Published: August 25, 2009 09:44 pm      

Thurman Road residents ask fiscal court for help

Somerset — The Pulaski County Fiscal courtroom was the site of a brainstorming session of sorts on Tuesday when numerous residents who live on a heavily traveled roadway gathered to ask that something be done about the dangerous conditions of the shortcut road.

Property owners on Thurman Road, which serves as a connector road between Oak Hill Road and West Ky. 80, and others asked on Tuesday that Pulaski County Judge-executive Barty Bullock and magistrates work to find a way to encourage slower driving on a road that has seen eight wrecks so far this year.

“All of us have children and grandchildren, and if it comes down to a thing of finances, what’s one of these lives worth?” asked property owner Jim Dick.

Yesterday’s discussion was spurred by a serious accident that occurred last Tuesday on Thurman Road when a 2004 Landrover driven by Southwestern High School senior Raina Trimble, 17, crashed upside down through a garage owned by William Bryan. Trimble and passenger Christopher Campbell, 17, who is also a SWHS senior, were flown to the University of Kentucky Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries.

Trimble was discharged from the hospital this week, and Campbell remained in serious condition as of Wednesday.

“To be honest, I really don’t know how you control speed, and speed for the most part is what causes accidents, the nature of that we see out there,” Bullock said.

Police have not said whether speed was a factor in last Tuesday’s accident. Evidence suggests Trimble lost control of her vehicle after she overcorrected after she slid off the roadway in a particularly hazardous spot of the road.

Thurman Road sees an immense amount of traffic daily because many drivers use the 1.6 mile-long road as a shortcut between two heavily-traveled state roads.

Virginia Dick, Jim Dick’s wife, and several other citizens asked whether installing speed bumps on the road would be feasible.

County Attorney Bill Thompson emphasized that he hadn’t conducted all the research necessary to give a firm answer, but he said he’s under the impression speed bumps are illegal on public roadways.

“I find no authority in KRS (Kentucky Revised Statute laws) that would allow you to put up the speed bumps as a way to control the traffic,” Thompson said.

Thompson noted installation of such tools may cause as many people to lose control of their vehicles as often as it may cause people to slow down, even if caution lights or signs were installed.

“The studies indicate that people still hit them (speed bumps) ... and lose control,” Thompson said.

Several residents asked the court to consider installing stop signs and create three-way intersections in front of Summer Shade and Ridge Hill subdivisions which are both located near hills and blind areas of the road.

“That’ll slow them down,” said one resident.

Citizen Ella Mae Foster described several severe accidents that have occurred in front or on her mother’s property on Thurman Road, but she suggested stop signs in front of those subdivisions will not deter drivers from speeding on other parts of the road.

“I don’t see where there is a solution even if you do try to put up stop signs, because this is just going to irritate these kids that use that road and people ... and I think they’re going to even speed faster because of those stop signs and start running (them),” Foster told the court. “It might make it more convenient for the people where the stop signs are, but it’s not going to help the people up there where there is no stop sign.”

Foster said speed is a problem in every part of the county said she’s made attempts to “catch up” to speeders on roads such as WTLO Road near Southwestern High School and on Ky. 192 in eastern Pulaski County at speeds of 65 and 75 mph, respectively.

Foster said she’s tried to catch speeders on Thurman Road as well, saying she followed a speeder Tuesday morning.

“I spun gravel, and I couldn’t catch that car to the end of the road,” Foster said. “And I was doing 75 (mph) or 76 (mph) passing everybody’s house this morning.”

That comment drew surprise from citizens and the court alike.

“You’re part of the problem,” Virginia Dick told Foster.

Foster emphasized that speed is a problem all over the county.

“There’s many a short cut roads all over PC that have this problem,” Foster said after noting she asked local authorities to conduct heavier patrols on the road when former sheriff Sam Catron was in office and was told it couldn’t be done.

Magistrate Glenn Maxey agreed that installing stop signs may help, but magistrate Kenny Isaacs noted accident may still occur at those intersections because people may pull out in front of speeders under the assumption they have the right of way.

Bryan asked about enforcing one consistent speed limit — 30 mph — on the length of the road.

“30 mph will catch people’s attention,” Bryan said.

On citizen said they never see authorities — county, city and state officers — on Thurman Road.

Pulaski County Sheriff Todd Wood told those in attendance that a high number of calls make it nearly impossible for his deputies to sit in one spot on any roadway in the county.

“I would love to come out there and sit as much as possible, unfortunately, this radio traffic doesn’t allow me to sit as much as I’d like to on your road,” Wood said.

Wood mentioned he drove the length of Thurman Road at least six times on Monday while responding to calls.

Foster told the court she saw Wood at least three times while at her mother’s home.

“Just because you don’t see me doesn’t mean there’s no law enforcement out there,” Wood said. “If I send ... Deputy (Kevin) Bullock to sit, I guarantee you by the time he sits there 15 minutes we’d have five calls pending, and then I have other citizens just like yourself wondering where we’re at not getting to their calls.”

Wood assured residents that law enforcement takes notice of Thurman Road and he said a specific Kentucky state trooper often sits on the road.

Still, Wood said he’ll work to designate a deputy to the road during rush hours in mornings and afternoons if they aren’t called to respond to other situations in the county.

Rumble strips, which are grooves or rows of raised pavement markers used to alert inattentive drivers, were also discussed. Thompson said those could likely be installed in problem areas.

Magistrate Mike Strunk said the court may receive complaints about the noise from residents, to which Jim Dick replied he’d gladly deal with the noise if it meant a safer roadway.

“I’d rather be awake than dead,” Jim Dick said.

Sophisticated machines that take pictures of speeders in use in other parts of the country were also proposed, but the court suggested that stop signs, speed limit changes and rumble strips may be the best first steps.

“Let’s just do something,” Maxey said.

Those in attendance agreed that something must be done. The court assured residents that any changes done to the road would be highly publicized to help decrease any accidents that may occur as a result of confusion.

“We will investigate any possibility and all possibilities,” Bullock said.