A project to widen critical infrastructure in Eastern Kentucky will advance to the construction phase six months ahead of schedule, Ky. Gov. Andy Beshear said Monday.
The widening of the 11- mile stretch of the Mountain Parkway in Wolfe County was awarded to Bizzack Construction Company by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), Beshear said. The project is part of the larger 46-mile Mountain Parkway Expansion that will improve highway safety and support economic development, officials said.
“Year after year, our commitment to the Mountain Parkway Expansion and the people of Eastern Kentucky reaches new milestones. Selecting a contractor to begin the next phase of construction is another sign of progress,” Gov. Beshear said. “Widening 11 miles of the parkway in Wolfe County from two lanes to four will make travel safer and faster for residents, visitors, and freight vehicles as we continue to move Eastern Kentucky forward.”
Bizzack will be working on widening the Mountain Parkway between mile points 45.8 and 56.8 through Campton and Helechawa. In addition to doubling the travel lanes, the project will modernize to interchanges – one at KY 191 and the other at KY 1010.
“The Wolfe County segment of the Mountain Parkway Expansion is the final piece to making the current parkway four lanes all the way from Winchester through Salyersville – 78 continuous miles,” said Kentucky Transportation Secretary Jim Gray. “Since securing a $55 million federal INFRA grant for Wolfe County in 2020, the project team has worked hard to get plans in place, ready for construction. I am proud to report that KYTC and its partners reached this milestone six months ahead of the initial schedule expectations outlined by the INFRA grant. For a project this large, that’s a huge success.”