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Jessamine County will receive $31,100,000 in funding for road and infrastructure projects.

The announcement came days after lawmakers adjourned a legislative session that resulted in a fiscally responsible state spending plan that makes significant investments upgrading and replacing the state’s outdated infrastructure, including transportation, water and waste water, and broadband.

“The safety of our most traveled roads has been maintained as a concern of mine when considering where this money needs to be spent,” said Representative Matt Lockett (R) of Nicholasville. “Improving the existing infrastructure on our roadways will lead to further growth as a community, and I look forward to seeing these projects come to fruition as a direct result of the hard work performed by myself and my colleagues in the legislature.”

The funding is part of HB 242, which provides more than $2.9 billion for the maintenance and construction of state roads over the next two years. The measure also includes $370 million for the rehabilitation and construction of bridges and sets aside $250 million to match federal dollars for mega projects in Northern, Eastern, and Western Kentucky.

“These projects will undoubtedly go a long way in our efforts to make Jessamine County’s roadways a safer place to travel,” said Representative Kim King (R) of Harrodsburg. “Updating our bridges, asphalt, culverts, and other facets  will serve as a crucial pendant in growing Jessamine County as a community.”

The Jessamine County allocation is earmarked for the following projects:

• $19,610,000 to improve connectivity and mobility east around Nicholasville from south of KY-39 to north of KY-169.

• $5,000,000 to improve roadway geometrics, typical section, and roadway hazards on KY-1980 from US-68 to US-27.

• $2,310,000 for a bridge project on Drake Lane.

• $1,000,000 to address deficiencies of the railroad bridge on KY-169, between Meadowlark Lane and Ilhardt Avenue.

• $2,930,000 to improve KY-169 from north of Clear Creek Rd in Jessamine County to north of KY-1967 in Woodford County.

• $250,000 for a feasibility study to improve the safety and driver exception on US-68 in Mercer and Jessamine counties near the KY River.

“Every dollar spent on updating our roadways is a direct investment into our future as a community,” Representative Daniel Fister (R) of Versailles added, who also represents a portion of Jessamine County. “I am very excited to see these funds come to our district to improve our infrastructure to in turn make Jessamine County even safer.”

In addition to HB 242, lawmakers also crafted a two year budget for Kentucky’s Transportation Cabinet. That bill, HB 241, includes funding for programs like an additional $4 million to increase access to driver’s license and permit testing and $11.4 million to be divided equally among the state’s 54 general aviation airports.

“This road plan and cabinet budget provide a very organized, methodical approach that both meets today’s needs and lays the groundwork for tomorrow. We only have one chance to spend each dollar and we owe it to the taxpayers of Kentucky to get it right,” House Speaker David Osborne (R) of Prospect added. “I commend House Transportation Budget Chair Sal Santoro and Representative’s Lockett, King and Fister for their commitment to prioritizing critical projects and identifying how we can make the most of the resources available to us.”