TURNER SECURES TRANSFORMATIVE 

FUNDING FOR FLOYD COUNTY

FRANKFORT, KY (May 15, 2024)—Floyd County will receive significant support for local projects and road improvements thanks to the advocacy of Sen. Johnnie Turner, R-Harlan. 

First, as a part of the $50 million allocated for career and tech school funding, $600,000 is earmarked in Senate Bill 91 for the Floyd County Area Technology Center for sewer, water, and electricity rehab and overall design for building rehabilitation.

As a result of a Senate-led proposal, House Bill (HB) 1 included $450 million for the state's two-year road plan, HB 266, to boost critical road projects across the state. The biennial road plan for Floyd County includes more than $35.33 million for planning, designing, obtaining rights-of-way, utility work, and construction of various road and bridge projects.

A notable project with positive regional benefit is $13.4 million to extend the four-lane mountain parkway from US Highway 460 at Salyersville East to Prestonsburg. As part of this initiative, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) seeks federal funding through the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant (MPDG) to complete the final 13-mile stretch. KYTC had initiated a design-build contract for this remaining section. Although the project had not yet secured the MPDG grant, significant financial commitments have been made. The total cost of the Mountain Parkway expansion is estimated at $463.44 million, with $329.24 million already appropriated through National Highway Funds, Federal GARVEE Bonds, and potential general fund dollars pending the MPDG grant success. The remaining $134.2 million is contingent upon securing the MPDG grant. More information on the MPDG grant can be found HERE, and details on the Mountain Parkway project can be found at mtnparkway.com/. 

Other road projects supported in Floyd County include:

  • Over $9 million for spot improvements from Branham's Creek to John M. Stumbo School. This project is a direct recipient of general fund dollars prioritized in HB 1.

  • Over $7 million for bridge projects in the County

    • $6.15 million for a project on KY Highway 2 at CSX Railroad and Levisa Fork.

    • Nearly $625,000 for a project at Martha's Vineyard at Bull Creek. 

    • $375,000 to construct a new bridge and approach off Highway 1428 near mile point 14.1 and provide a new access route from Highway 1428 across Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River near Ball Alley Curve in Prestonsburg,

  • $2.9 million to improve safety and access on US Highway 23 between KY Highway 80 and KY Highway 3384,

  • $2.12 million  to address rockfall issues on KY Highway 80 from mile point 8 to mile point 10, 

  • $753,000 will support road safety enhancements by installing guardrails at multiple locations throughout the county.

House Joint Resolution (HJR) 91 includes scheduled projects and anticipated needs for the remaining four years of the six-year highway construction plan. Find HJR 91 HERE. Floyd County-specific projects can be found on pages 72-73 

Additionally, as a provision of HB 6, the biennial state budget, over $13.5 million is approved to support an archery center and marina reconstruction at Jenny Wiley State Park in Prestonsburg. 

The 2024 Legislative Session concluded on Monday, April 15. The 2024 Interim Session will begin in June. 

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Senator Turner, R- Harlan, represents the 29th Senate District, encompassing Bell, Floyd, Harlan, Knott, and Letcher Counties. Senator Turner is a member of the Interim joint committees on Judiciary, Natural Resources and Energy, Transportation, and Banking and Insurance. He also served on the 2023 Multimodal Freight Transportation System Improvement Task Force. 

For a high-resolution .jpeg of Turner, please visit: https://legislature.ky.gov/Legislators/Pages/Legislator-Profile.aspx?DistrictNumber=129

Please visit Legislature.ky.gov for more information on Senate Majority Caucus members and the recently concluded 2024 Legislative Session.

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