Upgrading Highway 155/55 to make it safer

2 replies [Last post]
User offline. Last seen 1 year 21 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 08/31/2012

A dangerous thread, and traffic pattern proposal

Anyone who travels Hwy 155 with regularity knows that the stretch of road from Taylorsville towards Louisville is a very dangerous and fast paced trek. In many ways we take our life into our hands simply trying to make the transition from a side-road onto Highway 155/55 (Taylorsville Lake Rd). Why is this? For starters, I think most individuals think of this stretch of highway as an Indy-500 qualifying test track. If you don’t quickly achieve and maintain a minimum speed of at least 75 MPH, someone is running right up your rear [view mirror] and hovering there until they can pass you, sometimes with great peril to oncoming traffic, as well as those being passed!

In the past few years there have been some horrific accidents, and traffic deaths due to the overall carelessness of those how think this stretch of road belongs to them, and they can travel it with reckless abandon at speeds well above the posted speed limits. Oh, and then there’s the fact that police presence on this stretch of road is all but non-existent! Most individuals will tell you that they very rarely see a cruiser parked on the side, monitoring the speeds, or flowing with the traffic to maintain a vigilant presence. You’d think with the recent rash of traffic accidents we’d see a higher degree of police presence, but we don’t. Why is that?

Then there is the demographics of the area: we have an aging population of Taylorsville natives, along with the influx and growth of many young and middle aged populations within the surrounding areas of Taylorsville. This leads to varied levels of skill, motor reflexes, sight, and the use of technology (cell phones, texting) while driving. Given the tremendous growth the area has had in the past ten years, I am surprised we have not seen the roadways that must carry that increased motor vehicle traffic; also grow and expand. This particular stretch of road known as Highway 155/55 is in desperate need of upgrading, and it needs to be happening now!

I propose the following: Create a four-lane stretch from Highway 44 (Little Mount Rd) all the way to Taylorsville Rd (and that road needs to be four-lane all the way to the Gene Snyder Fwy!!), with roundabouts placed at the intersections of Hwy 155/55 and: Yonder Tipton Rd, Normandy Rd, Elk Creek Rd, Hochstrasser Rd, and Routt Rd. By stretching the highway out to four lanes, and placing roundabouts in the aforementioned intersections, the traffic pattern would be maintained, while slowing the average speed in the danger areas, as well as allowing all individuals the ability to enter and leave Hwy 155/55 in a safe and efficient manner.

The upgrade to Highway 155/55 is long overdue, and we do not need to wait until more loved-ones meet a grizzly end, involved in a horrific traffic accident on a stretch of road that is all too quickly becoming a very very dangerous roadway. If this cannot happen now (and it most definitely needs to!), then put more police out on that stretch of road (particularly near the above mentioned intersections) so that we can have a means by which to SAFELY travel to church, work, home, the supermarket, or to the lake.

Terrance Barnes
Fisherville KY

User offline. Last seen 29 weeks 5 days ago. Offline
Joined: 12/01/2012
Hwy 155/55

I agree with the above comments; I, too, often have a long line of vehicles behind me though I try to maintain a 58-60 mph drive to protect myself. However, I believe a far greater problem is the old "blue" bridge leading from Taylorsville across Salt River to Bloomfield. My grandfather, Early Buttrey, helped build that bridge 82 years ago! Every time I cross it (which is frequently), I thank God that Grandad did good work! Every time I see a semi-truck cross it, I pray. Whatever happened to all that "stimulus" money for bridges?

User offline. Last seen 45 weeks 6 days ago. Offline
Joined: 09/24/2012
In regards to Terrence Barnes plan of action on highway 155

Very nicely said I to don't understand the need for the rush to get from point A to B I do around 58 MPH on 155 and the parade behind me is long . They might consider upping the speed limit to 65 MPH if they go with your plan cause 55 is a little slow for that stretch of highway.But your plan would make it safer and hopefully 65 will be fast enough for most. We have our property in Fisherville right of of 155 and hope to be building next year and joining the wonderful people of Fisherville and Taylorsville next year.

David Weedman