Parkway will be great for the area

Central Kentucky News Journal
Monday, March 15, 2004

he proposed Heartland Parkway, that could potentially connect the Martha Layne Collins/Bluegrass Parkway 17 miles north of Springfield with the Louie B. Nunn Parkway at Columbia, continues to be one piece of really good news no matter how far off its completion might be.

The impact of such a project could potentially invigorate economies in four Central Kentucky communities and provide improved north/south access to two of the state's prominent east/west, four-lane corridors.

One option would leave the landscape of KY 55/US 68/KY 555 with a few additional asphalt strips. With the exception of adding one-mile passing lanes every third mile, the $112 million option appears to be the cheapest, fastest and easiest alternative to complete.

For an estimated $367 million the existing route could be widened to four lanes, or for an estimated $716 million a new interstate-type road could be built about two miles west of the old roadway.

Considering the growth potential and the increased traffic that a new parkway might produce, include our vote for remaking the present route into a four-lane highway.

We don't know what recommendation will be presented once a study is complete, but it would seem that a bonafide four-lane highway is needed to take care of potential growth and provide the safest passageway from Columbia to the Martha Layne Collins Parkway.

Money is tight everywhere - in Frankfort and Washington - and there's plenty of time to make the right decision and be the best buy for taxpayers.

Roads - good ones - are important to communities' ability to court new industry.

The Heartland Parkway appears to be a step in the right direction for Campbellsville, Springfield, Lebanon and Columbia.

It makes sense. We hope it happens.