Students may have had a bit of a surprise if they were traveling down Highway 68 to get to
campus this semester: the Shell gas station and “Y” intersection that splits off into Highway 68
and Route 29 are currently being torn down and re-imagined in an effort to create a safer
intersection. As construction is underway, students reflect on their experiences with the
intersection and the Shell station’s food market.
“The breakfast biscuits were amazing,” said junior Zac Hamilton. “I grew up here, and every
morning I’d go and get a biscuit for breakfast. Normally I am anti-gas station food in general,
but… the eggs and sausage on them were always cooked perfectly!”
“Their soft-serve ice cream isn’t lactose free, but it slaps!” said junior Annie Pan. “When you see
that gas station, you know you’re almost back home.”
Though the gas station may have been a popular destination for Wilmore residents, according to
an article from WKYT, “The ‘Y’ formation combined with traffic from the gas station and market
is also why the intersection is so dangerous. It’s the reason city officials are changing it.” The
intersection has been the cause of numerous collisions throughout the years, including
an accident early in January and a fatal crash just this past October.
“One time when I was at the intersection I wasn’t paying attention and looked up to see a car
stopped waiting to turn. I was going straight. I braked so hard that I skidded and started to veer
off the road. It was close, but I didn’t hit them. It was scary,” said sophomore Clay Mitchell.
“The logical design would be to make coming out of Wilmore intersecting Harrodsburg Road a
hard-T. Something where you look left, look right, and [there are] very obvious traffic patterns to
do that,” said Director of Public Works and Utilities David Carlstedt in a statement to WKYT.
While the intersection may be undergoing a complete reconstruction, there is good news for
students mourning the loss of a true Wilmore establishment. The corner shop that serves the
breakfast favorites is moving to the Marathon station in town, at the corner of Jessamine Station
Road and Lexington Road — “Clucker’s” to locals.
Graphic by WKYT
