Zaxby’s isn’t taking any chances

Until restaurant finds out about permanent signal, it’ll keep deputies

By Kayleigh Zyskowski Published:

Off-duty Franklin County sheriff’s deputies have been controlling traffic in front of Zaxby’s on Versailles Road since its opening June 4, and the restaurant’s owners – not the county – are paying for it.

“Every minute they’ve been out there it’s been Zaxby’s money paying for it,” co-owner Sandra Adams said during a phone interview Thursday.

“We hired them on as a courtesy to our guests – we are doing everything in our power to get people in as quickly as possible at lunch and dinner times and back on the road to where they need to be in the safest way possible.”

Adams said she and her business partner, Brad Kelly, told Sheriff Pat Melton about their safety concerns before opening on Versailles Road and asked if he had deputies who could help.

“We were asked by them,” Melton said. “After the accident in front of KFC they didn’t want to take any chances.”

An 84-year-old woman died in June 2011 after she attempted to make a left turn on Versailles Road from the KFC drive, The State Journal reported at the time. A second driver traveling east on U.S. 60 struck her vehicle on the driver’s side.

“It’s strictly a safety issue,” Melton said. “We’ve wanted to let everyone know there is a new entrance there and people need to be aware.”

The sheriff’s office has responded to three wrecks near Zaxby’s since it opened, Melton said Wednesday morning.

Adams says the deputies will be on hand as long as the new chicken joint is busy, but the owners are focused on finding a permanent solution in a traffic signal.

However, installation of a signal requires several steps including a traffic survey, said Chuck Wolfe, of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

The survey would count vehicles and note how they move through the area, which would indicate if a signal is needed, Wolfe said. The study deals with the way a light and traffic affects the entire corridor, he said.

“It’s a heavily traveled road out there, and traffic signals have an effect on traffic far removed from just that signal location,” Wolfe said.

The restaurant’s location near the Parkside shopping center and Interstate 64 would show if the entrance warranted a light, Wolfe said.

“We simply want to make sure it’s safe for everyone,” Adams said.

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  • We ate there Saturday night around 6:00ish. We didn't see a single officer in sight.

  • I won't be eating at Zaxby's. Try Two Sister's restaurant in Jettown instead.

  • Sounds like Zaxby’s owners are playing the marketing game. They are paying for the extra traffic control by the Sheriff's office to bring attention to the new restaurant and create a perception of high volume traffic coming in and out of the restaurant. From what I saw, there was never a time they were so busy to warrant traffic control. But, I have not passed by during peak traffic times. Whatever the reason, I wish the restaurant success and the patrons and local traffic safe travels.

  • Foresight in frankfort?! Haha there's no such thing and as far as our tax dollars being spent...rest assured they are being well spent on things that are VERY important, **** they have to spend all the money from the trash cans we were forced to pay for somehow. Lol. I'm sure as everyone knows it will calm down in a few months frankfort gets a new resturant and people go hog crazy.

  • If they are off duty then why are they wearing the uniforms that we bought and driving the vehicles that are taxpayer owned as well. The one guy with the "adolph" mustache is killin me.

  • The deputies are for Zaxby's?? I was there last week and got the impression they were for an office park(?) across the street. Another light there is ridiculous. Just turn right and go down and turn around, if need be.

  • The traffic issue isn't just Zaxby's. There's an office park across the road that is affected by the heavy traffic of those commuters coming in/out of town, also. I've gone to Capital Center for a few meetings, and it is VERY difficult to make a left turn onto Versailles Road, especially after 4:00. Someone told me they've been petitioning for a light there for a while. Hopefully, the influence of the folks at Zaxby's will help with that effort.

  • I commend Zaxby's for being concerned about the safety issue. I think a traffic light would not be amiss.

  • I absolutly hate driving on Versailles road! Yes another Traffic Light would be yet another stop on a very congested road. It needs an access road but I do not ever see one being put in that location & if a light will save a life, then I will just have to sit at another light. No big deal if !

  • why in the world wasn't a traffic light figured into the equation BEFORE Zaxby's located there...foresight anyone?

  • A traffic light for a Zaxbys? Absurd. However, I do think the speed limit on that stretch of Versailles Rd should be lowered from 50, especially with all of the new development.

  • Interesting.