$116.3 million federal infrastructure grant will expedite completion of expansion’s final section

FRANKFORT, KY - On Oct. 16, 2024, Gov. Andy Beshear announced that Kentucky will speed progress to complete the final section of the Mountain Parkway Expansion project thanks to a $116.3 million federal grant. The project will provide a safer, faster commute and support economic development throughout Eastern Kentucky.

“Kentucky is continuing to move forward with essential projects that will strengthen our commonwealth and drive progress to make life better for Kentuckians,” said Gov. Beshear, who has made the expansion of the Mountain Parkway in Eastern Kentucky a top priority of his administration. “We’re grateful for these federal dollars, which will help move us closer to the finish line on this promising and much-needed project. Thank you to all the local and state leaders who advocated for this funding, and thanks to President Biden and U.S. Transportation Secretary Buttigieg for getting it done.”

The Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant will help to complete the nearly $300 million construction project for the final piece of the parkway, a nearly 13-mile stretch of new construction known as the “Magoffin-Floyd” segment that will extend the parkway from Salyersville in Magoffin County to Prestonsburg in Floyd County. Once complete, the Mountain Parkway Expansion project will have widened 32 miles of the existing parkway to four lanes and extended it by 13 miles.

In May, the Beshear administration submitted the application for funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant (MPDG) program created by the landmark 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The administration previously applied for $216 million in funding through the same program in 2023 but was able to reduce this year’s grant request thanks to a historic $150 million state general fund investment in the project that was approved by the Governor and passed in the last legislative session.

“We’re not just investing in a project; we’re investing in the safety and opportunities for the people of Eastern Kentucky,” said Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Jim Gray. “The reduced federal funding request not only made us more competitive but showed we stand ready to get this project done for Kentuckians.”

The Magoffin-Floyd segment is currently under development while the project team is completing the detailed design and pre-construction requirements necessary to advance the project to construction. This federal funding will help alleviate any delays or barriers to starting construction once development is complete and will allow the project team to develop a more accurate construction timeline and project completion schedule.

The Mountain Parkway Expansion consists of six project segments, all of which are currently completed, under construction or under development. Funding for all other segments has been secured. Once the project is finished, Kentucky will have 400 continuous miles of four-lane, high-speed highway connecting Pikeville to Paducah, creating increased commerce and mobility across the state.

This funding marks the second federal grant for the Mountain Parkway Expansion project secured under the Beshear administration. In 2020, Gov Beshear announced a $55 million INFRA grant from the DOT to fund the expansion through Wolfe County.

A summary and timeline of all project segments includes:
     
- Wolfe County | 11 miles | August 2022 - under construction, anticipated completion 2027
- Morgan County | 8.2 miles | 2017-2021
- Magoffin County West | 4.6 miles | 2019 - under construction, anticipated completion 2024
- Magoffin County Central | 5.7 miles | 2015-2018
- Salyersville Restaurant Row | 2.4 miles | 2016-2019
- Magoffin-Floyd | 13 miles | Under development

For more information about the Mountain Parkway Expansion, visit mtnparkway.com.

Editor’s note: A video from an earlier announcement can be found here.