Gov. Andy Beshear Announces Next Step Toward Completing Mountain Parkway Expansion
Gov. Andy Beshear, who has made the expansion of the Mountain Parkway in Eastern Kentucky a top priority of his administration, today announced another foundational step necessary to complete the project – federal approval of the Supplemental Environmental Assessment for public review. Signed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), this identifies the recommended alignment of the last segment of the Mountain Parkway Expansion.
“The approval of this document moves us one step closer to completing this much-anticipated highway,” Gov. Beshear said. “Now, every section of the Mountain Parkway Expansion is completed, under construction or under contract. We are delivering a promise to the people of Eastern Kentucky to create a new connection that sets the region up for economic growth and success for generations.”
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has been working in partnership with the FHWA to complete the Supplemental Environmental Assessment, which included field surveys, archaeological and historical studies and biological research on the recommended cross-country alignment. These assessments are required to evaluate the environmental impacts of all federally funded projects and are essential steps to advancing projects toward construction.
“Team Kentucky is fulfilling a promise not just to the people of Eastern Kentucky but to the entire commonwealth,” KYTC Secretary Jim Gray said. “Our team has worked tirelessly to complete this environmental document so that we can continue to move the project forward toward construction and then completion.”
In September 2022, Gov. Beshear announced that the preferred alignment for the final segment, known as Magoffin-Floyd, would be a cross-country route instead of expanding the current Kentucky Highway 114 corridor. This option would cause fewer disruptions and property impacts to homes and businesses. A map of the final section can be found here.
The immediate next step is to solicit public comment on the Supplemental Environmental Assessment. KYTC is accepting public comments on the document through Monday, Feb. 26. The public may submit comments via mail at the address below, via email at info@mtnparkway.com, or by phone at (606) 666-8841.
KYTC District 10
Attn: Aric Skaggs, P.E.
P.O. Box 621
Jackson, KY 41339
After the public comment period has expired, KYTC and FHWA will work to develop a final environmental document to identify the selected alternative. Gov. Beshear’s administration is seeking federal grant money to complement a $97.4 million proposal in the 2024 Governor’s Recommended Highway Plan to help fund the construction of this final segment of the project. To further demonstrate the state’s commitment to the Mountain Parkway’s Magoffin-Floyd segment, Gov. Beshear’s budget proposal included $300 million in general funds toward this project and the I-69 Ohio River Crossing project at Henderson in Western Kentucky.
About the Mountain Parkway Expansion
The Mountain Parkway Expansion is a 45-mile transportation improvement project that will create a wider, safer connection between Eastern Kentucky and the rest of the Commonwealth. It is a key transportation project designed to close the only gap in a 400-mile, four-lane, high-speed corridor for commerce and mobility across Kentucky from Pikeville to Paducah.
The project will widen 32 miles of existing parkway to four lanes and extend the parkway by 13 miles between Salyersville to Prestonsburg.
