ANNOUNCEMENT LAST CAME AS PART OF FUNDING FOR OVER $3.4 MILLION FOR TWO DOZEN SMALL CITIES AND COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE VIA KY. TRANSPORTATION CABINET DISCRETIONARY FUNDING .
AUGUST 31, 2023 – written by WADE QUEEN
KENTUCKY GOVERNOR ANDY BESHEAR ANNOUNCED ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, THAT LAWRENCE COUNTY WOULD RECEIVE A SMALL SIX-DIGIT PORTION OF ALMOST $3.5 MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE KENTUCKY TRANSPORTATION DISCRETIONARY FUNDING TO BE AWARDED TO TWO DOZEN SMALL CITIES & COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE, WITH LAWRENCE COUNTY IS TO USE FOR TWO COUNTY ROAD RESURFACING PROJECTS.
On Thursday, August 24, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced at a press conference in Frankfort nearly $3.5 million in funding for road projects in 24 cities and counties across the state, including money to improve and repair local roads in Eastern Kentucky.
Governor Beshear said the funding isn’t geared toward major roadways and will have a local impact.
“These are local roadways,” Beshear said. “They’re where our families are driving to get their kids to school, to church, to get to work. The most precious cargo we’ll ever transport in this state are our families, loved ones, our kids, our neighbors.”
“I’m glad we are able to offer this funding, because local roadways help define a community,” Governor Beshear said onwards. “These are streets and roads that lead to homes and schools, to shops and stores and industrial sites that employ hardworking Kentucky men and women. Keeping them maintained is how we keep a community thriving.”In Eastern Kentucky, 12 projects were approved in nine counties. In our local region, Elliott, Floyd and Lawrence counties all will receive funding.
In Wayne County, KY., the city of Monticello will receive $9,275 for a resurfacing project on Victory Drive.Elliott County is set to receive $400,000 to repair a 1.25-mile stretch of Johnson Creek Road.
“We desperately need steel drilled in the worst areas and bituminous topping replaced,” Elliott County Judge-Executive Myron Lewis said in his application. “The cost of drilling steel, cribbing and repaving would most certainly be above our county’s road fund capability in one year.
”Judge Lewis added there are 15 homes located in the project area.“These are hardworking families who rely on the county to keep their road in safe condition,” Judge Lewis said.
In Menifee County, officials will get more than $134,000 for a project on Whites Branch.Perry County is set to receive more than $15,000 to resurface Moore Street in Hazard and Laurel Point Lane in Buckhorn.
The city of Manchester will get more than $71,000 for a resurfacing project on Millpond Drive.In Knox County, leaders will receive more than $115,000 to resurface E. Fortney Branch Road.
$108,000 will go to Floyd County. Officials plan to resurface Martin Branch and Stumbo Hollow.
“The flooding that we had last year really put a strain on our budgets to ensure that we get these road repairs done in a timely manner,” Floyd County Judge Executive Robbie Williams said in an interview with TV news station WSAZ.” We don’t want to tell the folks, ‘hey, we can’t get those roads repaired until our money comes in from FEMA,’ knowing that our children are traveling these roads on school buses daily. So, this gives us an opportunity to ensure that we’re getting these needed repairs taken care of and ensuring that our children’s safety is priority one for us.” Judge Williams stated.More than $30,000 was awarded to Knott County. The money will be used for a drainage project on Nickles Lane.
Lawrence County will get nearly $141,000 for two resurfacing projects. One project is located on Glenwood Branch Road, while the other is located on Left Fork Morgans Creek Road.Lawrence County (Kentucky) Deputy Judge Executive Vince Doty provided an official statement to WSAZ as the following:“Lawrence County Judge Executive Phillip Carter and the fiscal court would like to thank Governor Andy Beshear, Rocky Adkins, Bobbi Jo Lewis and Barry Davis for the discretionary funds Lawrence County received in order to help repair two roads. Left Fork of Morgans Creek and Glenwood Road. Our citizens that travel these roads will be pleased to see these needed repairs. As always Lawrence County appreciates any funding it receives from the Governor’s Office.”
Counties received the funding after asking the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) for it.After the Thursday, August 24 announcement, all 120 counties in Kentucky will have benefited from KYTC discretionary funding.Anyone can find more information about all of the approved projects across the state by clicking onto HERE.
