U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao visited Northern Kentucky Friday. She was joined by regional officials, to tout the proposed 67.5 million dollar Infrastructure for Rebuilding America or INFRA grant .
The federal grant is one of only twenty large INFRA grants in the U.S. and the only one in Kentucky .The funding will allow the Kentucky Transportation cabinet to invest in three major infrastructure projects along Interstate 71-75 in Boone County and reduce traffic and congestion. Chao says this vital corridor is expected to see double digit growth in daily truck traffic.
“So this major investment of 67 million dollars is going to reduce the peak travel time, enchance safety, help attract even more intermodal logistical investments , and continue to grow this local economy and create jobs, which is what the president always talks about."
She adds,this investment in the 71- 75 corridor incorporates key administration objectives which were very essential to it winning this grant.
“Number one, it maximizes a non federal funding, two, it incorporates private sector financing and three ,it plans for life cycle costs,the maintenamce which is just as important."
Boone County Judge Executive Gary Moore says the funding being used for the three major projects is transformational for the region.
"This is so badly needed to continue to create jobs, to open up land for development but mostly to improve safety and reduce congestion that we have here today."
The federal grant was announced in June to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. McConnell is married to Chao.
Chao announced an additional grant of 7.1 million dollars to help improve and modernize Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport.
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