After 95 crashes, fatal wreck spurs calls for safety changes at Bullitt County intersection

A woman was killed over the weekend in a crash at a busy Bullitt County intersection, prompting neighbors and local leaders to call for safety improvements.Since Jan. 1, 2023, there have been 95 crashes within a quarter-mile of the intersection of Highway 44 East and Watergate Drive, according to the Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office.The intersection has become a source of concern for nearby residents, Selena and Denny Hicks, who live next to the roadway. They say crashes happen so often that they keep emergency supplies inside their home to help victims.“We have a bag sitting inside our house that we run out there that will help them,” Denny Hicks said.The bag includes a tourniquet, rags, and other emergency items, Selena Hicks said.The couple blames a steep drop-off and limited shoulder along the roadway for many of the crashes.“The shoulder’s gone over there. There’s not hardly even a white line to hit. If you make a mistake, you’re gone,” Selena Hicks said.Sandra Cundiff said her son crashed in the same area in January after his tires went off the road. She said he tried to correct the vehicle to avoid oncoming traffic, went off the opposite side of the road, and rolled down an embankment. He and his girlfriend survived.Other drivers have shared photos of crashes in the same stretch of road. One woman said she overcorrected after her tires left the pavement and struck a Ford F-150 head-on. Another driver said he narrowly avoided a head-on collision but suffered a broken collarbone and fractured back.Over the weekend, a woman died in a crash in the same area.Bullitt County Sheriff Walt Sholar said the number of crashes highlights the need for change.“Lower the speed limit in that area and build up the shoulder on that road there,” Sholar said.The intersection is also referenced in the Bullitt County Safety Action Plan, which identifies high-risk areas and outlines potential safety improvements.In a statement, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said its thoughts are with the victim’s family. The agency said the Kentucky State Police are leading the crash investigation and that it will review available crash data and assess roadway conditions along KY 44 near Watergate Drive to determine appropriate action.Neighbors say they hope the renewed attention leads to improvements before another life is lost.“It shouldn’t take someone dying in order to get a road fixed,” one resident said.The sheriff is also encouraging residents to contact their state representatives and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to advocate for changes.