Annual 50-Mile Yard Sale on KY 52 enters its third decade

ACKSON, Ky. – Since 2005, bargain hunters from around the region have flocked to Estill, Lee, and Breathitt counties for the annual 50-Mile Yard Sale along KY 52.

Held annually on the weekend closest to the Independence Day holiday, this year's event is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, July 3-4. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet again reminds motorists to use caution during the yard sale, as drivers unfamiliar with the layout of KY 52 are on the road as the event enters its third decade.

Modeled after the World's Longest Yard Sale along US 127, which runs through central Kentucky from Tennessee to Ohio, the KY 52 yard sale stretches from the intersection of KY 52 and KY 30 just outside Jackson, through Beattyville, Ravenna, and Irvine, to the Estill/Madison county line. A number of vendors also set up along the short stretch of KY 30 between Jackson and the KY 52 intersection. 

This year, a bridge construction project is underway on KY 52 in Lee County between St. Helens and Monica near milepoint 20. The road is reduced to one lane, with temporary signals controlling traffic. Drivers should expect delays in this area.

The Transportation Cabinet offers the following tips for those who will be visiting the KY 52 yard sale, as well as for other motorists who will be traveling in the area during the Independence Day holiday weekend:

• Watch for parked cars, slowed or stopped traffic, and vehicles turning into or out of side roads and driveways.
• Park a safe distance from the highway, preferably outside a 30-foot “recovery zone” extending from the white line on the pavement edge. This area gives motorists plenty of room in which to maneuver in case of trouble. Parking on the shoulder of the road is discouraged.
• Keep an eye out for pedestrians crossing the road, and especially for children or pets in the area of yard sales. Personnel may be directing traffic at some of the busier locations, so watch for them and obey their directions.
• Use seat belts, obey posted speed limits and other traffic laws, and do not drink and drive. Law enforcement agencies typically step up traffic enforcement during the Independence Day holiday period.
• Pedestrians should use caution when crossing or walking near the road. Wear bright clothing to increase visibility to drivers, and always look both ways before crossing a road.

State law (KRS 177.106) prohibits encroachments on state right of way without a permit, and this includes roadside sales.

“The statute forbids anything that interferes with ‘the safe, convenient and continuous use’ of the highway, and KYTC considers roadside sales on state right of way to fall under this category,” said Corbett Caudill, chief district engineer for KYTC's Department of Highways District 10, which includes the three counties. “We want to make sure that drivers have the proper amount of sight distance for intersections, driveway entrances, and curves. Vendors who set up their sales on the right of way can cause visibility problems, as can motorists who park along the shoulders of the road. Therefore, in the interests of safety, we ask that no sales take place on the right of way in accordance with state law.”

“Highway safety is a primary focus for us, especially when dealing with events that generate large amounts of traffic on top of it being a holiday weekend. Paying attention to these simple guidelines can help participants avoid serious injuries or even fatalities,” Caudill said. “We want people to come to our area and support the local economy, but we want them to do so safely.”