KENTUCKY TODAY

Prior to the General Assembly opening the special session on flood relief for residents of eastern Kentucky Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Andy Beshear joined state and local officials to break ground on another section of the Mountain Parkway expansion in Wolfe County.

This latest phase will widen 11 miles of the parkway, which the governor says will support economic opportunities and safer, better connections in the region.

“The progress we’re making on the Mountain Parkway shows that we stand with Eastern Kentucky, and it is a significant bright spot in what has been a challenging summer for this region,” Beshear said.  “The parkway is an important part of economic vitality for Appalachia.  By widening the Mountain Parkway from two lanes to four, we’re delivering on a promise to improve safety, quality of life and connectivity in the region.”

The Mountain Parkway Expansion is a plan for widening and extending 46 miles of the parkway from Campton in Wolfe County to Prestonsburg in Floyd County.  The Wolfe County segment stretches from mile point 45.8 near Campton to just west of Exit 57 near Helechawa, and includes the reconstruction of two interchanges: Kentucky Highway 191/Campton (Exit 46) and Kentucky Highway 1010/Hazel Green (Exit 53).  Since the Parkway Expansion project began in 2014, nearly 32 miles of parkway widening has been completed or is under construction.

“The Mountain Parkway has already been widened on either side of this construction project. Once complete, motorists will have 78 continuous miles of four-lane travel extending east from I-64 at Winchester to Salyersville,” stated Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Jim Gray.

The Transportation Cabinet is developing plans for the final two segments of the Mountain Parkway Expansion Project between Salyersville and Prestonsburg.  Final details are expected to be announced soon.

Here is the timeline of the multi-year, multi-segment project:

• Wolfe County | 11 miles | Construction now underway.

• Morgan County | 8.2 miles | 2017-2021.

• Magoffin County West | 4.6 miles | 2019 – currently under construction; anticipated completion 2023.

• Magoffin County Central | 5.7 miles | 2015-2018.

• Salyersville Restaurant Row | 2.4 miles | 2016-2019.

• Salyersville to Prestonsburg | 14 miles | Under development.

For updates about the project, visit the Mountain Parkway Expansion website at mtnparkway.com.