KYTC seeks expedited right-of-way transfer; Jenkins council authorizes resolution pending MOU
Loading...
Summary
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet told the Jenkins-area council it needs permission to acquire right-of-way for the Grandview access road and housing project; the council passed a resolution allowing the cabinet to proceed so long as a memorandum of understanding acceptable to the city is finalized.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet presented plans for the Grandview access road and an adjacent housing development and asked the Jenkins-area council to allow the cabinet to acquire right-of-way in the city’s name to speed up the project.
“We’re with the Transportation Cabinet. My name is Chris James and this is Charlie Hill,” said Chris James, the cabinet representative, introducing the two-part plan and explaining that KYTC would act as the city’s agent to negotiate easements and acquire property. Charlie Hill said the project includes permanent utility easements and temporary construction easements that would revert after work is complete.
Council members raised concerns about liability during construction, the flow of funds and whether temporary easements should be titled to the city. One council member suggested appointing a two-member committee plus the mayor to negotiate terms; another recommended using a memorandum of understanding to allocate risk. KYTC said title work and a title report already exist and that the cabinet’s “communicate all promises” process (CAT) records commitments to landowners and construction contractors.
Without finalizing every detail, the council moved and passed a resolution authorizing KYTC to proceed with acquisitions and to purchase right-of-way in the city’s name provided an MOU acceptable to the city’s negotiators and counsel is completed. The resolution does not transfer final maintenance responsibility; KYTC representatives said the city would ultimately maintain the road as a public street.
The council’s approval was a procedural step intended to keep a tight construction schedule: KYTC said it expects to advertise the project for bids in early May to meet a short construction window. Council members asked that the MOU include explicit protections for the city where the cabinet or contractor commits to property restoration or other promises to landowners.
Next steps: the council will form the suggested negotiating group to work with KYTC on the MOU and receive the title report and draft agreement before the cabinet completes acquisition steps.
