ERLANGER, KY — Dozens of Erlanger residents gathered Wednesday night for WCPO 9 News's "Let's Talk" event, where one of the most pressing concerns was the condition of Stevenson Road.
Phil Markwell, an Erlanger resident, said the corridor has long been a problem.
"It's one of the worst streets in Erlanger," Markwell said at Wednesday's "Let's Talk" event. "It's potholes everywhere, it's bad."
Neighbors say the deteriorating road is more than an inconvenience — it's a safety issue for pedestrians, including children traveling to a nearby school.
"I don't know how parents even let their kids even ride their bikes or walk to school because one of the schools is in the middle of that road," Erlanger neighbor Dale Hodge said.
Erlanger city leaders say they are aware of the road's condition and have made it a priority. Mayor Jessica Fette said the planned redesign for the road will address multiple long-standing problems.
WATCH: Neighbors and Erlanger city leaders address ongoing conditions on Stevenson Road
"Traffic has increased, storm water issues are terrible and have always been terrible, so we're trying to tackle those two things with the redesign," Mayor Fette told WCPO Tuesday. "Then also making sure that the sidewalks have curbs and they're safe to walk."
The state of Kentucky has allocated over $30 million for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and SD1 to redesign the corridor, with improvements targeting sewer drainage and road conditions. Mayor Fette said the project has been in the works for some time.
"A few years ago we received $32 million for the redesign of Stevenson Road, which is huge and long awaited," the mayor said. "We're still in the design phase ... we want to make sure that we're being as efficient with it as possible."
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet was not available for an interview on Friday regarding the status of the project. The following statement was sent to WCPO 9 News on Tuesday:
"Team Kentucky is committed to maintaining safe, efficient roads so families can get to school, work and wherever else they need to go.
Preliminary design work is underway for a project to improve drainage and sidewalks on Stevenson Road (KY 236) in Erlanger. As design work continues, engineers will further evaluate the roadway and identify additional improvements to better serve motorists and pedestrians.
Construction funding is currently identified for 2030 in the Highway Plan, and the timing could be updated during the development of the next enacted highway plan in 2028."
For some residents, the wait has already gone on too long.
"They've been promising years and years to do this," Markwell said. "They need to get off their behinds and get this done for us."
