety
- Redesigns of the I-71/I-75 interchange with KY-236 and Buttermilk Pike and the I-275/Mineola Pike interchange to improve traffic flow
- New, direct connection to Turfway Road from I-71/I-75. The resulting changes would convert Turfway Road to a one-way, northbound street for several blocks and Thoroughbred Boulevard to a one-way, southbound street.
Two things stood out as primary concerns for the attendees–safety and the potential for the displacement of people and businesses due to the project.
A preliminary environmental study indicated that at least eight residential properties and six businesses would likely get displaced as a result of the construction. Maps showing the locations of the affected properties and their addresses were also on display.
“I have a lot of students that live in the buildings that they’re going to relocate possibly,” said Kelly Marshall, an Erlanger resident and fourth grade teacher at AJ Lindemann, pointing to properties along Talbot Avenue. “So I was concerned about not only where they would be displaced but also our school and our school population and the district.”
She admitted, though, that many of the ramps on and off the interstate are dangerous.
“Whenever you have to get on the on-ramp and you’re trying to get to 75… it’s super dangerous,” Marshall said. “And then when you’re on 75 and you’re trying to get off in Erlanger, it’s super dangerous. So I do think we really need something…. I’m just personally concerned about that.”
A representative from Stantec, whom the cabinet had contracted to complete initial environmental impact studies, walked concerned residents through the process of figuring out not only the number of properties affected but also the project’s effect on waterways and air quality. The representative said that compared with other projects she’s worked on, the environmental impact on this project was small.
Others were pleased with plans, however.
“Some of the concerns we’ve had seemed to be addressed,” said Ken Fibbe, a Lakeside Park resident.
Ken Fibbe and his wife, Tracy Fibbe, both described accident prone areas in the region, especially at the interchanges between I-75 and I-275 near the exits into Erlanger. They also discussed traffic backups due to slow-moving semi trucks near the Coca-Cola plant in Erlanger and along Dixie Highway. Ken Fibbe said that he hoped comments he submitted to the cabinet might help rectify the issue in the future.
View additional renderings of the proposed work, read about environmental studies and submit public comments about the project at the cabinet’s dedicated website. You can also view detailed maps and information about specific areas in the project by inputting location information at the cabinet’s virtual open house, which will be available for view through Nov. 8, 2023.