Federal grant funding has been awarded to replace eight state-owned bridges along nine miles of U.S. Highway 60 in eastern Bath County.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet received $13.6 million in funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Competitive Highway Bridge Program.
The grant supports states seeking to bundle multiple bridge projects into a single project to enhance efficiency, saving construction time and money.
This approach is estimated to save approximately $26 million and 14 years of construction time compared with replacing one bridge at a time through a traditional approach.
The grant will fund pre-construction and construction activities for the estimated $30.88 million project to replace the 1930s-era bridges.
The project will also ensure travelers have a safe and reliable parallel detour should a major disruption occur on Interstate Highway 64. Guardrail and shoulder enhancements are also expected as part of the project.
“Kentuckians deserve safe roads and bridges to get to and from work, school, church and more, and I am glad we were able to secure this funding to deliver that for this Eastern Kentucky region,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “This funding will help make these eight bridges safer for our people while also opening up this region for further growth through modern infrastructure that will last for generations to come.”
The remaining funding will come from a mix of other traditional transportation federal funding and state dollars.
“We’re thankful for this funding to preserve long-term connectivity in the region and key links to places like Morehead State University and Cave Run Lake,” said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. “Some of these bridges are approaching the end of their service life, and addressing all of them in one project can avoid the rest from slipping into poor condition and minimize future maintenance work.”
The project received strong support from federal, state and local officials, as well as emergency responders, economic development authorities, and Morehead State University.
