More than 70 people crowded Meeting Room A of the Carl D. Perkins Center in Morehead Wednesday evening to hear about progress on the 377/Cranston road project. Representative Richard White and Senator Steve West convened the town hall after local officials raised concerns that construction funding for the work was pulled from the 2024 state budget.
Representative Ken Upchurch is Chair of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation. At the meeting, he explained that construction funding for the project was in the transportation budget for fiscal year 2027. Governor Beshear moved $5 million forward into 2026, but legislators put it back where it was.
“If we had left it there, then that money would have been tied up but not used. It would have been appropriated there when we’ve got projects all across the state that might need that five million that are ready to be let. So, that’s the reasoning behind not accepting the governor’s proposal for five million,” said Upchurch.
Officials explained that right-of-way and utility work will be done over the next two years, by which time the next budget session will be taking place. Legislators at the meeting said they guarantee full construction funding will be appropriated at that time. House Majority Whip Jason Nemes was at the meeting and pledged support in the House. Senator West said he’s working to do the same in the Senate.
“I will advocate as heavily as possible for this project. I would suspect that there will be similar thoughts in the Senate on it when it moves over from the House. I can never guarantee anything but all I can say is I will advocate as hard as I possibly can to get this project done,” said West.
Officials said construction of the road could begin in July of 2026.
Many people at the meeting shared their frustrations about right-of-way purchases and how those transactions were carried out, citing short notices, low purchase prices, and overgrown abandoned properties. Officials conceded that imminent domain acquisition is a broken system that needs reform. In the meantime, Representative White shared assurances that mowing and demolition would be happening soon at properties along the route.
Another source of frustration for some attendees came from the perceived delay of the project. Many said they were told during right-of-way negotiations that construction was set to commence this August, but officials said that was never the case.
The project will improve the first eight miles of 377, from KY Route 32 to Big Perry, but the road extends another seven miles to the Lewis County line. Attendees who live at the 11- and 14-mile mark were at the meeting and said the whole road is dangerous. Representative White reported that shoulder work is planned for the rest of 377, but is not included in the main project.