STORM, GENERAL ASSEMBLY SPEARHEAD MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADE WITH BID FOR HAL ROGERS PARKWAY EXPANSION
Matching funds secured in the biennial road plan
FRANKFORT, KY (April 9, 2024)— With the support of Senate Transportation Vice Chair Sen. Brandon Storm, R-London, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) recently applied for a RAISE grant to enhance the connectivity along the Hal Rogers Parkway between London and Hazard. This ambitious initiative, in collaboration with local county governments, seeks to widen a portion of the parkway to four lanes. The RAISE grant application requests $24 million for preliminary engineering and environmental work. The funding strategy includes an additional $6 million match from state road funds, which Storm aided in securing.
Spanning 59.088 miles, the Hal Rogers Parkway connects Hazard to London and Interstate 75. A project by KYTC District 11 is set to enhance the initial 3.877 miles of this route near London, while the Hal Rogers Parkway Improvement project (HRPI) aims to upgrade the subsequent 55.211 miles. Starting at mile point 3.877, HRPI's primary goals include bolstering safety across this critical southeastern Kentucky corridor. If approved, RAISE funding will support the initial design and environmental studies, focusing on the possibility of expanding the road to four lanes and implementing safety measures to decrease the high rate of accidents. Between 2018 and 2023, there were 579 crashes were reported including 10 with fatalities.
The project is vital for enhancing regional links, mainly through areas identified as historically disadvantaged communities (HDC) and areas of persistent poverty (APP), which encompass four opportunity zones. By improving this key passageway, HRPI will significantly benefit Appalachian communities facing economic hardships and enhance access to essential services such as health care, education, and employment opportunities.
The application, submitted in February 2024, is currently under review by the Department of Transportation (DOT). The RAISE grant, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) under the Local and Regional Assistance Program, is designed to support substantial investments in surface transportation infrastructure that promise to significantly impact local or regional levels.
Kentucky's bid for the grant has garnered support from Storm, Senate President Robert Stivers, and others, reflecting collaborative support for the project.
"I hope to see DOT recognize the value in investing in this project and an acknowledgment of the significance it can have here in our region," Storm said. "I have valued the collective support for this among my Senate colleagues. I am grateful President Stivers and Senate leadership have entrusted me with the role of Transportation vice chair. I will continue to advocate for our district and work with state and federal officials to complete the parkway expansion."
The RAISE Discretionary Grant program, managed by the DOT supports various infrastructure projects, including road, rail, transit, and port developments that align with national goals. This initiative, formerly known as the BUILD and TIGER Discretionary Grants, has been allocated nearly $14.3 billion over 15 rounds by Congress. These funds are specifically aimed at financing projects providing substantial local or regional benefits.
Further details about the RAISE grant program can be found on the U.S. Department of Transportation's website.
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Sen. Brandon J. Storm, R-London, represents the 21st Senate District, including Casey, Lincoln, Laurel, and Rockcastle Counties. He recently graduated from the esteemed Henry Toll Fellowship and was the only Kentuckian to participate in the 2023 program. Sen. Storm serves as a Senate member of the Interim Joint Committees of Banking and Insurance; Economic Development and Workforce Investment; Judiciary; Local Government; State Government; Transportation; and Tourism, Small Business and Information Technology. He also serves as the co-chair of the Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee; a member of the Jail and Corrections Reform Task Force; and a member of the Multimodal Freight Transportation System Improvement Task Force.