Elizabethtown outlines Commerce Drive work, park upgrades and grant‑funded sewer projects

City Administrator Ed Pope gave a multi‑project update to the Elizabethtown City Council on Jan. 12 that covered transportation, utilities, parks and grant funding.

Pope said the Commerce Drive project—intended to improve access to the new outdoor music venue—has base asphalt in place from Springfield Road to the first roundabout and will be a three‑lane cross section when finished, with a center turn lane for venue traffic. Dirtworks was awarded the contract for that work. Pope said the Division of Water recently approved a waterline upgrade along Commerce Drive; under a long‑standing agreement, Water District 2 will install the line using its labor and equipment while the city pays for materials.

Streetlight conduit work is underway as part of the Commerce Drive work; Pope said Nolin will install and maintain decorative streetlights under a planned maintenance contract because parts of the project are in Kentucky Utilities service areas.

Pope told the council that karst topography on the outdoor‑venue site has required remediation where borings found sinkholes and cavities; remediation costs will reduce project contingency funds, a consequence of the bond‑funded contract and site conditions. He said the city will seek to complete immediate repairs and adjust later‑phase improvements if contingency funds are depleted.

On other projects, Pope said the city received about $2,000,000 in grant funds in two phases to extend and upgrade sewer lines on Litchfield Road and South Ring Road and that staff will soon request closeout drawdown funds from the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority (KIA) for a small residual amount. The parks department has several completed and ongoing projects at University Drive and Freeman Lake; Pope said the city received a $1,000,000 state grant for the North End Freeman Lake parking lot and had not yet spent city money for that work.

Pope also reported the fire station project is nearing completion and that work at the police station, slowed by poor soils, is back underway after remediation. He said Village Bridal and the Foxborough Estates drainage project were scheduled to begin this week, and staff continue work on final easement acquisitions for the Pear Orchard Road Northwest project.

Pope said the city was awarded Safe Streets for All funding for two projects: one on the East Dixie Corridor and another on College Street; he noted the College Street grant is now funded and that the East Dixie project still awaits a signed federal grant agreement before the five‑year performance window begins.

During public comment, resident Judy Elliott asked for an update on the Saint John Estate stormwater infrastructure project; Pope said staff are arranging an engineering analysis and that staff member Rita will contact Elliott with specifics.

Pope did not request or receive any formal council action on the projects at the Jan. 12 work session; most updates were informational and staff will return with contract items or municipal orders as needed.