Barr applauds federal grant to improve highway corridor in Kentucky

The $10.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for Bourbon County, Ky., is vitally important to help the locality improve the U.S. 460 corridor, said U.S. Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY).

“Today marks the first step in a major overhaul project of the U.S. 460 corridor that will strengthen commerce, tourism and improve accessibility and road safety in Central Kentucky,” Rep. Barr said in an Oct. 8 statement. “For over three years, local leaders in Bourbon and Scott counties have worked tirelessly to secure this grant.”

Rep. Barr and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) last week joined local leaders in Bourbon and Scott counties to discuss the grant, which Bourbon County received through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program at the DOT. Rep. Barr and Sen. McConnell previously contacted the Trump administration in support of the competitive federal grant application, according to the congressman’s office.

“I proudly supported Scott and Bourbon counties grant requests with DOT, and I will continue advocating for more resources to complete the vision for the U.S. 460 corridor going forward,” said Rep. Barr.

Overhaul of the U.S. 460 corridor, which connects Interstate 75 (I-75) in Scott County with U.S. Route 27 in Bourbon County, will provide more reliable commutes for Kentuckians working at Georgetown’s Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky Inc., or traveling to destinations north along I-75, according to information provided by Rep. Barr’s office.

Following the award of the BUILD grant, Bourbon and Scott counties each committed $1 million to the project, while seven local private companies committed $84,500 toward the project, which includes widening lanes and shoulders on the central Kentucky road.

“Major federal transportation grants are a recognition of a community’s potential,” said Sen. McConnell. “With Congressman Barr, I was proud to help deliver this award to improve safety on U.S. 460 for Kentucky’s families and businesses.”