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Gov. Andy Beshear announced on Wednesday that Kentucky will be able to speed up completing the final section of the Mountain Parkway Expansion project, thanks to a $116.3 million federal grant.

The project is designed to 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 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 Discretionary Grant 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 Mountain Parkway Expansion consists of six project segments, all of which are currently completed, under construction or under development. 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.