Beshear outlines six-year road plan with 1,300 projects and $9.5B price tag

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky lawmakers are reviewing Governor Andy Beshear’s proposed capital projects budget and six-year highway plan.

The proposal covers more than 1,300 projects statewide and would allocate nearly $9.5 billion in combined federal and state funding. Some Republican lawmakers have raised concerns that the plan may be overly ambitious.

Kentucky Transportation Secretary Jim Gray updated legislators on the cabinet’s goals for the six-year plan.

“There’s a lot of activity underway, with more to come as we continue to invest in transportation,” Gray said. “This plan does three things. It takes care of what we already have, it moves forward long-standing priority projects, and it honors previous commitments and investments.”

Transportation priorities include finishing carryover projects and funding new initiatives outlined in the highway plan. Separate from the road fund, the governor’s proposal includes General Fund investments of $240 million remaining for high-growth counties, along with an additional $125 million designated for the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor in Covington.

Gray also pointed to rising construction costs as a major challenge.

“A significant factor affecting all projects is the sharp increase in the cost of construction materials, goods, and services in recent years,” he said. “The Federal Highway Administration’s National Highway Construction Cost Index shows highway construction costs increased 61% between 2020 and 2025.”

Highlighted projects in the plan include widening I-71 to the KY 393 interchange in Oldham County, replacing the Singing Bridge in Frankfort, and building the I-69 Ohio River Bridge and its approaches between Henderson, Kentucky, and Evansville, Indiana.

Rep. Ken Upchurch, R-Monticello, said the scale of the proposal raises concerns.

“When people say it’s overprogrammed, it’s not just the legislature,” Upchurch said. “We’re receiving a plan from the governor that’s nearly three to four times overprogrammed.”

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the House Transportation Committee will continue working together during the legislative session to finalize the plan’s budget. Lawmakers are expected to pass the final six-year highway plan by April 15.