EDA sells two Midway Station lots to Creech Services, which bales and ships muck from horse stalls

By Aaron Gershon
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

The Woodford County Economic Development Authority voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a purchase contract for two lots in Midway Station to Creech Services Inc., a firm that firm that bales and ships horse-stall muck.

“This entity serves the community,” EDA chair Michael Michalisin of Midway said during the brief special meeting. “This is a business that’s served our horse farms that are near and dear to our heart, part of our heritage and what Mr. Creech does is provide a very professional, world-class service.”

At the regular EDA meeting Friday, Midway Mayor Grayson Vandegrift endorsed the sale. In May, he and the board were hesitant about making a deal with Creech, since composting is prohibited in Midway Station, but then Creech showed them that composting isn’t what he does.

On July 15, Vandegrift and Michalisin told the Messenger that after meeting with Creech at his Fayette County facility that they were willing to sell two lots that Creech would use exclusively as a transfer point for horse muck that is shipped to mushroom farms.

Vandegrift said Tuesday that some Midway residents had voiced concern about odors, but the only smell they noticed was the smell of a horse farm, and “Smelling is believing.”

He noted that prevailing winds run southwest to northeast, which would take any odor into farmland, but he said there would be no problem even if the wind blew from the northeast into Midway.

Vandegrift told the EDA board that he shared the potential deal with the Messenger in order to get feedback from the public, and heard back from three Midway residents.

“They were concerned and wanted to see what this was,” Vandegrift said Friday. He said Creech invited all three to his facility, and “One of them did join him this Monday, is my understanding. I did not hear back, but I figure no news is good news.”

Michalisin added, “I support Mr. Creech and admire what he built out there (Fayette County) and I just love the fact he wants to be here, be part of Woodford County, wants to be close to our horse farms and wants to bring jobs here.”

At Tuesday’s meeting, former Midway mayor Tom Bozarth, a bloodstock agent, spoke highly of Creech, saying he had known him for 30 years. "He just runs a real class operation, so I can't say enough about him and his integrity," Bozarth said.

During Friday’s meeting the board also:

• Authorized signing of closing documents to sell the balance of the Roach property to Big Dog Trading and Storage Barrel Warehouse Co. The property is next to thenAmerican Howa Kentucky auto-parts plant.
• Allocated the expected profit of $65,000 from Big Dog’s purchase to the Roach family to satisfy debt owed the family.
• Welcomed a new board member, Anna Beth Bobbitt of Versailles. She spent six years as a senior project manager for the EDA and is a client relationship manager at Traditional Bank in Frankfort. “I'm looking forward to contributing any way I can,” she said.
• Heard that a committee led by board member Courtney Roberts continues to work to find a replacement for former chairman John Soper as EDA’s paid staffer. Roberts said he is working with Vandegrift, Versailles Mayor Brian Traugott and Woodford County Judge-Executive James Kay.

Mayor, EDA chair check out firm that bales horse-stall muck and decide to welcome it to Midway Station

By Aaron Gershon

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Midway Mayor Grayson Vandegrift and Woodford County Economic Development Authority Chair Michael Michalisin of Midway are ready to sell Midway Station lots to a company that bales muck from horse stalls and ships it to Tennessee mushroom farms.

Vandegrift told the Messenger that he and Michalisin met last week with Tom Creech of Creech Services Inc. at his Fayette County facility, and “We agreed that what Mr. Creech wants to bring to Midway Station is not composting and is in actuality simply a transfer point. He takes muck and straw from horse farms, Lane's End being one of them, and bales it via a processor, and then ships it off.”

Composting of animal waste has been prohibited at Midway Station since Bluegrass Stockyards tried to relocate there in 2007, prompting objections and a lawsuit.

In May, then-EDA Chair John Soper that a sale of Midway Station property to Creech would require a petition for a declaratory judgment to determine "if it could exist under a settlement of the lawsuit regarding the stockyards.”

Vandegrift said Wednesday night that he doesn't see that as necessary since Creech is not planning to do any composting in Midway.

“I think that would only come into play if someone were to challenge the sale in court, based on the deed restrictions,” he said. “Obviously, anyone can sue for anything at any time, but after looking at the operation Creech wants to bring to Midway, I'd be surprised if that happened.”

One of Vandegrift's original concerns about the purchase was the potential for odors wafting across Interstate 64 to residential areas, a major concern 13 years ago. “We don't want to stir up the ghosts of the past,” he said in May. Now that he has a clear understanding of Creech’s operations, he says there would be no odor.

Creech said in May that he would like to have a baling facility in Woodford County because he serves so many farms in the county.

Vandegrift said, “Michael and I have both agreed this is a good agricultural business that supports the horse industry and does not produce any discernible odor except for when right up in the building.”

He said the facility would likely add 10 or possibly more jobs to the city.

Vandegrift said he and Michalisin have asked EDA attorney Bill Moore to draw up a purchase contract. It could be approved at the EDA’s next meeting on July 24.

“Once they are approved, the lots sold will be under option for about 90 days,” Vandegrift said. “That allows the buyer to do some due diligence like geotechnical to see what they'll be digging into.”

State investigating complaints by Highview Drive residents of damage from herbicide spraying on farm

Photo from corner of Highview and Oak shows the effect of the herbicide on a field that was green. (Photo by Al Cross)

Rebecca Herpick of Highview Drive says her young
tree was damaged by the nearby spraying of paraquat.

Story and photos by Aaron Gershon
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Residents of the Highview Drive area in southeast Midway found herbicide sprayed on their properties last week. They’re upset, and the state agriculture department is investigating.

“Our garden backyard’s our sanctuary” in the covid-19 pandemic, said Rebecca Herpick of the 100 block of Highview. “That's how we're getting through this thing. It was, but it's my therapy, and just to see all your plants dying is just, like, devastating.”

The herbicide was sprayed on one or more farm fields next to the residential area. That was confirmed after Herpick had a conversation with farm owner Susan Coats, who told her that the spraying was done by Joe Greathouse of Midway, who is leasing the land. Herpick’s partner, Sean McDonald, said he believes wind blew it onto the residential property.

Herpick and her partner, Sean McDonald, say
this damage was caused by the spraying.

Greathouse and Coats could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.

McDonald said Coats told him that the herbicide was paraquat, which is commonly used to kill grass before planting crops.

McDonald and Herpick said they noticed spots on their lettuce on Wednesday, June 3. Two days later, when they went to grab lettuce for a weekend camping trip, the spotting looked worse, but they did not think of much of it, they said.

"It just had this ominous dead look to it and we're like ‘Wow’,” McDonald recalled. "We didn't think about a chemical or anything like that." 

The couple still packed the lettuce and ate it while on their trip. When they returned Sunday, however, they realized there was undoubtedly a problem.

“Everything had major damage," McDonald said. "I told Rebecca, man, the whole place looks like we've got a disease."

Eating food contaminated with paraquat “could poison people,” says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Herpick shows damage to her garden. (For
a larger version of any photo, click on it.)

Herpick and McDonald reported no symptoms, but Herpick said, "I just kept feeling so violated. We have a small dog . . . he could have died.” A study by Cornell University has found that paraquat is highly toxic to animals by all routes of exposure.

Angry, McDonald posted photos of their garden on the Midway Musings group on Facebook, and others reported similar experiences.

“The leaves in my trees and bushes are dying,” wrote Melissa Scheier, whose yard runs along Highview. “They all have the same spots.”

Warren Carter of Highview wrote, “I complained to Mr. Greathouse a few years ago about this same issue. I lost my garden in my back yard. When he sprays and the wind is coming from the southwest you can smell the chemical is your house. At least in mine. . . . Something must be done about this issue."

The problem isn't just on Highview Drive. Mary Williams Greene of Richardson Street commented on McDonald's social-media post Tuesday: "I noticed this evening that some of my plants on the side of the house nearest Highview had that same spotting."

A closeup of other damage. 

Mayor Grayson Vandegrift encouraged the residents to file complaints with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

 “We are going to keep an open line with the Department of Agriculture as it proceeds, and will do tests of water in Lee's Branch to see if any pesticides show up. We'll look especially for paraquat, unless an investigation leads us to look for any other pesticide as well.”

The Agriculture Department has received two complaints, and “We have two inspectors looking into it,” spokesman Sean Southard said. “Over the course of the next four to six weeks, we should wrap up the investigation which will determine if a violation has occurred.”

Under state law and regulation, the fine for applying herbicide not according to its label is $100.

EDA confident about partner, talks transition from Soper, hires agent and starts transfer of greenspace to city

This map was published in March 2019, when the city annexed the property that EDA had an option to buy.

By Aaron Gershon
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

The Woodford County Economic Development Authority board spent much of its Friday meeting discussing the best way to replace longtime chairman and executive John Soper.

The board also began the process of turning over the green space around the edge of Midway Station, awarded a contract for marketing the industrial and commercial park, and discussed relations with the adjoining landowner who has been its main collaborator recently.

Adjoining property: The EDA had an option to buy 104 acres next to Midway Station from Michael Freeny, but Soper said Freeny doesn't want to renew the option until he has a better idea of its worth.

Soper noted that the property hadn't been annexed and zoned industrial when EDA obtained the option in 2017, and that Freeny has since sold part of it to Lakeshore Learning Materials for its second building. He said Freeny wants to know the cost of building a road through a narrow strip that connects the two sections of the property and would provide access to South Elkhorn Creek.

"I expect that road will cost every bit as much as what he paid for that lot or more," because it will have to be built to city specifications so the city can accept it for maintenance, Soper said. "As far as I know Mr. Freeny is still willing to honor his commitment for access though that property to the creek," which the city wants for recreational purposes. He also said that Freeny knows EDA and the city are his conduits to state economic-development officials.

Midway board member Michael Michalsin said he expects "good dialogue" with Freeny because "He's very easy to work with. . . . I'm happy to stay in close touch to him as is useful for the board."

Transition: Soper, who's been on the board for about 20 years and has been its paid chairman for the last few, will be stepping down after his term ends June 30, leaving the EDA in need of a game plan for leadership.

The board agreed that the "most desirable option" would be to hire a full-time director, but concluded from research that option would likely be beyond its budget. Soper gets $60,000 a year, funded pro-rata by Midway, Versailles and Woodford County.

The board is considering four other options, according to a document distributed by Treasurer Maria Bohanan after the meeting:

● Part-time independent contractor (hired by the three governments, with duties directed by them): This option would “more than likely” be less than the cost of Soper’s contract but raises concerns about the contractor not being readily available as a full-time employee would, and that there could be potential for conflicts of interest.

● Full-time independent contractor (hired by the governments, with duties directed by them): This option offers more consistency in the EDA's messaging and relationship-building, and would establish a “go-to person for all stakeholders in the community, including planning and zoning,” but may be too expensive and could lead to a difficult recruitment and evaluation process. The document also questions whether a full-time person is needed, since a real-estate agent has been hired, but a big “variable” is possible development of the Edgewood property at Versailles, which is tied up in court.

● Third-party entity (hire a firm to handle EDA's needs): This option offers “administrative staff and a strong Rolodex,” would probably cost less than Soper’s contract, and could attract competitive bids from firms “likely eager for business in this environment,” the document says.

● Creating a position as a public employee: This option could make it easier to provide direction but “is problematic due to which entity and whom the individual would answer to,”and would require extra taxpayer funding for retirement benefits and health insurance.

In another element of the transition, the board discussed Soper’s suggestion that the treasurer receive some compensation, which could require a change in the EDA by-laws, which say members will serve without compensation except expense reimbursements but say the “secretary-treasurer,” a position that is now split, can be paid.

The board directed Bohanan to include in the budget for the upcoming fiscal year $4,500 for compensation of the treasurer and/or secretary and a Dropbox subscription to facilitate electronic communication. Soper said he would ask attorney Bill Moore about the need for a by-laws change.

Midway Station agent: The board approved SVN/Stone Commercial Real Estate Advisors to serve as its agent for Midway Station, part of the transition from Soper’s impending departure.

The board and Matt Stone of SVN agreed that selling land in Midway Station is not just about creating jobs but maintaining Midway's character.

Soper said, "The EDA is about jobs and about representing what the taxpayers want, and it's not just about selling land." Stone responded that SVN is not about "pushing a deal through to get some sales done."

Stone said SVN will boost Midway Station’s web presence and advertising, with aerial photos. He said that unlike many commercial firms, it splits commissions with agents for buyers, meaning “We’re employing the entire brokerage community, locally and nationally.”

Asked by Soper how Midway Station’s $65,000-an-acre price compares with other ready-to-use industrial property in the region, he said “It works very well” because the range is $35,000 to $85,000, “but in Lexington you’re dealing with prices that are six figures.” He said he has seen transactions of $75,000 to $85,000 in Georgetown, which some buyers prefer because it is on Interstate 75. “I think we compare well to Georgetown.”

Land transactions: The board authorized Moore to prepare a deed to the City of Midway for the Midway Station tract on which the city’s functioning water tower stands, and to prepare an option for the city to take ownership the 38 acres of greenspace that surround Midway Station, in return for the city agreeing to forgive $500,000 to $750,000 of debt owed by the EDA, not all of which is considered collectible. Both moves have been anticipated for many months.

The EDA also owes the county money, and Magistrate Mary Ann Gill asked if there would be “any effort to compensate Woodford County.” Soper said, “If there was money there, I think that we could,” but “If we can get out of this with paying off the debt … and putting the finishing cap of surface on those roads … I cannot conceive that there’s any cheese left in this trap.”

Midway Mayor Grayson Vandegrift reminded Gill that the county did not participate in the $450,000 financing of a larger natural-gas line for Midway Station, which constitutes most of the debt and “really improved the park’s chance of selling land.”

Soper said the legal instrument from EDA to the city needs to be an option, not a deed, because releasing the mortgage on that part of the property without any direct monetary compensation might be a problem for the banks that hold the mortgages. He said that would “give Midway control of the land without going to the bank and asking them to release it … until after land sale,” which he said would be “A better time to release without any consideration.”

Soper said the city’s “intent to make some or all of it a park” will enhance the value of Midway Station. Vandegrift said it won’t be a park as such, “but a greenspace. Midway is such a picturesque city, we want our industrial park to be as picturesque as an industrial park can be.”

Pandemic makes Weisenberger Mills busy: 'Everybody wants flour that hasn't ever used any,' Mac says

A photo taken Wednesday shows the mill, creek, dam and, at left, part of the"shotcrete" abutment for the new bridge. 

A Weisenberger mill has stood on the Scott County bank of South Elkhorn Creek near Midway since 1865, and the current mill has been there since 1913. It has become a timeless icon in Central Kentucky, but it is also a business, and at a time when many businesses are closed, it is busy -- for the same reason a lot of Kentuckians are not. They're home, and they're baking.

"Things are really busy here," Mac Weisenberger, the fifth-generation owner of Weisenberger Mills, said in an email Tuesday. "Everybody wants flour that hasn’t ever used any. The website orders are almost overwhelming for now."

The mill was somewhat isolated for almost three and a half years because the state, citing safety concerns, closed the 80-year-old bridge that crossed the creek just downstream from the mill dam. After debates about how many lanes the bridge would have, and going through a long historical and environmental review, property negotiations and a rebidding, a new one-lane bridge opened Dec. 23. For a story and video on the ceremonial ribbon-cutting, click here.

Mosquito presentation put off, but council will still have special video meeting to change employee leave policy

Mayor Grayson Vandegrift has postponed a presentation he planned to make at a special City Council about a mosquito prevention program, but the council will still have a special meeting late Monday afternoon to amend city-employee leave policies to conform to new federal guidelines.

The meeting will begin at 5 p.m. and will be held by video teleconference. Since the meeting will be so short, Vandegrift said in an email, "It would be silly to send everyone in. . . . The attorney general recently issued an opinion allowing us to do this, and we can still record it like normal."

The state Open Meetings Act requires that a public agency “precisely identify a primary location of the video teleconference where all members can be seen and heard and the public may attend” and “provide meeting-room conditions, including adequate space, seating, and acoustics, which insofar as is feasible allow effective public observation of the public meetings.” Attorney General Daniel Cameron's opinion says, “For a public agency to identify a primary physical location to conduct a video teleconference and invite public attendance at that location would contravene all of the guidance from the president of the United States, the governor, and public-health officials like Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. In this state of a proclaimed national emergency and under a similar declaration by the governor, it is the opinion of this office that it is not currently 'feasible' for public agencies to be required [to] 'provide meeting-room conditions'—in the sense of a physical location where observers would be in close proximity to each other.”

Monday's meeting will be held via the online meeting platform Zoom, which observers can download for free. The meeting's login code is here, but Vandegrift said he may be able to livestream the meeting on Facebook. "Monday’s meeting is our trial run, as we’re figuring out all our capabilities," he wrote. One bit of advice from a Zoom user: Mute your microphone. You can also turn off your camera.

Midway Renaissance's Greenspace Committee to share livestream of event Sun. about women, climate justice

By Marcie Christensen

Chair, Greenspace Committee, Midway Renaissance

I hope many of you will be able to join us this Sunday, March 8, from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. in the Community Room at Midway Presbyterian Church. The Greenspace Committee of Midway Renaissance and the Midway Chapter of Dining for Women will celebrate International Women's Day by sharing a live-streamed event to show how women all over the world fight for environmental justice in their countries and communities.

The impacts of climate change are not evenly distributed around the world, and they are different for women and men. Women and girls are the most adversely affected, yet they are also well-suited to find solutions to prevent further degradation and adapt to the changing climate. More and more, women and girls around the world are becoming climate justice advocates. When women participate in decision-making at national and community levels, they can help devise effective climate change solutions that build stronger communities.

The main event, in Washington, D.C., is a collaborative production of Dining for Women, Peace is Loud, UNICEF USA, and Women of Peace Corps Legacy. For more info on the national event, visit Our Biggest Chapter Meeting of the Year.  Questions? Email Marcie Christensen.

Midway Renaissance revives Greenspace Committee, plans for Francisco's Farm Art Fair June 13-14

The annual general membership meeting followed the monthly dinner at Midway Christian Church. (Photo by Hayley Burris)

By Lauren McCally
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Midway Renaissance announced the revival of its Greenspace Committee at the group’s annual general membership meeting Monday night. The meeting followed the monthly community dinner at Midway Christian Church, which featured leftovers from the church’s Epiphany dinner.

Greenspace was the first committee of Midway Renaissance, but went dormant in 2013, said Debra Shockley, the secretary of Midway Renaissance. “Something that’s exciting is that Greenspace is coming back,” she said, “but in a totally different integration.”

When the committee started, “Some of the things that they worked on were to remove invasive species, they planted trees, established rain guards, and a lot of other things that helped preserve and protect our environment,” Stacy Thurman, a Greenspace and City Council member, told Renaissance members.

The idea to bring this committee back came from Marcie Christensen, who wanted to help educate Midway residents and work with the city government and other organizations to teach more sustainable ways for Midway to do things.

Debra Shockley is secretary of Renaissance. (Photo by Hayley Burris)

Shockley said after the meeting that the committee’s current mission differs from the old one because that sort of work is done by the city’s Parks Board, Friends of Walter Bradley Park and other volunteers who “do the trails and the bridges” in the park.

The Greenspace Committee is “going to have educational classes, maybe seminars and stuff up at the library,” Shockley said. “They are not actually going to be working in the park. . . . This Greenspace incarnation will focus on sustainability.”

Greenspace is planning educational projects for the community and Northside Elementary, which will teach appropriate recycling techniques, community composting, and care of street trees.

“We are open to any ideas that people have or projects … here in Midway, ” Thurman said. “We welcome anybody that wants to get involved in the Greenspace Committee.”

Greenspace holds monthly meetings on the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Midway Library. If you would like to join the committee, attend a meeting, share an idea or learn more about certain projects, contact Marcie Christensen via Facebook or Thurman at the library, which she manages.

Another committee mentioned during the meeting was Living History. “Living History is one of the most active committees,” said Shockley. “They do so many projects.” Some include a big sign about bourbon history by The Brown Barrel and a lot of older pictures of buildings downtown, which have been put up with information such as who owned them and what year they were built.

Planning for the June 13-14 Francisco’s Farm Art Fair, which Shockley said is Renaissance’s “primary source of income,” is going very well, event coordinator Elisha Holt told the members. “We have about 67 artists who have applied” to exhibit, she said; the deadline is March 1 and the jury will notify exhibitors by March 31.

The fair will be held at Midway University but there will also be a small block party downtown with a musical event on the evening of Saturday, June 13.

To help advertise the art fair, Renaissance will provide yard signs to contributors. Those who give $25 will receive a sign saying “Friends of Francisco’s Farm Art Fair, Midway University, June 13-14,” to put in their front yard; $100 givers will be designated friends of the art fair, and get a sign; $500 givers will be sponsors, with their name or logo on signs at the event, in the fair map and on the website. Donations need to be sent by May 1, so the committee can print the signs and distribute them.

The Renaissance board will have a workshop and strategic planning review Sunday, March 1, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the library conference room, and anyone is welcome to attend. The board has room for four more members, who serve three-year terms.

The next general meeting of Renaissance is scheduled for Thursday, March 5 at 6 p.m. in the second floor community room of the Rau Building (City Hall). Anyone is welcome to attend and the officers for 2020 will be elected.  Membership in Renaissance is $10 per person or 10 food items.

State and local officials celebrate new Weisenberger Mill bridge and recount the decade-long story that led to it

Transportation Secretary Jim Gray cut the ribbon, with other officials, the contractor and Weisenberger family members.

The Weisenberger Mill bridge, a Midway landmark that reopened last month after being closed for almost three and a half years, closed again for two hours today so state and local officials could celebrate a very unusual project: building a one-lane span nearly identical to the one built around 1935.

"It looks just like the old one," said Sally Weisenberger, a member of the family that owns the historic mill on South Elkhorn Creek, before the ribbon cutting. The mill and its dam create a favorite scenic spot for locals and visitors, but the area's history and distinctiveness created challenges to replacing the span: years of debate and reviews historical and environmental, and months of negotiating with property owners for construction easements.

The biggest debate was about how wide the bridge would be. Scott County Magistrate Chad Wallace told the crowd that people in the area, including the Zion Hill community at the county's southern tip, agreed at a 2013 meeting that it should be one lane, "at a time when one-lane bridges seemed foreign in the transportation world."

Neighbors feared a two-lane bridge would only attract more heavy trucks seeking a shortcut, and cause more speeding and more wrecks, especially in the sharp curve on the Woodford County side. State engineers resisted, but finally relented.

In October 2017, almost 16 months after it closed the bridge for safety reasons, the Transportation Cabinet agreed to a new, one-lane span, a pony truss modeled on the old one.

A one-lane bridge "makes us be patient," Wallace said, alluding to the scenic surroundings. "You get to soak it in while you're waiting for a car to pass."

Gray spoke after District Highway Engineer Kelly Baker, at left.

As the waters of the creek roared over the dam, Transportation Secretary Jim Gray told the crowd, "There's arguably not many projects in our state that convey a sense of history and culture as much as this project does. . . . It is picture-perfect, postcard-perfect."

The project required "minimizing impact to surrounding properties, making sure this bridge fit the context of the area and the nature of the original bridge," said Kelly Baker, the Highway Department's chief district engineer. "I think we met our goals ... to preserve that integrity. I see a structure we all can be proud of."

"It adds to the beauty we have around here," said state Rep. Phillip Pratt, a Republican from Georgetown.

Rep. Joe Graviss, D-Versailles, thanked God "for his divine intervention" in getting the bridge replaced and seeing that no one was injured during construction.

Kenny Roller of Louisville Paving and Construction Co., the contractor, said the new span was fabricated at a Big R Bridge plant in Abingdon, Virginia, and assembled in the Midway Station industrial park. The company completed the work well before the May 1 completion date in its contract; the new span opened to traffic Dec. 23.

Baker told the Midway Messenger that the bridge would have no posted weight limit, because it can support 80,000 pounds, the regular weight limit on state roads. The bridge connects county roads, but the state agreed to take responsibility for replacing it around 2010, when then-Rep. Carl Rollins, D-Midway, got the first state funds appropriated for it.

The event was a bit intriguing to Phil Weisenberger, in the sixth generation of the family that started the mill in 1865. "I figured it's such a sore subject they'd just keep quiet about it," he said. "But it's nice to have it back open." He attended with his grandmother, Bett Weisenberger, 93.

State Transportation Cabinet confirms Weisenberger Mill bridge is scheduled to open Monday, at 8 a.m.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet photo

The state Transportation Cabinet confirmed this afternoon that the new Weisenberger Mill Bridge is scheduled to open to traffic at 8 a.m. Monday, Dec. 23, five months ahead of schedule. "The bridge, on Weisenberger Mill Road (CR 1015), restores a critical link over South Elkhorn Creek in Scott and Woodford counties," the cabinet's District 7 office said in a news release.

“Restoring this vital connection for motorists and emergency services who depend on the bridge daily was a priority,” said Kelly Baker, chief engineer for District 7. “We listened to the needs of the public, and worked diligently with the contractor to accelerate the opening of the new bridge.”

The old bridge was closed July 1, 2016, after a routine inspection found advanced deterioration was found in the bottom and outermost members that run parallel to the surface of the bridge. The bridge, which had been used by heavy trucks as a shortcut, had been operating under repeatedly lower weight limits, finally at only three tons.

After delays for historical and environmental studies, including citizen input, the state gave up its plans for a two-lane bridge and agreed to install a one-lane structure very much like the old one. "The newly constructed bridge fits within the context of the environment," the release said. "The goal of the project team was to closely match the features of the previous structure. The bridge is a pony truss with galvanized steel, and a concrete deck."

Louisville Paving Co. was the sole bidder on the project and began work Aug. 12. It removed the old bridge in late August and placed the new structure in late November. Crews were working on signs and other final measures today.

The bridge is a popular destination and route for tourists, runners and cyclists, since it overlooks the historic, family-owned Weisenberger Mill, which has been grinding flour in the same location since 1865 and in the same building since 1913. The traffic count on Weisenberger Mill Bridge Road in 2012 was 1,200 vehicles per day, the cabinet said.

Weisenberger Mill Bridge scheduled to open Dec. 23, contractor says; state not willing to promise that

The new bridge structure was placed Nov. 25. (Image from
video shot by Phil Weisenberger, from Weisenberger Mill )

Midway Mayor Grayson Vandegrift announced near the end of last night's City Council meeting that the new Weisenberger Mill bridge could open to traffic before Christmas, months earlier than long thought.

Vandegrift said he had heard from "state officials" and Scott County Magistrate Chad Wallace that "unless something just terrible happens, unexpected, Weisenberger Mill bridge will be open by Christmas Day."

That brought cheers in City Hall, because the bridge has been closed for safety reasons since July 1, 2016, and its replacement has been delayed by environmental and historical considerations. The new bridge was expected to open by May, but construction has proceeded quickly.

Asked if the bridge could be open by Christmas, state Transportation Cabinet District 7 spokeswoman Natasha Lacy said in an email this morning, "There is a possibility for this. However, I will not send out an advisory until we receive final word from the contractor." Asked how long before traffic opening  the advisory would go out, she said "We do not know at this time because of the inclement weather."

UPDATES: The state contractor, Louisville Paving Co., has posted signs saying that the bridge will be open to traffic Dec. 23. Lacy said Wednesday morning, "The contractor did set up variable message boards with the date of the 23rd. However, guardrail work has not been completed. I will send a news release when we (the District 7 Office) are confident that the road/bridge will be open to motorists."

Removal of Weisenberger Mill bridge is set for Friday

Thursday evening, the crane was in place for Friday's work. (Photo by Al Cross, Midway Messenger)

The steel structure of the Weisenberger Mill bridge will be removed by a crane Friday to make way for the new bridge, the state Transportation Cabinet announced in a press release.

"Louisville Paving Co. Inc. will take out the steel truss between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. tomorrow. The time frame for lifting by crane to transfer truck is approximate," the release says. "Kentucky Utilities will de-energize the overhead power lines pending appropriate weather and temperature conditions." The weather is forecast to be sunny in the morning and partly cloudy in the afternoon, with temperatures rising from 66 degrees at 8 a.m. to 87 degrees in late afternoon.

Louisville Paving will move the bridge, which was built in 1935, to its yard. The new bridge will be built in a similar "pony truss" style because the State Historic Preservation Office deemed the site to be eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

The bridge has been closed since July 1, 2016 because of damage caused by heavy trucks. Its replacement was delayed by required hearings, historical and environmental studies, and right-of-way acquisition.

A Transportation Cabinet photo earlier in the day shows the lifting supports installed across the top of the bridge.

Work starts on new Weisenberger Mill bridge

Work began this week on the new bridge over South Elkhorn Creek at Weisenberger Mill. This photo, looking south from the mill side, shows construction of a temporary road for a crane that will be used to remove the 1935 bridge for replacement with one of a similar style. The state Transportation Cabinet says the work by Louisville Paving Co. is expected to be completed by May 2020. The bridge has been closed for safety reasons since July 1, 2016, and its replacement was delayed mainly by required historical and environmental studies.

State rejects only bid for new Weisenberger Mill bridge, says it will re-advertise for bids to be made by July 26

The bridge is a scenic, historic spot due to the mill, built in 1913 on the site of an 1865 mill, and its dam on South Elkhorn Creek.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet on Friday rejected the only bid for construction of a new Weisenberger Mill Bridge, which was almost three times the engineers' estimate but may have been made in error.

The cabinet will advertise the project for bids to be awarded after its July 26 bid letting, said Natasha Lacy, spokeswoman for the cabinet's District 7 office in Lexington. Construction is expected to take six to nine months.

Monday will mark the three years since the cabinet closed the bridge for safety reasons. The bidding was the latest in a series of delays for efforts to replace it with a new bridge.

The bid by Louisville Paving Co. was $1.95 million, 2¾ times the estimate of $709,889. Woodford County Magistrate Jackie Brown told the Midway Messenger Kelly Baker, the chief engineer at the cabinet's District 7 office in Lexington, told him Louisville Paving bid on foundation work they would not have to do, and expects a rebid would be much nearer to the engineers’ estimate.

The bridge across South Elkhorn Creek, the border of Woodford and Scott counties, is nominally Woodford's responsibility, under a longstanding agreement between the counties, but the state agreed to take responsibility for it several years ago.

The state closed the bridge after inspectors found it was not safe for a load of three tons. The state had already lowered the limit twice in an effort to turn away heavy trucks whose drivers used the bridge, apparently following Global Positioning System directions for a shortcut to or from Interstate 64, using Paynes Depot Road and perhaps Big Sink Road.

The bridge's closure has further isolated the largely African American community of Zion Hill, at the southern tip of Scott County. Woodford County has been providing emergency services to the area.

Replacing the one-lane span, built in the early 1930s, has been complicated. The first plan was for a two-lane bridge, but the cabinet changed it to one lane, with the pony-truss style of the old bridge, to assuage public concern that a modern concrete span would detract from the scenic nature of the site and encourage speeding, causing accidents in the sharp curve on the Woodford County side.

Since the bridge has historical significance and is a state responsibility, the project had to undergo review by the State Historic Preservation Office and the Kentucky Heritage Council, as well as an environmental impact report to federal officials. The project was delayed at least a month by negotiations over construction easements.

City Council stretches out cemetery pavilion project to start funding improvements at city's three cemeteries

Two of the largest trees in the St. Rose Tabernacle Cemetery, next to the Midway Cemetery, have upended tombstones.

The Midway City Council decided this evening to stretch out construction of a pavilion at the Midway Cemetery over two years, to fund other work at the cemetery and start fixing up the two historically African American cemeteries for which the city has taken responsibility.

At its second workshop on the budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1, the council also discussed other budget changes, and a suggestion that it seek bids for engineering services on the proposed budget's single biggest item, a sewer-improvement project estimated to cost $200,000.

The council plans to finish drafting the budget at a third and final workshop at 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 5, and enact it at its regular meeting on June 17.

The pavilion, which would provide shelter in inclement weather, is estimated to cost $45,000. The council voted to put $20,000 in the budget for pouring its concrete footers and pad, and use the other $25,000 for other improvements at all three cemeteries.

Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said Public Works Supervisor Terry Agee has a list of work needed at the main cemetery and at the other cemeteries, including removal of trees that have upended tombstones. The mayor said Agee sees the tree removal as a five-year process, partly because removal of too many trees would upset the public.

Council Member Sara Hicks, chair of the Cemetery and City Property Committee, said all the tree work in the St. Rose Tabernacle Cemetery should be done first, "so you can start to re-erect the tombstones." The work there and at the Sons and Daughters of Relief Cemetery will also include installation of lines and taps for watering.

Engineering firm's map of project (click on image to enlarge)

Sewer project: The council agreed in February to use up to $200,000 of its half-million-dollar-plus General Fund surplus for a project that would send a camera through the city's oldest sewer lines, east of Winter Street, to see how they need to be repaired or replaced, and then remove sludge, tree roots and other obstructions. Vandegrift put the project in the budget he proposed to the council.

Council Member John Holloway noted that $62,000 of the estimated cost is for engineering services, which presumably would be performed by HMB Engineers of Frankfort, the city's longtime consultant. "For sixty-two thousand dollars, I think we should bid out the engineering," Holloway said. He also said he didn't understand some of the terminology in HMB's description of the project, some of which seemed duplicative.

Vandegrift said "All those questions can be answered by HMB," and "I have no problem with bidding whole thing out. . . . We can ask HMB those hard questions." He said the project was originally planned for this summer, but "It's looking more like the fall."

In other sewer-system business, the mayor noted that his budget continues to invest in improvements at the city's wastewater-treatment plant, and said that he has been impressed with the work of plant operator Jack Blevins. He said when the budget was tighter, the plant was not as well kept up.

The sewer budget calls for $60,000 in capital expenses. The water budget has the same amount, up from $43,000 in the current fiscal year. Vandegrift said lot of water-line replacements are needed, as well as a gearbox replacement.

The mayor said he expects the state Public Service Commission will give Kentucky-American Water Co., the city's water supplier, a 10 percent increase instead of the 21.5 percent hike it is seeking. He reiterated that unlike last year's increase, the city will not be able to absorb the increase and will have to pass it on to customers. The city cut water and sewer rates 25 percent last year.

Other items: The city's contract for police services from the City of Versailles is budgeted at $166,000, the same as currently; the contract calls for Midway to pay 4.25% of the police budget, and for the Versailles Police Department to be in Midway 16 hours a day. From 11 p.m. to 7 a.m, police are in the Midway-Millville area, but not in the city unless they get a call, Vandegrift said.

Council Member Logan Nance said those hours are when crime might be most likely, so "It might be worth looking into them doing some overnight [patrols in the city] as well."

On another public-safety issue, Vandegrift said his estimate of $50,000 for bulb-outs, or curb extensions, at two major intersections on Winter Street is "just a guess," and the work might be done for less. The bulb-outs at the Stephens Street and Bruen Street intersections will be designed to slow traffic by reducing street width.

The budget also calls for $10,000 for new signage. Vandegrift said about half of that would go for a promotional sign directing traffic from Interstate 64 to downtown, requested by merchants. He said that it would face traffic coming off KY 341 (Midway Road) at US 421 (Leestown Road), and that he thinks the state Transportation Cabinet would allow it to be placed in the right of way.

Holloway wondered if a sign would be visible enough to guide motorists before they chose the left-turn or right-turn lane from 341 to 421. Vandegrift said it would "if you put it in the right spot." Hicks said, "If it's big enough, you would see it before you got to the lanes."

Council Member Stacy Thurman said the city needs a sign for the charging station for electric cars behind City Hall. Shown an example, Vandegrift said he would have Agee order one.

State gets final construction easement, will advertise new Weisenberger Mill Bridge for June 21 bid letting

Last June, weeds grew in the road near the bridge, which at that time had been closed for nearly two years. (Sarah Ladd photo)

By Al Cross and Kristi Fitzgerald
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

The state Transportation Cabinet is preparing to advertise for bids to replace the Weisenberger Mill Bridge, after purchasing a construction easement from mill owners Mac and Sally Weisenberger — and deciding it didn't need an easement from Bryan and Julie Pryor, who live catercorner from the historic mill and the bridge across South Elkhorn Creek.

The project is in the cabinet's June 21 bid letting. That means it likely won't be completed until 2020, disappointing those who are upset about the fact that it has been closed since July 1, 2016, but it will bring to an end a controversy that has lasted most of the decade.

In any event, the Weisenbergers and the Pryors are still not happy with the state.

"I got tired of arguing with them, or just dealing with them," Mac Weisenberger told the Midway Messenger. "And the community here needs a bridge. I didn't want to be accused of holding this thing up."

Weisenberger's easement became the only remaining obstacle to the bid letting after the Transportation Cabinet decided that it could do the project without a temporary construction easement from Pryor.

The Pryors' rock wall is only inches from the road in places.

Pryor said state officials came to an April 26 meeting with a letter saying his easement was no longer needed, though "We were there to talk about solutions to my concerns. They quickly changed the conversation." The cabinet said it does not comment on negotiations.

Both couples have issues with the state that go beyond its need for the easements. Pryor said at a public hearing in August that he is obligated by a historic easement to preserve the wall surrounding his property, made partly of worn-out millstones from the mill. He said today that he is concerned about construction taking place near the wall, which is being undercut by drainage from the road.

The drainage is an issue for the Woodford County Fiscal Court, because Weisenberger Mill Road is a county road. The county is responsible for the bridge, but the state is doing the project in return for Woodford County doing a bridge project in Millville several years ago.

The 89-year-old bridge, a popular scenic spot, was closed on July 1, 2016 due to its old and unsafe steel infrastructure, damaged by trucks crossing while exceeding the weight limit.

The Weisenbergers have voiced concern that plans for the new bridge call for its opening to be two feet narrower than the current one, raising fears that their mill would be in greater danger of water damage when the creek is in flood. When Mac Weisenberger raised that concern, Project Manager Casey Smith said state engineers looked at that, and “They did not see a significant rise out of it.”

Weisenberger then wrote the state, “Where is the proof this won’t cause additional flooding? We haven’t see any report. We will wait until you present us with a No Rise Certification and proof that vibration won’t cause ANY damage now or in the future to the Mill building, equipment, machinery, employees and/or dam. Do you really think we, Weisenberger Mill, will just sit back and not demand reasonable answers?” In capital letters, he added, “We have a business to protect!”

He also wrote, “We have been frustrated beyond belief throughout this project. . . . Everyone who utilizes the bridge is totally frustrated with the delays of this project.”

The process of replacing the one-lane bridge has stirred controversy and undergone several changes. The state’s first plan was for a two-lane bridge, but changed that to one lane after the public voiced concerns that would detract from the scenic, historical site and cause accidents in the sharp curve on the Woodford County side of Weisenberger Mill Road.

The design of the bridge, and the delay in replacing it, have sparked much debate. Since the bridge has historical significance and would be replaced by the state, the project had to undergo review by the State Historic Preservation Office and the Kentucky Heritage Council, as well as an environmental impact report to federal officials, all of which have pushed back construction, which is expected to take six to nine months.

Mapquest map, adapted, shows how the bridge closure has isolated Zion Hill.

Last year, state officials said they expected construction in 2020, but said there was a chance it could be done in 2019. They put it in the April 26 bid letting, with a tentative advertisement date of Saturday, April 6, and a deadline of April 3 to be in the ad. Then they moved it to the May 24 letting, but the Weisenberger easement wasn't ready in time, so the project now set for letting June 21.

"I’m optimistic that the project is moving forward and will not see any further delays," said Magistrate Liles Taylor, who represents the Midway area on Fiscal Court.

The bridge closure has complicated access for residents of Zion Hill, a largely African American community at the southern tip of Scott County. Woodford County has been providing emergency services to the area.

Weisenberger Mill bridge ready for bids, except for construction easements, held up by lingering issues

Last June, weeds grew in the road near the bridge, which at that time had been closed for nearly two years. (Sarah Ladd photo)

This story, originally published April 1, has been updated.

By Kristi Fitzgerald

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet wants to advertise the new Weisenberger Mill Bridge for bids this week, but lack of temporary easements for construction could delay the project.

The bridge was among the projects in the cabinet’s April 26 bid letting, with a tentative advertisement date of Saturday, April 6, and a deadline of April 3 to be in the ad. Negotiations for the final two construction easements continue, according to Natasha Lacy, a public information officer at the cabinet’s District 7 office in Lexington.

Lacy said the project has been moved to a May 24 bid letting, with a tentative advertisement date of May 3. If the easements are not purchased three weeks prior to the letting date, the project will be moved to August.

That would push completion of the new bridge until 2020. Construction is estimated to begin about one month after the bid letting and to be completed six to nine months after construction begins, Lacy said. Two of the four construction easements have been purchased, she said.

The holdouts are Mac and Sally Weisenberger, owner of the historic mill for which the bridge is named, and Bryan and Julie Pryor, who live in a recently built home catercorner across South Elkhorn Creek from the bridge. Both couples have issues with the state that go beyond its need for the easements.

Bryan Pryor said at a public hearing in August that he is obligated by a historic easement to preserve the wall surrounding his property, made partly of worn-out millstones from the mill. He said this week that the easement extends his property line to the middle of the road.

The rock wall on the Pryors' lot uses worn millstones from the mill.

At some places, the wall is within inches of the pavement.  It was damaged a few years ago by one of the many tractor-trailers that have been guided to the bridge when their drivers seek shortcuts without regard to the bridge’s weight limit or the limited capacity of the roads leading to the bridge.

The Pryors said they need to be cautious about public statements because their situation is more complicated than it appears.

“We are not prepared to have construction right-of-way discussions with the state until protective solutions for the wall and issues concerning the usage easement across our property, to the bridge, are resolved with Woodford County,” they said in an email. “The state Transportation Cabinet has repeatedly said the project is from bridge end to bridge end, and that approachways were not part of the project.  Conversations with Woodford County are still in process but not concluded.”

Woodford County Magistrate Liles Taylor, who represents the Midway area, said he and County Judge-Executive James Kay and County Attorney Alan George are not only trying to work out those issues, but find an overall solution that will get the bridge built as soon as possible.

Mill owner Mac Weisenberger declined to comment other than to say, “I am hopeful that the bridge will be completed this year.”

Weisenberger has voiced concern that plans for the new bridge call for its opening to be two feet narrower than the current one, raising fears that his mill would be in greater danger of water damage when the creek is in flood. When he raised that concern with Project Manager Casey Smith last June, Smith said state engineers looked at that, and “They did not see a significant rise out of it.”

Weisenberger then wrote the state, “Where is the proof this won’t cause additional flooding? We haven’t see any report. We will wait until you present us with a No Rise Certification and proof that vibration won’t cause ANY damage now or in the future to the Mill building, equipment, machinery, employees and/or dam. Do you really think we, Weisenberger Mill, will just sit back and not demand reasonable answers?” In capital letters, he added, “We have a business to protect!”

Weisenberger also wrote, “We have been frustrated beyond belief throughout this project. . . . Everyone who utilizes the bridge is totally frustrated with the delays of this project.”

The replacement of the bridge has been a topic of concern for about six years and even more so since its closing on July 1, 2016. The bridge was built around 1930 and was closed due to its old and unsafe steel infrastructure, damaged by trucks crossing while exceeding the weight limit.

The bridge is on a county road, but the state is doing the project in return for Woodford County doing a bridge project in Millville several years ago. The creek is the Scott-Woodford county line; under an agreement with Scott County, Woodford is responsible for maintaining the bridge.

The process of replacing the one-lane bridge has undergone several changes drew the attention of and surrounding residents.  The state’s first plan was for a two-lane bridge, but changed that to one lane after the public voiced concerns that would detract from the scenic, historical site and cause accidents in the sharp curve on the Woodford County side of Weisenberger Mill Road.

The design of the bridge, and the delay in replacing it, have sparked much debate. Since the bridge has historical significance and would be replaced by the state, the project had to undergo review by the State Historic Preservation Office and the Kentucky Heritage Council, as well as an environmental impact report to federal officials, all of which have pushed back construction.

Mapquest map, adapted, shows how the bridge closure has isolated Zion Hill.

Last year, state officials said they expected construction in 2020, but said there was a chance it could be done in 2019.

“I’m thrilled that we are this much closer to getting this project started and hopefully completed this year — three years after the bridge was closed,” Taylor said.

“With recent flooding on Browns Mill Road, the isolation of area residents is more clear than ever,” Taylor said. “Completion of this project is first and foremost vital for public safety, impacting emergency response times and access on both sides of the bridge.”

Browns Mill Road, Old Frankfort Pike and Paynes Depot Road have been used as alternate routes to access Zion Hill, a largely African American community, since the bridge was closed.

Isaac Hughes, a Zion Hill resident, expressed his concerns about the possible delay of the project, saying that he is “worried that the easements for the right of way will hold things up even further.”

Parade with Lillie Cox as grand marshal will cap off 'Go Green' St. Patrick's events in Midway March 16

Lillie Cox may be Woodford County's greatest promoter.

By Kristi Fitzgerald

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

The Midway Business Association is inviting all to the Woodford County Saint Patrick’s Parade March 16 at 4 p.m. Lillie Cox, a long-time community activist in the county, has been chosen as the grand marshal and Blake and Melissa Jones will be the Irish court of honor.

The parade will feature floats with the day's “Go Green” theme, Woodford County officials, Reid’s Irish Bagpipers and Drummers, the Woodford County High School marching percussion band, Midway University horses and riders, fire trucks, costumed characters, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, and many other entries.  

The MBA press release also announces that “the world’s tallest leprechaun” will appear in the parade. He will also stroll around downtown Midway tying balloons from 2 to 6 p.m. Kids should also expect plenty other entertainment and activities, including free face painting.

The “Go Green” day kicks off at 10 a.m. with opening of historic downtown shops and a variety of Woodford County non-profit booths, including Midway Renaissance, Midway Community Garden, Big Spring Park, and Walter Bradley Park. Visitors can experience “green” in more ways than one with information on Evolve electric cars, recycling, solar energy, and more.

Downtown restaurants will open at 11 a.m. and will offer beverage, appetizer and meal specials, as well as prize drawings.

Saint Patrick’s and/or Irish attire is encouraged. For more information on becoming a parade participant contact Julie Morgan at morganjjm@gamil.com. For more information on the non-profit and educational booths contact Amy Bowman at amybowman583@yahoo.com.

Meeting about bridge offers little hope for fast reopening

Isaac Hughes of Zion Hill makes a point to consulting engineer Phil Logsdon and others at Thursday's meeting.

By Sarah Ladd

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

A consulting board’s meeting Thursday offered no solutions for a quick reopening of the Weisenberger Mill Bridge, but a small glimmer of hope that it could be rebuilt next year, not in 2020.

The meeting at Northside Elementary School was for people who had signed up to be consulting parties on the project, required under federal environmental and historic-preservation laws. It was also open to observers, most of whom were more concerned about the need to reopen the bridge, which has been closed since July 1, 2016, isolating the Zion Hill community.     

Casey Smith, project manager for the state Transportation Cabinet, opened the meeting by addressing concerns the community expressed in a meeting at the bridge Tuesday, including the feeling that its voices are not being heard. “It hurts to hear that,” he said. “Despite all the emotion and frustration, I find this process is actually working.”

Craig Potts, the state historic-preservation officer, said the process has already resulted in giving residents of the area the alternative they wanted – a one-lane bridge like the old one, for fear that a two-lane span would encourage more speeding and heavy truck traffic.

Federal Highway Administration environmental specialist
Eric Rothermel listened at the meeting. (Photo by Sarah Ladd)

Potts said the Federal Highway Administration “said it didn’t build one-lane bridges,” for safety reasons, but FhWA Environmental Protection Specialist Eric Rothermel, who joined the project around a year ago, was able to get his superiors to accept the single-lane alternative. (Rothermel declined to comment afterward, saying he wasn’t allowed to speak to news media.)

Potts said, “We really benefited. . . . Otherwise we probably would have a two-lane alternative underway right now.” That was the plan when the bridge was closed for safety reasons.

Phil Logsdon, senior project manager at H.W. Lochner, the Lexington engineering firm advising the state, said part of the meeting’s purpose was to eliminate the two-lane alternative. He said it can’t be officially eliminated until a decision is made, but the community has made it clear that it wants the single-lane alternative.

The conversation turned to a debate over whether a single-lane bridge could be 14 feet wide, as opposed to the current 12-foot plan, to accommodate more farm machinery. Engineers at the meeting said both options should have the same weight limit of 40 tons.

Magistrate Chad Wallace of Scott County’s Third District asked if making it two feet wider would delay the process. “The general feel is to get something open as soon as possible,” he said.

Logsdon was unsure, but several members of the state's project team – 18 were in attendance – said consideration of the 14-foot alternative was unlikely to delay the process.

Wallace asked the question likely on the minds of most: “How soon do we get a bridge?”

Mapquest map, adapted, shows how the bridge closure has isolated Zion Hill.

The bridge is not scheduled to be completed until 2020, but Logsdon and state officials outlined a scenario that might get it done next year: After the official comment period ends July 9, if support for a one-lane bridge remains strong, he said, “It’s going to make it a lot easier for the Transportation Cabinet to make that decision.” He said the project timetable calls for FHwA to approve the project’s environmental document in December, after which the state could start acquiring property easements it needs for construction devices. The federal fiscal year does not begin until Oct. 1, 2019, but if money became available before then due to delays in other federally funded projects, “cabinet leadership” could move up the schedule and seek bids.

Later, Isaac Hughes of Zion Hill asked who heads the cabinet, and was told that is Secretary Greg Thomas. Hughes said the process he saw at the meeting won’t get a bridge built soon. At Tuesday’s meeting, he voiced concern that the process is focused more on the design of the bridge than its speedy reopening.

After the meeting, Hughes said his concerns have not been resolved. “We’re still looking at the process,” he said. “It’s about the process, not the people.”

Hughes said other communities nearby have repaired bridges in a speedy manner. “Those communities had horse industry money,” he said, and Zion Hill doesn’t produce much revenue, so there is little incentive to repair the bridge.

“It’s about land value, not life value,” he said, echoing his concerns from Tuesday, and said he feels the community means nothing to those working on the bridge repairs.

Soon after the meeting started, the cabinet’s environmental-analysis director, Danny Peake, told the crowd that the process “probably seems cumbersome, slow and painful,” but has seen “a large government agency” change its plans in response to public concern.

About halfway through the meeting, Ed Courtney, part of whose property would be used for a construction easement, said, “They built that bridge probably in less time than you all been talking about it.”

Project Manager Casey Smith, right, talks with mill owner Mac Weisenberger, who voiced concern that the new bridge abutments would reduce the width of South Elkhorn Creek by two feet, which he said would worsen flooding. Smith said state engineers looked at that, and “They did not see a significant rise out of it.” Weisenberger asked Smith if he had seen the creek in flood; Smith said he had seen pictures from Weisenberger. At left is state historic preservation officer Craig Potts.