Brady PieperThe U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is pushing a key parkway project in Kentucky to the finish line, seeking to bolster economic development and public safety across the Bluegrass state.
The Mountain Parkway Expansion, led by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), is a six-legged project that will widen segments of I-85 and extend the vital passenger and freight connection to four lanes. By its conclusion, the project will complete a safe, resilient and continuous 400-mile highway across the state, linking all communities from Pikeville to Paducah.
KYTC will utilize more than $170 million in federal DOT funding to advance Kentucky’s ambitious Mountain Parkway Expansion project. Building upon a $150 million surge from the Kentucky General Assembly earlier this year, the federal funds will help the project eliminate any delays in construction and allow for a more accurate completion timeline for the remaining portion of the parkway.
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This federal funding, sourced from the DOT’s Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant (MPDG) Program and the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight & Highway Projects (INFRA) program, will assist the parkway project as it enters its final stages. As all other segments of the project have been financed, KYTC can now begin construction on the project’s last aspect, known as the Magoffin-Floyd segment.
The Magoffin-Floyd segment is a proposed 13-mile stretch of parkway from Salyersville in Magoffin County to Prestonsburg in Floyd County. For this aspect of the project, KYTC will widen about 32 miles of the existing parkway to four lanes and extend the roadway by nearly 13 miles.
Other than the Magoffin-Floyd, the project’s remaining unfinished segments include an 11-mile stretch in Wolfe County and a 4.6-mile stretch in Magoffin County. While each leg of the expansion project holds a different timeline, all segments for the 45-mile Mountain Parkway Expansion are expected to be completed by 2027.
Despite some segments having already been finished, the expansion project is expected to have a significant impact on Eastern Kentucky’s economy when it is fully completed. By providing faster and safer access to regional markets, the project is anticipated to increase state commerce, create good-paying jobs and promote the region as a destination for investment.
Supporting more than just economic development and freight operations, the Mountain Parkway Expansion project aligns with the state and feds’ environmental goals. The project is designed to minimize environmental impacts, mitigate future hazards and provide a safer, more sustainable roadway for residents and operators.
When fully completed, the Mountain Parkway Expansion will cover both the widening and expansion of 45 miles of roadway. Concluding construction, the parkway will run from I-64 in the west to US 23 in the east, providing an uninterrupted four-lane highway across the length of Kentucky.
“Kentucky is continuing to move forward with essential projects that will strengthen our commonwealth and drive progress to make life better for Kentuckians,” Governor Andy Beshear said in a press release. “We’re grateful for these federal dollars, which will help move us closer to the finish line on this promising and much-needed project.”
Additional information, resources and updates on the Mountain Parkway Expansion project can be found on the initiative’s dedicated website.
Government Market News has reached out to project officials for more information on contractor availability and updated project deadlines but hasn’t received word yet. This story may be updated as more information is released in regard to the expansion.
Photo courtesy MTNParkway.com/Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
