In a recent town hall meeting on Monday evening at Pete’s Diner in northern Garrard County, local officials and concerned citizens gathered to discuss the upcoming changes to the Rogers Road intersection, a project spearheaded by the State Highway Department aimed at reducing fatalities.

The meeting was marked by a candid exchange of views, with many residents expressing skepticism and frustration over the proposed modifications.

The primary focus of the project is to eliminate the dangerous practice of turning across four lanes of traffic, a maneuver responsible for 98% of fatal accidents in the area according to local officials. The new design will require drivers to turn right and use a designated turnaround slot, effectively preventing direct left turns across multiple lanes. This change is expected to significantly reduce the risk of fatal collisions, although some residents remain unconvinced.

One of the key points of contention was the absence of State Highway engineers at the meeting, leaving local officials to field questions and concerns. Garrard County Judge Executive Chris “Roo” Elleman lead the discussions, with State Representative David Meade, Sheriff Willie Skeens, and Magistrates Glendan Barker and Chris Davis also on hand.

"None of us here are engineers of State Highway," Elleman admitted, emphasizing that the project was conceived and approved by state authorities without local input. The lack of direct communication with the State Highway Department left many questions unanswered, particularly regarding the specifics of the new design and its potential impact on traffic flow.

Residents voiced a range of concerns, from the practicality of the new turnaround slots to the adequacy of lighting and signage. One attendee questioned the safety of the new design, pointing out that it still requires drivers to navigate across lanes of traffic, albeit in a different configuration.

"How is this any safer than turning across four lanes of traffic?" he asked, highlighting a common sentiment among the crowd.

The issue of traffic speed and driver behavior was also a hot topic. Many attendees argued that the root cause of accidents is not the intersection design but rather reckless driving, particularly speeding and texting while driving.

"People drive too fast. They're on their phones," Elleman acknowledged, adding that no design could completely eliminate accidents without addressing these behaviors.

The timeline for the project was another point of interest. Officials indicated that construction is expected to begin in late February or early March, with a completion time of about a month and a half. The project will include the addition of a third lane on the southbound side to facilitate the new traffic pattern, as well as the installation of caution lights to alert drivers to the changes.

Despite the detailed explanations, many residents remained skeptical. Questions about the capacity of the new lanes to handle large vehicles, such as cattle trailers and semi-trucks, were raised, along with concerns about the potential for traffic backups and the adequacy of the turnaround slots during adverse weather conditions.

The meeting concluded with a call to action for residents to voice their concerns directly to the State Highway Department.

“I ask y'all to call tomorrow morning and ask the state why they didn't show up," one official urged, emphasizing the importance of community input in the final stages of the project.

As the community grapples with the impending changes, the hope is that the new design will indeed lead to a safer intersection, even if it doesn't address all the underlying issues.

The project serves as a reminder of the complexities involved in balancing safety, practicality, and public opinion in infrastructure planning.