After more than a decade of work by Kentucky highway officials and more than $850,000 spent in federal and state money redesigning U.S. 42 in Prospect, city officials now say they don’t want the project as it stands.
There is something they want more: Trees.
Trees are one of Prospect’s main attractions, and the state’s widening plan would wipe out at least 200 mature trees, including oaks and maples, on the mostly residential east side of U.S. 42, officials said. The City Council recently adopted a resolution opposing the proposal. ...
The plan called for widening about a mile of U.S. 42 through Prospect — between Harrods Creek and River Road — and originally included a grassy median with turning lanes. City officials, business leaders and residents had pressed for the widening — saying it was needed to handle traffic, which has almost doubled since 1991.
But now Mayor Todd Eberle said the widening would “destroy” Little Hunting Creek Park and move the roadway almost to the doorstep of City Hall. He said attitudes about the widening project have changed as Prospect has evolved during the past decade.
The only alternative — widening the road on the north side — would wipe out parking lots and cost more because utilities would have to be moved, and city officials have said some businesses might have to relocate. ...
The state highway plan budgeted up to $3.3 million for the project, which was also noted as a high priority in the plan. The current widening proposal would cost $2.4 million, transportation officials have said.
Other proposals, which included widening on the north side, ranged from $4.9 million to more than $11 million.
Here is what I wrote before I continued reading:
Grrrrr ... HOW MUCH MORE WOULD IT COST!!! Taking the difference and dividing by 200 I could boast that I know how much each tree is worth when I visit my family while driving that stretch of 42.
I do this all the time, read a bit of something I find interesting, excerpt it, write something (that I think is) clever, realize I should read the rest of the article before posting and making a fool of myself, finding that my snark is answered later in the article, delete what I first wrote and then write something not so fun. Well, for some reason I don't have the heart to delete the above text.
Anyway, each tree might be worth between $12,500 and $43,000.
