Adam RollinsThis story was originally published in the Government Contracting Pipeline newsletter from Strategic Partnerships, Inc. To have the latest government contracting news stories from across the country delivered straight to your inbox, click here to subscribe.
Kentucky will receive $26.7 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to improve road conditions and install safety features along some of the state’s most dangerous streets. The state will use the funds to build roundabouts, pedestrian facilities and implement safety measures in high-traffic areas.
The city of Danville will spend $12.2 million to resolve safety concerns along a 2-mile stretch of highway along the South Danville Bypass. The funds will go toward the project’s total $15.3 million cost. The bypass is the city’s most dangerous corridor for both pedestrians and vehicles due to high speeds and unprotected crossings.
The city will convert select unsafe signalized intersections into roundabouts. The project will also restrict crossing U-turn intersections, enhance pedestrian crossings and install pedestrian facilities to better protect non-motorized travelers. The completed project will ensure the local underserved community can safely reach critical city amenities.
Elizabethtown will receive $11.1 million to enhance safety along three key roads that serve as important connectors and gateways into and throughout the city. The award will support the project’s total $13.9 million cost.
Currently, the chosen streets have oversized access points, high traffic volumes, insufficiently connected sidewalks and unprotected shoulders that increase the likelihood of severe angle crashes and accidents. Plans include implementing road diets, roundabouts, walkways and improved lighting to reduce the risk of accidents at the most hazardous locations.
The Henderson County Fiscal Court will use $3.3 million to install safety measures along the Ohio River Bridges that connect Kentucky to Indiana. The total project cost is $4.1 million. The bridges have the highest amounts of traffic in the region, resulting in frequent collisions that disrupt and redirect traffic to alternate routes not designed to handle high vehicle volumes. To mitigate collision risks, the court will install signs, add striping, build shoulders and open the clear zone.
USDOT allocated the funds through the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant program. The SS4A program is a 5-year, $5 billion initiative that helps local, rural and tribal communities remediate some of the most dangerous roads in the country to prevent deaths and serious injuries.
The projects are a few of the 453 projects that will receive a share of the recently announced $1.1 billion. This is the second round of SS4A funding for Fiscal Year 2024, with the first round releasing $63 million in May. Since 2023, the program has allocated $2.7 billion from the available $5 billion. USDOT expects to open the third and final round of Fiscal Year 2024 awards in November.
Photo courtesy Brian Stansberry
