Menu Close

Multiple road projects under way in the area

Several local and state road projects under way or set to begin will result in traffic impacts.

Preparation work ahead of the summer closure of Interstate 65 in downtown Louisville continues this week.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District Five says from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday nights the ramp from First Street near the Chestnut Street intersection to southbound I-65 will be closed. Lane closures will be in effect on I-65 South between Saint Catherine Street and Arthur Street. Closures of the off-ramp from I-65 South to Saint Catherine Street and the on-ramp from First Street are also now in effect.

Meanwhile, KYTC District Four says lane configuration changes are now in effect along KY 245/New Shepherdsville Road near the intersection of KY 349 and Wilson Parkway in Nelson County as the installation of a roundabout begins. Two lanes of KY 245 in each direction will remain open. Left turns into and out of Wilson Parkway will require southbound motorists to use the left lane of travel to make a left turn. Motorists turning left while exiting Wilson onto New Shepherdsville Road should be aware the center lane will not be available as an acceleration zone.

Finally, the Elizabethtown Police Department says construction of the roundabout at the intersection of Veterans Way and Towne Drive is scheduled to begin Monday, May 18. The EPD says the posted speed limit on Veterans Way will be reduced to 35 miles per hour, then to 25 miles per hour once construction begins. When exiting Towne Drive onto Veterans Way, motorists will be required to turn right only, and only northbound traffic on Veterans Way will be permitted to turn onto Towne Drive. No opposing turns will be allowed during construction.

Motorists should slow down, use caution, stay alert, and obey all signage and flaggers when entering any work zones.

First of three CASA of the Heartland Light the Night 5K events this Friday

CASA of the Heartland is raising awareness for the most vulnerable children in the community with three Light the Night 5K Superhero Run/Walk events, the first of which is coming up in Hardin County this week.

“Our one here in Elizabethtown is going to be at the Sports Park on Friday, May 8, and kickoff time, it’s always a weird time because it’s sunset, so the kickoff time, air horn time is at 8:42 p.m.,” said CASA of the Heartland Executive Director Michelle Kail.

Food trucks and vendors will be on hand for the event, and glow and superhero items will be available. Participants are encouraged to “go all out” with the superhero theme.

“The reason that we do the Light the Night Superhero edition is because we know that our CASA volunteers are providing a light in some of the darkest times for the kiddos that we serve, and to us, they’re kind of like our real life community superheroes,” Kail said.

CASA of the Heartland recruits, trains, and supports community volunteers who advocate on behalf of abused, neglected, and dependent children in Breckinridge, Grayson, Hardin, Hart, LaRue, and Meade counties.

“It really is just whatever we need to do to step up and make sure that their needs are being met, and then whatever we can do with the courts to help them navigate that situation to make sure that they have everything that they need and that their needs there are met,” Kail said.

Meade County will host a 5K in June and Grayson County will host in August. Participants can register for one event or all three. Find more information and the registration link on the CASA of the Heartland Facebook page or website.

Beshear highlights Ford commitment to Glendale, industrial park development

Governor Andy Beshear highlighted economic development efforts in Hardin County during his Team Kentucky Update Thursday.

The governor announced the latest projects approved for funding from the Kentucky Product Development Initiative, which aims to “boost investment in site and building upgrades to support future, good-paying jobs and economic growth across the commonwealth.”

“Today, we continued investing in those efforts in 11 projects supporting future job growth and investments across 11 counties,” Beshear said. “Those projects were approved for $12.98 million in state funding to improve available sites.”

Included in the approved projects is $2 million for the Elizabethtown-Hardin County Industrial Foundation and the City of Elizabethtown to prepare the Gil Nicely Sr. Industrial Park for future industrial development, with site readiness improvements “including the extension of utilities, roadway access, grading, and other essential infrastructure.”

Beshear also discussed Ford Motor Company’s conversion of the BlueOval SK facility in Glendale to manufacture energy storage systems. Beshear said Ford assumed all of the obligations for the original BlueOval economic development agreement which targeted 5,000 new jobs, but the state and the company agreed on new terms.

“Basically, the changes in the loan agreement itself just gives Ford a little more time, given what happened with the dissolution, but Ford also agrees to put that extra $2 billion in and agrees that it will at least try to reach those 5,000 jobs and pay back a portion of that loan agreement, depending on how many jobs they fall short, on a calendar that has the different timelines for when different thresholds have to be met,” Beshear said.

Ford previously announced a $2 billion investment to convert the Glendale facility, creating at least 2,100 new full-time jobs.