AASHTO Journal - Kentucky Unveils Six-Year $9.5B Highway Plan

Governor Andy Beshear (D) (above) and state transportation officials recently released a six-year highway plan for Kentucky; a plan featuring more than 1,350 projects to build out and maintain the state’s network of roads and bridges.

[Above photo via the Kentucky Governor’s Office]

The nearly $9.5 billion highway plan is based on anticipated revenues through 2032. It contains $6.4 billion in federal funds, $1.4 billion in required state matching funds, $114 million in local matching funds, $625 million in state construction funding for state priority projects or SPPs, and $40 million of state road funds for the Local Road Assistance Program.

The plan includes almost $600 million yearly in state and federal funding to address pavement and bridge repairs; proposes $10 million per year to repair rest areas; and includes $5 million per year to expand truck parking at interstate rest areas to offer drivers a safe place off the highway to recharge.

[Editor’s note: In an effort to recruit Kentucky university and college students looking to build such infrastructure, the state sponsors three different engineering and construction management scholarships, with an application deadline of February 1.]

Increased state match grant requirements plus inflationary pressures across the construction industry have increased costs, further stretching available dollars, the governor noted – with funding for the first two years of the six-year plan expected to be allocated during the 2026 session of the General Assembly on or before April 15.

“Good roads and bridges pave the path to a brighter future for the millions of Kentuckians and businesses who rely on safe, efficient travel to get to work, school, doctor’s appointments and more,” said Gov. Beshear in a statement. “This plan blends maintenance, improvements and infrastructure across the commonwealth with smart investments that advance projects to support and attract business.”

[Editor’s note: The Maryland Department of Transportation recently unveiled its finalized $22.1 billion Consolidated Transportation Program or CTP for fiscal years 2026 to 2031 that includes $400 million in additional transportation revenues approved by the state’s General Assembly during its last legislative session.]

While the plan contains more projects than anticipated available funding can cover, it’s a necessary starting point for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to move forward as many projects as possible as quickly as possible, noted Jim Gray, KYTC’s secretary.

“For five consecutive years, we have awarded more than $1 billion each year in construction contracts to maintain and expand our transportation network – strengthening safety today and supporting growth for the future,” he said. “While we continue to fight for every available federal dollar, General Fund contributions for highway projects have been part of a winning strategy to secure competitive grants and deliver transformative projects for Kentuckians.”

Other governors also recently outlined similar highway investment plans.

For example, in Arizona, the Executive Budget proposal issued by Governor Katie Hobbs (D) contains strategic transportation investments that includes an ongoing investment of $5.2 million from the State Highway Fund to address increased construction materials prices and extend the life of highway infrastructure to prevent more costly repairs in the future.

It also includes $11.4 million from the State Highway Fund to meet baseline needs for more than 487 new lane miles statewide, many of them added by the I-10 Broadway Curve project, as well as the new I-17 flex lanes and the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway.

That budget proposal also includes a one-time deposit of $10 million from the General Fund to the State Match Advantage for Rural Transportation or SMART Fund administered by the Arizona Department of Transportation; a program that helps ensure municipalities and counties in Greater Arizona are competitive when seeking federal transportation grants.

“This reasonable and responsible budget proposal benefits Arizona families by helping us maintain a transportation system that safely connects people and empowers the economy,” said Jennifer Toth, Arizona DOT’s director, in a statement.