Kentucky lawmakers and area officials recently gathered to ceremonially open two new interchanges at the juncture of KY 80 and KY 461 in Pulaski County.
Construction began in late 2020 on the $51 million project that included the interchanges, the widening of more than three miles of KY 461 to four lanes, camera monitoring systems, electronic messaging boards, improved lighting, and upgraded signage.
A $25 million Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development federal grant partially funded the project while $26 million came from state-federal apportionment and a local match.
“This road project is one of the most impactful endeavors to have taken place in the Somerset and Pulaski County community in decades,” Chris Girdler, Somerset-Pulaski Economic Development Authority president and CEO, said at the ceremony. “It has drastically improved safety for the thousands employed within the Valley Oak Commerce Complex and millions who travel to Lake Cumberland annually. This area of Pulaski County is primed for record-breaking growth over the coming years.”
“This was a very dangerous intersection,” Pulaski County Judge-Executive Marshall Todd said. “When we looked at the traffic congestion and the collisions that came with that original intersection, we saw that something was needed to help with that and open up this area even more for future development.”