Clark County Attorney William Elkins Pens Letter to Gov. Beshear About Needed Bypass

Published 11:30 am Friday, March 4, 2022

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Editor’s Note: Below is Clark County Attorney William Elkins’ letter to Governor Andy Beshear dated March 2 regarding the Winchester/Eastern Bypass Southeast Corridor Project, a measure that is endorsed by a joint resolution recently approved by the Clark County Fiscal Court and Winchester City Commission. Resolution appears at the end of this letter.  

Dear Governor Beshear,

I hope this letter finds you, the members of your team and all others healthy and safe. I write to respectfully ask you to review the Winchester Bypass Southeast Corridor Project.

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The residents of Clark County, including the citizens of W safety and prosperity challenges each day like all Kentuckians. Although, government is not positioned to directly address each of these challenges, some opportunities are available which would serve nearly everyone similarly situated.

The completion of the Winchester Eastern Bypass Southeast Corridor is one of those opportunities.

The project would finally alleviate traffic concerns for pedestrians, school children, church goers and local downtown business while providing immeasurable development opportunities for growth along the new corridor. Heavy truck traffic and high volumes would be removed from our beautiful historic Boone Avenue and surrounding neighborhoods. Sixth and Seventh grade school children walking to school would no longer walk alongside 80,000-pound fuel and chemical compound haulers.

Shopping in the downtown district wouldn’t begin with congestion and following out-of town commercial trucks and through traffic. Evening walks would no longer be taken among strangers and transient populations of interstate travel, but would be peacefully enjoyed among the perfectly adorned street front properties.

Respecting your time, I will dwell no more on the value of the completion of the project and close by asking you to consider the Clark County Fiscal Court and City of Winchester Joint Resolution supporting the project. Please find it enclosed. As our Governor, please help bring this matter into a position of immediate priority.

Best wishes always,
William D. Elkins
Clark County Attorney

 

Joint Resolution reads as follows regarding the Winchester-Eastern Bypass Southeast Corridor
This resolution was approved by the Clark County Fiscal Court and the City of Winchester requesting the completion of the Winchester Eastern Bypass Southeast Corridor.

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Kentucky has provided for transportation of persons and goods through Clark County and Winchester, Kentucky upon the routes named and numbered as KY 627 and KY 1958, the bypass road, and

WHEREAS, the residents of Clark County, including the citizens of Winchester, face health, safety and prosperity challenges each day like all Kentuckians which government may not be well positioned to directly address each as they occur uniquely in individual lives, but some opportunities are available which would serve nearly everyone, and

WHEREAS, the Winchester Eastern Bypass Southeast Corridor is one of those opportunities, and

WHEREAS, the completion of this project would finally alleviate traffic concerns on Boone Avenue and elsewhere for pedestrians, school children, church goers and local downtown business while providing immeasurable development opportunities for growth along the new corridor, and

WHEREAS, heavy truck traffic and high volumes would be removed from our beautiful historic Boone Avenue and surrounding neighborhoods, and

WHEREAS, Sixth and Seventh grade school children walking to school would no longer walk alongside 80,000-pound fuel and chemical compound tankers and commercial haulers, and

WHEREAS, shopping in a shrinking downtown district wouldn’t begin with congestion and following out-of-town commercial trucks and through traffic and evening walks wouldn’t be taken among strangers and transient populations of interstate travel, but would be peacefully among the perfectly adorned street front properties, and

WHEREAS, funding for the project has been approved at various levels of design and development and needs only the support of Governor Andy Beshear, the Kentucky General Assembly and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT JOINTLY RESOLVED, the Clark County Fiscal Court and the City of Winchester, jointly, that this request for immediate assistance from Governor Andy Beshear, the Kentucky General Assembly and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet be made in their joint efforts to complete the Winchester Eastern Bypass Southeast Corridor for the citizens of Clark County and the City of Winchester and the Commonwealth’s mutual benefit and prosperity.