CRESTVIEW HILLS — Addressing busy Dixie Highway's traffic problems should be Kenton County's top transportation priority, according to a group of government officials, business leaders and developers.

        The 57-member Kenton County Transportation Task Force appointed by Kenton Judge-executive Dick Murgatroyd is trying to develop a plan by year's end that addresses the county's transportation needs.

        Fixing Dixie Highway is a top priority of the group, but it also wants to hear which projects the public thinks are important, said Dory Montezemi, deputy executive director of the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana (OKI) Regional Council of Governments.

        “With the public's help, we want to address the county's transportation needs for the next 30 years,” said Mr. Montezemi, who is managing the Kenton County transportation project.

        Improved traffic-light positioning along Dixie Highway and consolidating access points to businesses are some suggestions to improve traffic flow, Mr. Montezemi said.

        During rush hours, traffic jams on Interstate 75 funnel drivers onto the secondary road, he said.

        Also fueling the study is Kenton County's growing population.

        The county's population grew 6.6 percent from 1990 to 2000, to 151,464, according to the U.S. Census.

        Much of that growth has occurred in southern Kenton County.

        Projects proposed by the task force include better bus service for the entire county; the reconstruction and widening of Ky. 536; better timing of traffic signals; the reconstruction and widening of Hands Pike; improvements to 12th Street in Covington; traffic improvements for Ky. 17 at Kyles Lane, Highland Pike, Horsebranch Road and Dudley Pike; traffic-signal overrides for buses and emergency vehicles; improvements to Covington's Fourth and Fifth streets and replacement of the Fourth Street Bridge linking Covington and Newport; implementation of a county bike plan; a bus lane on the I-275 shoulder; the improvement of Bromley-Crescent Springs Road, and the improvement of Ky. 177/Decoursey Pike north of I-275.

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