NKyTribune staff
The Bourbon County Fiscal Court, Taylor County Fiscal Court and City of Paducah are the recipients of competitive Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) federal grants totaling $30.4 million.
The allocation will fund projects that improve safety, access and mobility for motorists and freight movement in Kentucky. The grant covers 60 percent of the combined total costs of the three projects.
Thomas
“We’re grateful Kentucky is one of 35 states to have earned this competitive funding to improve rural infrastructure in western and central Kentucky,” said KYTC Secretary Greg Thomas. “KYTC is glad to have played a role in endorsing and providing technical support to the winning applicants to pursue these worthwhile projects that will support the economy and improve the quality of life for Kentuckians.”
The Bourbon County Fiscal Court was awarded $10.2 million for the reconstruction and widening of U.S. 460 from KY 353 (Russell Cave Road) in Centerville to the U.S. 27 Bypass in Paris, KY.
The existing two-lane roadway is a school bus route with 10-foot lanes and almost no shoulders. The funded project will widen the lanes to 12 feet, widen the existing shoulders and improve the sight distance and clear zones between the shoulders and right-of-way.
The completed project will improve safety on the high-crash corridor used by commercial trucks, commuters, farm equipment, horse trailers and school buses. The finished corridor will promote economic development by supporting safer truck traffic. The total project cost is $17.3 million.
The Taylor County Fiscal Court was awarded $9.8 million to reconstruct U.S. 68 from the Campbellsville Bypass in Taylor County north to the Lebanon Bypass in Marion County.
The existing two-lane roadway will be modified into a 2+1 roadway. This type of roadway features a third lane that periodically alternates direction to allow for safe passing. Once complete, the corridor will improve mobility, reduce travel times, and increase safety on this critical north-south route in central Kentucky that has been the site of higher than average crashes. The total project cost is $21.25 million.
The city of Paducah was awarded $10.4 million to address key industry, tourism and community needs that provide safe and efficient links for people and goods to and from the Ohio River.
The funding will finance riverport improvements, including an excursion pier and plaza, a dock for riverboats and improve accessibility. Tourists and residents will benefit from bicycle and pedestrian multi-use paths and wifi access for the Paducah Landing located on the Ohio River.
Sec. Chao
The city will provide a $1.1 million match to fund the $11.5 million project.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced Tuesday that the Trump Administration will invest $900 million in American infrastructure through the BUILD program.
“The Administration is targeting BUILD Transportation grants to repair, rebuild, and revitalize significant infrastructure projects across the country,” said Secretary Chao.
Fiscal Year 2019 BUILD Transportation grants are for investments in surface transportation infrastructure and have been awarded on a competitive basis to projects with a significant impact in their local or regional communities.
BUILD funding supports roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports or intermodal transportation.
The maximum amount of BUILD funding awarded for each project is $25 million, and no more than $90 million of BUILD funding can be awarded to a single state. A full list of all the 2019 grant award winners is available here.
Contact the Northern Kentucky Tribune at news@nkytrib.com
