The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has proposed budgeting $1 billion dollars in bridge and roadway repairs in their 2018 Recommended Highway Plan.
The money is from revenue projections of $6.6 billion in traditional state and federal highway dollars--including road fund and motor fuels tax revenue--during the next six-year cycle.
The plan would boost the annual funding to repair bridges from $122 million dollars to $179 million dollars--a record increase. Annual funding to repair pavement would also increase from $175 million dollars to $324 million dollars.
KYTC said more than 1,000 bridges need to be replaced or repaired within six years. More than one-third of those bridges would be addressed in the plan in the 2018 to 2020 fiscal years. Spokesperson NaitoreDjigbenou said the plan will improve infrastructure.
“That will help address barriers that some communities are facing regarding school bus routes or transportation of freight or having the most direct routes for them to travel,” Djignebou said.
The plan recently presented to the General Assembly Thursday would allocate funding to projects including the I-69 Ohio River Crossing connection Henderson, Kentucky, and Evansville, Indiana. A bill has been filed in the House and will continue through the legislative process.
For the complete list of projects covered in the plan,click here.
