First phase of widening project completed after 18 months of work
claysmill
Aside from installing a crosswalk at Keithshire Way, the first phase of the Clays Mill Road widening project is complete, according to LFUCG project engineer Keith Lovan.
The project, which transformed Clays Mill Road from two lanes to three lanes between Higbee Mill Road and Keithshire Way, began at the beginning of 2011. Work was initially planned to take about nine months, but weather significantly dampened progress.
“If you remember, 2011 was the wettest year ever, so there was a lot of delay because of the weather,” Lovan said. “It was normally a nine-month project, and it’s taken about 18 months.”
The projected cost for the construction, which included striping for bike lanes, a large stone retaining wall and expanded sidewalks, was about $3.6 million. Lovan said the final cost for the construction came within a few percentage points of the original estimate.
Different varieties of trees will be planted along the corridor in the fall.
As part of the project, two underground mechanisms were installed to catch trash and sediment and other materials to improve the city’s water quality. Maintenance crews will vacuum out the units before the debris enters the waterways.
During construction property owners along the affected portion of Clays Mill Road had to use temporary community post boxes since roadside mailboxes had to be removed. Lovan said the post office has sent letters to these property owners saying they have until July 20 to reinstall their roadside mailboxes, and he urged property owners to call 811 before they dig to prevent damaging underground utilities. All callers have to do is give their address once they call and crew members will mark a proper spot for free. In total, 77 mailboxes were affected.
The next phase of the Clays Mill Road widening project will concentrate on the portion of the roadway between Higbee Mill Road and Twain Ridge Drive south of Man O’ War Boulevard, and is slated to begin toward the end of this year. Widening between Keithshire Way and Waco Road is scheduled for late 2013.
Ultimately, the entirety of Clays Mill Road will be converted to a three-lane roadway, however no timetable is in place for work along the section between Waco Road and Harrodsburg Road. “That’s out in the future,” Lovan said, “Funding has not been programmed.”