The Buffalo Trace Region will receive a total of $91.1 million in state and federal road projects included in the new two-year state Road Plan approved by state lawmakers on Tuesday (April 15).
The announcement was made in a press release by State Rep. Mike Denham and House Majority Floor Leader Rocky Adkins on Friday (April 18). The legislation has been sent to the governor to be signed into law.
The projects are listed in House Bill 237, which authorizes more than $5 billion in funding for road and bridge projects statewide through 2016. The legislation received final passage in the House by a vote of 71-26.
Funding for the projects is found in the Transportation Cabinet budget bill, H.B. 236, which passed on a final vote of 58-37. HB 236 also includes funding for local transportation needs, including $396.8 million this fiscal year and $390.7 million next fiscal year to help local governments maintain local roads through the county road aid program, rural secondary program and municipal road aid program, said Denham.
Projects for the four “out-years” of the six-year state road plan, fiscal years 2017 through 2020, for the five Buffalo Trace counties of Bracken, Fleming, Lewis, Mason and Robertson are found in House Joint Resolution 62. That legislation received final passage in the House on a 71-25 vote, according to a press release.
“I fought to ensure the vital projects in my district were included in this plan,” said Sen. Stine, who represents Bracken County. She will be leaving the Senate this year.
Projects authorized for funding in the 2014-2016 Road Plan for the local area include:
Bracken County: Operation of the Augusta ferry in FY 2015 and FY 2016; bridge replacement on Long Stretch Road over Turtle Creek, north of Kentucky 8; bridge replacement on Kentucky 8 over Snag Creek, one mile west of the junction with Kentucky 1109; spot improvements on Kentucky 10 from Brooksville south to Powersville; reconstruct Kentucky 1159 from Brooksville to the Kentucky 9.
Fleming County: Replace bridge on Kentucky 32 over Mud Lick Creek west of Craintown Road; replace bridge over Johnson Creek on Kentucky 560, south of the Fleming County and Mason County line; restore Ringo’s Mill Covered Bridge on Kentucky 158 at Rawlings Road; add turn lanes on Ky 32 at Ward Elementary School; improve Kentucky 57 from the Fleming County Courthouse to Sleepy Run Creek; reconstruct Kentucky 32 from the Kentucky 165 intersection at Jabetown to Elizaville; correct deficiencies beginning at Sleepy Run Bridge and extending to 0.5 miles south of the Lewis County Line to improve overall flow.
Lewis County: Design study to determine the sequence of improvements to upgrade Kentucky 59, Kentucky 344, Kentucky 377 connection between Vanceburg and Morehead; reconstruct the intersection of Kentucky 10 and Kentucky 1306; replace bridge on Kentucky 8 over Kinniconnick Creek west of Dudley Avenue; replace bridge on Browns Run Road over Cabin Creek; construct a new bridge crossing the north fork of the Licking River at the Lewis County and Fleming County line on Kentucky 57; construct the Lewis-Greenup Connector Road connecting Kentucky 8 to Kentucky 10 at Scaffold Lick Road; reconstruct Kentucky 57 from Kentucky 9 to the Fleming County and Lewis County line; reconstruct the intersection of Kentucky 9 at Kentucky 2523.
Mason County: Design of a new access route from U.S. 68 near Washington east to Kentucky 11, including a new interchange at Kentucky 11; design of a new access route from Kentucky 11 northeast to Kentucky 9 including a new interchange at Kentucky 9; improve and rebuild Kentucky 1448, Maple Leaf Road, from Kentucky 9 to U.S. 68.
“The state has also recently awarded a $17.9 million project on the AA Highway that will improve the section between Kentucky 435 and U.S. 68,” said Denham. “Funding for that project was authorized in a prior biennium,” he added.
Robertson County: Reconstruct the U.S. 62 and Kentucky 616 intersection at Robertson County School to add turn lanes and improve sight distance; improve curve on Kentucky 616 and improve the roadway from Robertson County School to Mount Olivet; improve safety by reconstructing the curve on Kentucky 165 from mile point 7 to mile point 7.2; improve safety on U.S. 62 starting at Orchard Avenue extending to the intersection at Kentucky 616.
Denham also said the two-year Road Plan includes funding needed to complete the reconstruction of U.S. 68 in Bourbon and Nicholas counties.
The press release also included information on projects for the region that were included in HJR 62, the out-years of the six-year road plan. The projects are not yet funded, only prioritized for completion before the end of fiscal year 2020.
Bracken County: Operation of Augusta ferry for FY 2018, 2019, and 2020; replacement of bridge on Kentucky 8 over Snag Creek one mile west of junction Kentucky 1109.
Fleming County: Replacement of bridge over Allison Creek on Kentucky 111, 1.2 miles north of KY 156; replacement of bridge over Fleming Creek on McIntire Road at the junction with Pike Bluff; restoration of Grange City Covered Bridge on Kentucky 111 between Flemingsburg and Grange City; upgrade, widening, and provision of spot improvements on Kentucky 165 to improve safety from Kentucky 32 to U.S. 68.
Lewis County: Replacement of bridge over Laurel Fork on Kentucky 1068, south of Deep Hole Branch Road; reconstruction of Kentucky 57 from Kentucky 9 to Fleming county and Lewis County line.
Mason County: Addition of interchange on Heather French Henry Southern Loop at U.S. 62; reconstruction of bridges on U.S. 62 between Kentucky 324 and Sardis; construction of a right turn lane into Clarkson Sherman Road to provide safety for motorists traveling along AA Hwy.
Robertson County: Improve the curve on Kentucky 616 and roadway from Robertson County School to Mount Olivet; shoulder improvements along Kentucky 1504.
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