MURRAY – The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) plans to repave Murray’s main thoroughfare, U.S. 641/12th Street. While that state project is on the horizon, the current construction on the south side of town, which has Glendale Road blocked to through traffic from 12th Street to KY 121 and one northbound lane closed from Glendale to Pogue Avenue, is a local project, being coordinated by the city.
Mayor Bob Rogers said that, after receiving notification about KYTC’s plans to repave 12th Street, city officials asked the cabinet to delay its project in order for the city to replace six manholes.
“We just had to ask them to hold off on the paving until we replace them,” Rogers said, adding that he did not think it will take long to complete the project.
Late last week, crews began placing “road closed” signs and barrels along the east side of South 12th Street, starting just south of Glendale Road and extending north to Pogue Avenue in preparation for the construction project that began Monday.
That caused some confusion, according to Rogers. “We had to deal with it on the weekend because they went ahead and put the signs up too early. Of course, we were getting ready for the Fourth of July, and we had to call and say, ‘Hey, wait! We don’t want those signs up until Monday morning.’”
Nearly all – five of the six manholes – are located on South 12th Street, and one is on Glendale Road. City Administrator Jim Osborne said that the city does not plan on replacing any manholes north of Pogue Avenue at this time.
Osborne further advised that the city anticipates re-opening Glendale Road on Thursday; however, the timetable for the rest of the manhole replacement project, barring any unforeseen problems, will largely depend on the weather.
Few details about KYTC’s repaving project are being released at this time, but KYTC District 1 Public Information Officer Carrie Dillard confirmed that the project has been scheduled, advising that engineers anticipate starting sometime in August and that more information will be released as the start date approaches.
