FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 21, 2023) – Governor Beshear has announced a new round of discretionary road funds, totaling more than $6.1 million, to 42 local governments.
Beshear says he is glad they are able to allocate this funding, especially for communities still recovering from the devastating tornadoes of 2021 and widespread flooding of 2022. Beshear says local streets and roads help connect and define a community, but roadway needs can quickly mount up and overwhelm a local government’s budget.
The City of Buckhorn, in Perry County, having seen some of the worst flooding in Eastern Kentucky, was approved for $69,714 with which to resurface three streets.
The city’s application stated they were in desperate need of this funding. Their streets are long overdue to be resurfaced, however, the city has not had the funds available to do so.
In Western Kentucky, Graves County, which took the brunt of the tornado outbreak of December 2021, was approved for $298,650 toward resurfacing of Meridian Road. Judge-Executive Jesse Perry stated in the county’s application that the issue now is damage due to the high impact of farm equipment, large commercial vehicles and everyday travel.
The governor approved requests from 42 City and County Governments to fund needed repairs to local streets and roads, including the south central Kentucky counties of Adair, Allen, Cumberland, and Hart.
The discretionary funding is administered through the Department of Rural and Municipal Aid at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
