11/24/02 -"I have lived in Laurel County for 5 years & I still marvel at how empty the roads are. People who drive in Lexington probably think the traffic there is bad. They should try sitting on a California freeway, waiting to inch forward in bumper-to-bumper traffic! I used to live in California, and it took me almost two hours to commute 42 miles to work-40 freeway miles-and Kentucky is spending billions of dollars to shave off a few minutes travel time for tourists driving from Somerset to London?? - Oh please!!! Hwy. 80 is empty, with fast-moving traffic (usually well over the speed limit!). If it was crawling, bumper-to-bumper traffic, then expanding Hwy 80 would make sense (more so than Rt 66). In fact, if they want to be forward-thinking, the planners would wisely have expanding Hwy. 80 on their agenda. People do not travel to this area of Kentucky looking to break the sound barrier on the highway, they are here for the (as yet) unspoiled beauty of the area. However, if they are speed-demons, they will be thrilled at driving on Hwy. 80. They may have to slack off the gas pedal when they reach town. Good. Maybe they will stop, eat, shop, stay overnight. As regards to "economic benefits" of Rt. 66-I am sure many pockets will be filled during the research & construction. However, if, as I understand it, Rt. 66 will by-pass Somerset & London, will the local merchants not lose money? How is the present tourist information center by I-75 & W 80 going to serve all of those tourists anticipated on Rt. 66? I should like to know if any of the people involved in the Rt. 66 brainchild have ever driven from Somerset to London on Hwy. 80. Have they ever driven in any real traffic?? Chances are, most people in Kentucky, and certainly most local people, have no idea how ludicrous this whole proposition is, and what a waste of Kentucky's money. Never mind "Kick 66" I think our boots should be aimed at the greedy powers-that-be behind it!"