STATEMENT RELEASE: SMITH ISSUES STATEMENT FOLLOWING $116 MILLION FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT AWARD EXPEDITING MOUNTAIN PARKWAY EXPANSION

STATEMENT RELEASE:

SMITH ISSUES STATEMENT FOLLOWING $116 MILLION FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT AWARD EXPEDITING MOUNTAIN PARKWAY EXPANSION

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 17, 2024)—Sen. Brandon Smith, R-Hazard, member of the Senate Transportation Committee, released the following statement yesterday regarding the $116.3 million federal infrastructure grant secured to expedite the final segment of the Mountain Parkway expansion. The $150 million general fund allocation, championed by the Kentucky General Assembly, made this federal funding possible by providing the executive branch with the necessary resources to move forward in the grant application process.

"As a member of the Senate Transportation Committee and the senator with the largest share of this much-needed project in my district, I was thrilled to hear this game-changing funding was awarded. I have pushed for its completion, which has been a long time coming. I can attest that many hours of effort have made today possible.

“I’m eager to see the completion of the ongoing work on the 4.6 miles in west Magoffin County. Lawmakers received an update from Transportation Cabinet officials today stating that this portion will be completed by year’s end. This will allow us to finalize the last 13-mile segment in Magoffin and Floyd Counties with these federal funds.

“I want to thank everyone involved in making this possible, and I remain grateful to my constituents for allowing me to be a part of this important process in the legislature and Frankfort on their behalf.”

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Sen. Brandon Smith, R-Hazard, represents the 30th Senate District, including Bell, Breathitt, Johnson, Leslie, Magoffin, and Perry Counties. He serves as co-chair of the Interim Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Energy. Smith is a member of the Interim Joint Committees on Banking and Insurance; Transportation; and Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection; as well as a liaison member of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Protection. He also serves as a member of the newly established Artificial Intelligence Task Force. 

For a high-resolution .jpeg of Smith, please visit: https://legislature.ky.gov/Legislators%20Full%20Res%20Images/senate130.jpg.

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