Bardstown City Council examines impact new high school will have on city streets

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette

Wednesday, June 6, 2012, 8:45 a.m. — Traffic concerns — and the lack of available solutions — regarding the new Thomas Nelson High School were discussed Tuesday evening at the Bardstown City Council’s working session.

Bardstown Police Chief Rick McCubbin told the council he had asked the state to place a traffic light on KY 245 at the school’s main entrance, but was told one could not be placed there in time for the school’s opening in August.

Placing a light at the school entrance requires a number of studies he was told. “It could be a year or two before we can get a light there in front of Thomas Nelson,” he said.

McCubbin said he had asked state Rep. David Floyd and state Sen. Jimmy Higdon for assistance getting the state to place a traffic light at the school’s main entrance. “Frankly, I think it is that important,” he said.

McCubbin said people who use KY245 daily have asked him what his plan is to handle the school traffic. “The answer is we don’t know,” he said. “I’m not going to try to make something up, we have no idea.”

The school board has considering hiring a police officer to direct traffic, but a single officer trying to direct traffic on a four-lane road could be an issue, McCubbin said. Nelson County High School has a school resource officer who helps with direct traffic on Bloomfield Road, and that has worked well, he said.

McCubbin said he suggested making one of Thomas Nelson High School’s entrances a right-turn only exit in the afternoons to avoid having traffic from both exits attempting left-hand turns to head north on KY245. The Nelson County school board is still looking at options, Mayor Bill Sheckles told the council.

McCubbin said his concern was the high amount of traffic already on KY245. “We write more tickets on that stretch than we do on any city street, and that’s from citizen complaints,” he said. The highway has also seen its share of bad accidents.

FIFTH STREET IMPACT. McCubbin said city residents were also concerned about the new high school’s impact on Templin and North Fifth Street.

Buses, parents and student drivers who live south or west of Bardstown will most likely use North Fifth Street and Templin to get to school in the morning and to get home in the afternoon.

“We’re really landlocked on what we can do there,” McCubbin said. “We’re really going to watch and monitor this.”

WESTERN BYPASS? Councilman Tommy Reed asked Mayor Bill Sheckles about a possible western bypass that could connect KY245 with Boston Road.

Sheckles said a bypass was an idea in the comprehensive plans long-range plans. “Maybe this will speed it up some, because to be honest, we don’t have any answers,” he said. “We’ll have to see how it plays out.”

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