Somerset — A Kentucky Department of Highways worker took a harrowing fall Friday afternoon while working on the new partial cloverleaf interchange in Burnside.
Bobby Tarter, part of the traffic and signal crew at the site, is listed in serious condition at the University of Kentucky Medical Center.
Tarter was working on the overpass going over U.S. 27 at the intersection with Ky. 1247 and Ky. 90 when the accident occurred at around 2 p.m. Friday. Keith Price of the Parkers Mill Fire Department, which responded to the scene along with the Burnside Fire Department, Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department, and Somerset Emergency personnel, said that Tarter likely took a step backward and lost his footing, falling about 15 feet down in the vicinity of the nearby railroad tracks.
The Department of Highways could not confirm yet what happened to cause the accident because an investigation was still underway as of presstime. Stephanie Daffron, information officer for the District 8 Kentucky Department of Highways, said Tarter was possibly in the process of putting up signposts when the incident took place.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with (Tarter’s) family, and we hope to see him back at work soon,” said Daffron. “He is a wonderful employee.”
Price said that Tarter suffered head trauma and possibly a skull fracture. He was treated by EMS workers at the scene before being flown out by Air Method, formerly Life-Net, to the UK hospital.
Kentucky Department of Highways Engineers had announced earlier this week that the new interchange was set to open on Thursday, February 12, if weather permits. The $25.4 million project is designed to eliminate traffic congestion at the junction of four-lane U.S. 27, Ky. 90 and Ky. 1247.
Mark Foster, project engineer, said existing traffic signals at the intersection will be removed and no lighted signals are planned at the interchange. Signs will be installed at appropriate points at the interchange and Highway Department engineers advised the traveling public to “pay very close attention” to the signs until motorists familiarize themselves with the ramps.
“(Tarter) was doing something to make (the interchange) safe for everyone else,” said Daffron. “It’s tragic.”
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Big Bang Theory
Pulaski County is not at war. The booming you may hear at dusk is mock cannon fire to scare away birds.
Stuart Spillman, environmental director for the Lake Cumberland Health Department, said at least three cannons are on loan from the department to residents who want to scare away swarms of starlings and blackbirds settling in to roost.
He said a cannon is being used by a resident on Laura Lane off Ky. 39; another is in the Oak Hill Road area and a third is on Ashurst Street in the eastern part of Somerset.
Spillman said a timer on each cannon allows it to “fire” at whatever frequency is desired. The cannons must be used as the birds circle before going to roost. “After they settle in, nothing will chase them out,” Spillman said.
The Health Department doesn’t operate the cannons unless there is a specific complaint in an area where there are lots of birds, Spillman noted. He said so far this year the birds are not as bad as in the past. -
Boil water advisory is lifted countywide
The water controversy that Pulaski County has been boiling over — so to speak — for the last week is finally over.
At 10 minutes after noon Wednesday, the “boil water” advisory for the Western Pulaski Water District was lifted — almost a full week after the problems began around 1 p.m. last Thursday.
Prior to that, the Somerset Water Service — along with the other water providers in its system, including Science Hill Water, Southeastern Water, and Eubank Water — lifted their advisories, with Somerset on Saturday afternoon and the last, Southeastern, by Monday morning. Western Pulaski was the last in the system to complete sample testing for potential contaminants, due to not being able to access its Pikeville-based testing lab until Monday.
Somerset Mayor Eddie Girdler thanked the public for its patience and understanding during the duration of the boil water advisory — put in place to keep citizens from drinking water that could have been contaminated after an accident last Thursday at the water plant site — and also thanked all the city employees for their hard work during this time.
“The boil water advisory went about as well as would be expected,” said Girdler.
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