Thursday, September 26, 2013

The E2RC In Kentucky: Connecting Two Cities For Better Economic Growth And Safety

The E2RC. Photo from www.qk4.com. Used with permission. 
While many are aware that completion of E2RC (Elizabethtown to Radcliff Connector) will not be until sometime next year, the residents of Radcliff, Elizabethtown, and Hardin County cannot wait for the changes in terms of safety, ease of traffic, and a more comfortable drive.

The E2RC project started in late 2004 with just proposals and talks. Eventually, this project came to life in 2008 and is scheduled to be complete in July 2014. The construction process may have seen many delays due to the weather and the relocation of some parts, but all the sacrifice will be seen once the road connector is done.

For those who are not fully aware of the E2RC, this is the Elizabethtown Radcliff road connector that's broken down into three sections. The first section runs from 31W Bypass to Ceciliana Dr., the second section runs from Ceciliana Drive to KY 220, and the last section runs from KY 220 to KY 313. This road connector will ease up a lot of traffic, especially along those areas affected. While this is undergoing construction there have already been several businesses affected from the construction, such as True Value along N. Dixie Blvd.

The targeted total cost for E2RC is at $58.6 million and while there has been some setbacks, it is all systems go and soon all the residents around the Fort Knox area will be happily using this road connector.

One of the biggest problems along the road between Elizabethtown and Radcliff is the major congestions and traffic accidents from the daily hustle and bustle. There have also been instances where people would be advised to take alternate routes because of a major road accident. Once the E2RC is finished a lot of the traffic congestion will ease up and there should be smooth driving throughout the roads.

In terms of commercial possibilities, It is likely to happen once everything has settled down. There is a lot of potential areas within the E2RC that should welcome investors and business owners to set up shop. The land being utilized for the E2RC is mostly residential and has no major slopes. Let us cross our fingers that once this road connector has reached completion, there will be people interested in investing and keep the economy of both Radcliff and Elizabethtown flourishing. Small business owners who would like to expand or start business should also look forward to the finishing of this connector.

A police officer from the Radcliff Police Department cannot wait [for the E2RC to finish] because he would like to see less accidents along the road especially during the cold winter months.

Aside from the commercial point of view for the E2RC, there are also plans to develop some areas into new residential communities and this is great news, no matter where you choose to live (radcliff or Elizabethtown) you will still be close to both communities.

The E2RC, has already been given a new name with the blessing of  the Public Works Committee under the Hardin Fiscal Court. Elizabethtown has already accepted the new name as Patriot Parkway. Meetings will still be held in Radcliff to see if this name should stay or not. The bulk of the road connector will just run through small areas in Elizabethtown and Radcliff but business will be affected and everyone is hoping for a favorable outcome once this reaches its completion.

While this E2RC is a limited highway, there have already been talks whether they should include more lanes and more turns to further enhance the traffic system that will be in place between Radcliff and Elizabethtown.

Mr. Randy Acton of Semonin Commercial Properties and also a resident of Hardin County says that: “Well, for sure the traffic flow will be better especially the traffic along the Dixie Highway.”
There are still months before this is all done but remember, Rome wasn't built in a day so let’s all hope for the best once the E2RC is completely finished.




Tuesday, September 24, 2013

The Importance Of Home Inspections

Nightmare in outlet plugs....
(Picture grabbed from StarTribune.com.) 
Every home buyer or seller in Fort Knox, KY knows that a house inspection is crucial to getting a house sold or bought. But, have you ever wondered how important this step of the home buying process is? Getting the house inspected before you buy it is vital. Maintaining a house is expensive and the earlier repairs and replacements are made, the more affordable they are. Always hire the services of a professional home inspector around Fort Knox, KY so that you will be able to get an unbiased opinion.

Disclosures From The Seller 
A lot of states require sellers to be upfront with the physical condition of their house and relay this information to the buyer. In fact, some states even require sellers to include information such as the type of paint used and other hazardous chemicals that may be around the house. If you are planning to sell your house, make sure to get some issues cleared before offering it up for sale. Now, if there are some painting repairs that need attention, check out InsideOut Painting that services around the Fort Knox, KY and beyond. On the other hand, as a buyer, you must take extra precautions as to building materials used and if the basement floods during the rain season.

What Goes On During An Inspection 
Once you hire a professional or a couple of professionals to do a thorough inspection of the house, they will scrutinize every little detail of the property. Electricity and gas appliances will be thoroughly inspected and made sure all are up to date and no fixtures will become a danger to you. If there are some electrical repairs that need to be done, you may check out the services of Matt Williams Electric here. Some inspectors even ask for the floor plan and carefully pore over the details such as the foundation of the structure and the angles of some beams.

The list of things you must disclose may be a long one but do not despair as there are some items you do not have to list at all such as pests, rodents and termites around the house. You can always hire a professional exterminator around Fort Knox, KY to have that taken care of.

Hiring a professional inspector may already be a hard task but you can make this easier on yourself by making sure that the company you hire is affiliated with either the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) or the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI). By doing this, you know that the business will adhere to industry standards and practices.

Special Inspections According To Where Your House Is Located 
Aside from furnishing this inspections report to the buyer or seller regarding the house for sale, there are some special inspections you may also have furnished. These inspections are whether the land or lot where the house is located is flood-free or flood-prone; away from danger areas and industrial farms; even reports on whether the house stands on an earthquake target zone. Having all these inspections done can become costly so choose which ones you really must get done. There are a lot of reliable and affordable housing inspectors around Fort Knox, KY. As a buyer, it is always a good idea to really investigate the house you will be buying because, you've probably heard this time and time again…

The purchase of a house is among the BIGGEST purchase you will ever make in your entire life. 

After The Reports Are Done, What To Do Next? 
Once all reports have come in and they are all under good reviews, then you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that you will be safe from any dangers when buying the house. Of course, there are still acts of God that might happen that you don't have control over, but that's another story.

Buying or selling a house does not have to become such a tedious process as long as you partner with a really competent Realtor or real estate company in the area. These professionals will be with you throughout every step of the house buying or selling process. These are the people you can always lean on and ask for help in case you get stuck during this process.