Kentucky is among the top 10 states with the largest bridge and pavement systems in the U.S. and is routinely ranked among the top in the country for efficiency. The 27th Annual Highway Report (2023) found Kentucky’s highways and bridges ranked seventh in overall performance and cost-effectiveness.
Kentucky’s Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is responsible for safely maintaining nearly 28,000 miles of state highways and 9,000 state bridges while inspecting more than 14,000 public bridges.
Kentucky’s State Highway Plan provides a guide to future transportation investment, which includes $6.4 billion in federal funds, $1.4 billion state funds, $450 million focused on high-growth counties, and other funds now through 2030.
KYTC supports more than two dozen public transit systems, 58 public-use airports through its Department of Aviation, processes license and registration for 4 million vehicles annually, and handles all driver’s license issuance through 33 driver’s license regional offices.
Kentucky will receive nearly $70 million from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to add an estimated 50 new fast-charging stations to Kentucky’s interstates and parkways by the end of 2026.
Significant Kentucky Projects
KYTC currently has 685 active road and bridge construction projects underway where contracts totaling about $3.6 billion are between zero and 90% complete. Another 472 projects have contracts totaling more than $1.6 billion that are greater than 90% complete. They include projects such as:
- The $3.6 billion Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project at Covington will provide needed highway safety improvements, capacity for commuters, economic development support, and more in Northern Kentucky through an effort with the State of Ohio to build a new companion bridge and convert the old bridge to carry local traffic. The project achieved several key milestones in 2024 that make it possible for construction to commence in the coming year. In the summer of 2024, the project passed the federal environmental review, allowing the project to advance. The project team also announced the incorporation of several design refinements that reduce the project’s footprint, cost and time needed for completion. See brentspencebridgecorridor.com/.
- The Mountain Parkway Expansion is a transformational, $750 million investment to modernize the highway, improve safety, and provide and maintain an important economic conduit into the mountains to improve the quality of life for all Kentuckians. Construction is coming soon on the Magoffin-Floyd segment, which will be the last piece of the project to get underway to expand the parkway to four lanes between Campton and Prestonsburg. See mtnparkway.com/.
- The I-69 ORX project includes three sections of I-69 improvements, including a $158 million investment for a six-mile extension of I-69, nine new bridges, seven reconstructed bridges, new U.S. 60 and U.S. 41 interchanges and more to improve highway safety and capacity. Work is ongoing and will join with construction in neighboring Indiana and eventually a new Ohio River bridge between Henderson and Evansville that’s expected to start in 2027. See i69ohiorivercrossing.com/.
Regional Highlights: Active and Planned Construction
Active highway construction projects in all regions of the commonwealth represent Kentucky’s investment of highway dollars to improve safety, reduce congestion, and provide better pathways to work, school, healthcare and other important destinations.
WESTERN KENTUCKY
U.S 60 Re-alignment in Ballard County: The $27.7 million project involves construction of a new section of U.S. 60 that will extend the current four-lane highway in McCracken County west into Ballard County. It will be a significant route upgrade to provider better safety and boost commerce and commercial traffic throughout western Kentucky.
I-69 Upgrades along the Purchase Parkway: Two projects totaling $36.7 million that will update the current Julian Carroll Purchase Parkway to modern standards to become I-69. Work from the Kentucky-Tennessee line in Fulton County to the 25-mile marker in Graves County includes new pavement, a new Exit 13 diamond interchange, and more to provide a modern interstate route through western Kentucky to Tennessee that supports increased safety and capacity to boost economic development and trade.
Pennyrile Parkway Upgrade Project: This $14 million project will upgrade the last remaining section of the Pennyrile Parkway to interstate standards, from I-24 in Christian County to the I-69/Western Kentucky Parkway in Hopkins County, helping make the highway safer and reduce drive times for travelers and commerce.
KY 54 Widening Project at Owensboro: This $23.4 million project will widen 1.3 miles of KY 54 through a quickly expanding economic corridor on Owensboro’s east side to alleviate already-existing traffic congestion while allowing the thriving commercial district to continue to grow.
U.S. 41A Improvement in Madisonville: This $16.7 million project will soon upgrade the highway to Industrial Drive, strengthening the connection from the city of Madisonville and I-69 to Hopkins County’s growing industrial district, which will soon include a new shovel-ready industrial site.
U.S. 31W Widening: This $9.6 million project widens a two-lane section of U.S. 31W in the northern part of Warren County to four lanes. The project builds on a previous widening project to provide access to the Kentucky Trans-Park, a multibillion-dollar industrial park with education and training facilities that serves as an economic driver for the entire region.
KY 555 in Washington County: This $25.6 million widening project is another step in the Heartland Parkway objective of providing a safer, more efficient route between the Cumberland Expressway corridor and the Bluegrass Parkway corridor. Work includes innovative traffic design and roundabouts to improve traffic flow and safety.
New Western Bardstown Bypass: Connectivity between major routes along the west side of Bardstown currently requires motorists to use city streets through neighborhoods and school zones. This new route, which represents an investment of $16.8 million, will create a safer, more efficient connection from KY 245 to U.S. 62.
KY 1357 in Hardin County: A $15.4 million reconstruction between Ring Road and U.S. 31W Bypass will provide Elizabethtown with improved inner/outer circle access. It will also serve a new school, a major sports complex, and growing residential neighborhoods.
LOUISVILLE AREA
I-Move Kentucky in Jefferson and Oldham Counties: This $180 million project will expand I-265 (Gene Snyder Freeway) from four lanes to six lanes from the I-71 interchange to Taylorsville Road and expands I-71 from four lanes to six lanes from I-265 to Kentucky 329 in Oldham County. It also adds a collector-distributor lane on I-71 South at the I-265 interchange and rebuilds the I-265/I-64 interchange in Jefferson County. The corridors connect Kentucky’s economic hub to Northern Kentucky, Central Kentucky, Southern Indiana and other regions to support commerce. This project will reduce congestion, increase safety and provide greater mobility that will fuel economic development. See i-moveky.com/.
I-65/KY 480 Interchange Improvement (Double Crossover Diamond) in Bullitt County: This $18.7 million project will provide safer traffic flow at the I-65/KY 480 interchange in Bullitt County and improve access to existing and committed businesses in Cedar Grove Business Park and the surrounding area.
I-65 Central Corridor: This $300 million planned project will replace aging overpasses and provide safety and capacity upgrades to this important interstate route in Louisville and west-central Kentucky.
I-64/U.S. 127 Interchange Improvement Project at Frankfort: This $4 million project will realign the I-64 West off-ramp to U.S. 127 for increased safety and capacity and provide a new signalized intersection on U.S. 127 for access to development entrances.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY
KY 536 corridor from U.S. 25 (Dixie Highway) to KY 17 (Madison Pike): This $60 million investment is a series of four projects to upgrade KY 536, Bristow Road, and intersections to straighten the highway, widen from two lanes to four lanes, add six roundabouts to promote better traffic flow and safety, and add a shared-use path that will connect into a larger trail between the cities of Union and Independence. See ky-536-kytc.hub.arcgis.com/.
KY 236 (Donaldson Highway) Widening Project: This $33.2 million project involves a two-mile section of Donaldson Highway between Houston Road (KY 842) and Mineola Pike (KY 3076) that will be widened to five lanes, including two through lanes in each direction with a center turn lane. A sidewalk and multi-use path will also be added. These improvements will help mitigate congestion, provide better access for pedestrians, and improve overall safety.
KY 8 Licking River Bridge Replacement Project: A wider new bridge will support all types of vehicles—the current bridge is weight-limited—and provide a safe crossing for more vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists. The 2024 Enacted Highway Plan provides $99 million for this project.
CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KENTUCKY
I-75 Widening/Fayette County: Two projects totaling $90 million will widen the interstate from six to eight lanes between Newtown Pike and the I-64/I-75 southern split, Exit 115 to Exit 111, reducing interstate congestion and improving safety with new lanes and better interchanges. This will provide much-needed capacity to the interstate system at Lexington, which is expected to see traffic growth up to 130,000 vehicles a day by 2040. See drivinglexingtonprogress.org/.
New Circle Road (KY 4) Widening in Lexington: This $51 million project will increase capacity and safety with added lanes and a new double crossover diamond interchange at Leestown Road. It completes the ongoing work to widen New Circle Road from Versailles Road to Newtown Pike. See drivinglexingtonprogress.org/.
Newtown Pike (KY 922) Widening in Lexington: Approximately 44,000 vehicles use Newtown Pike daily, a figure that is expected to increase to 70,500 per day by 2030. This $28 million project will increase capacity to handle current and future traffic volume and provides improvements to the Legacy Trail. See drivinglexingtonprogress.org/.
U.S. 127 Re-alignment: This $105 million project will build a six-mile section of the roadway, from the Cumberland River in Russell County south to KY 3063 in Clinton County, providing added capacity and safety for this important primary route. The work includes five new bridges.
U.S. 25E and KY 192 widening projects in Laurel County: These two projects, which represent an investment of $66 million, will improve safety, reduce congestion and provide access management for these busy highways that provide vital traffic connections between the I-75 corridor and southern Kentucky.
Somerset Northern Bypass in Pulaski County: This $200 million project, now in the final design phase, will extend the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Expressway to the existing KY 80/KY 461 interchange to improve connectivity and safety and reduce congestion.
U.S. 25 & KY 461 Interchange in Rockcastle County: This project will improve the existing I-75/U.S. 25 interchange and add additional lanes on U.S. 25 from I-75 to U.S. 150.
U.S. 25W Widening Project in Whitley County: This $36 million project will improve freight mobility and reduce congestion along portions of this vital highway that connects Corbin and Williamsburg and parts of I-75 in southern Kentucky.
EASTERN KENTUCKY
U.S. 60 Reconstruction in Boyd County: This $46 million project will rebuild four miles of U.S. 60 from Coalton to Cannonsburg by adding wider lanes, shoulders, and a center turn lane to increase safety, relieve traffic congestion, and enhance regional connectivity along the heavily traveled route, which feeds 12,000 vehicles a day into downtown Ashland as well as to and from shopping centers, the local landfill, and the Paul Coffey Industrial Park.
Reconstruction of KY 11: This $20.6 million project has rebuilt the highway from Levi (KY 30 intersection) in Owsley County to two miles south of Beattyville in Lee County, improving access from Lee, Owsley and Jackson counties to I-75 in London, as well as to the Mountain Parkway and I-64 eastward.
KY 15 Reconstruction in Breathitt County: A $50 million project to widen a busy section of KY 15 in Jackson, which serves as a major highway corridor from southeastern Kentucky to central Kentucky. It will also add sidewalks and strengthen the Panbowl Dam.
U.S. 421 in Harlan County: This $25 million progressive design-build project will reconstruct portions of the highway to the Virginia line, improving safety and providing an improved corridor.
New U.S. 460 Construction: The last section of the 16.7-mile corridor is under construction and nearing completion. The $740 million project is a four-lane limited access highway with four 12-foot driving lanes, 12-foot shoulders, and a recessed median that will provide a safer, more efficient highway.
