Kentucky’s 46-mile Mountain Parkway Project will cost a good bit less than the preliminary estimate of $753 million, Gov. Steve Beshear said, because of “value engineering” changes identified by a public-private team of experts chosen by Beshear and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
The project, which is scheduled to begin later this year and create a wider, safer connection between eastern Kentucky and the rest of the state, will save at least $40 million through design changes that include a more direct route to widen the parkway in Magoffin County. That change alone saves an estimated $32.5 million and avoids building five bridges.
The project also got a boost from the U.S. DOT’s TIGER grant program, which awarded $24 million that will let part of the project at Salyersville get started two years sooner than planned.
In all, the cost savings and TIGER grant mean Kentucky will save at least $64 million and get started earlier on more miles of the parkway expansion. For more on the changes, see the governor’s announcement.
