Efforts to grow Estill County fail because of bad roads

I don't care how many groups you organize to help Estill County grow and prosper, real growth in income and jobs WILL NOT happen until a community has the needed infrastructure.

The crooked and dangerous roads leading from Irvine to neighboring county seats is preventing our community from growing and we the people of Estill County should be VERY UPSET!

Growing communities aren't "doing anything" to encourage growth, IT JUST HAPPENS when you have the right tools in place. The tools are sewage lines, high speed internet, cell phone coverage and above all GOOD ROADS.

If Irvine had better roads to neighboring towns, we would have more shoppers from Lee, Owsley, Powell, and Jackson Counties shopping here in Estill County. More businesses would sprout up! And current businesses would expand and hire more people!

If the road from Irvine to Clay City isn't rebuilt in the next few years, our community will continue to slide backwards. Population will decline and businesses will shrink.

A group aimed at growing Estill County can have social networking, cookouts, potlucks, and fun but nothing will really happen until pressure is put on Frankfort to build new roads to neighboring towns.

Show me another county with 15,000 people within an hours drive to a metropolitan area over 400,000 where the county is losing people. I doubt you can show me such a community. Why isn't the population spilling over from Madison County? Some of it has to do with the image of this community.

Out of town industries don't have to locate here and they won't if we don't provide the infrastructure to compete in the global economy of the 21st century!

Turning lanes needed in front of Price-Less

The original plan was a new road built from Rice Street toward the Proctor Bypass to the south of the current Winchester Road. Local businessmen complained that their businesses would be replaced by out of town businesses! So the plan has been on hold.

If nothing else, how about a a turning lane from Estill Springs to the new bypass? Try making a left turn in front of Price Less during the heavily traveled times of the day!

I understand that local businessmen have a personal interest in certain decisions but should the safety and convenience of the entire community be compromised by selfishness? "What's in it for me" is often more important that what is good for the community!