In April 16 Issue
By Greg Wells
Times Journal Managing Editor

One of the driving hazards in the county will soon be under repair thanks to the Kentucky General Assembly.

Rep. Jeff Hoover said this week that they have appropriated almost $2 million to re-build the Cumberland Parkway interchange at US-127

"That interchange has become a hazard since the toll booths were removed," Hoover said. "The money that was approved is for construction of a new interchange in the next two years."

He said there was also money in the new road appropriation for a bridge over Cooper Creek on Hwy-76

Hoover said that much of the money approved by the legislature in this area though was for work on US-127.

"There is money approved to purchase right of ways and relocate utilities to extend improvements on US-127 from the present end of the bypass to the junction at Ky55 at Freedom Church in the next two years," Hoover said.

From that point south there is money in a four-year plan for the design of a bridge just down the river at Wolf Creek Dam and the engineering for the relocation of the road all of the way to Ky-90 near Albany.

Hoover said that there isn't a solid timetable for that part of the  construction, but "The new interchange, that will be done and the new portion of the road in Russell County will be built."

He explained that those projects have been funded either through bonds or by federal stimulus money.

This area has gotten a sizable portion of the road funds this cycle.

Hoover explained that about $50 million of $360 million in federal stimulus funds for Kentucky is going to work around Albany, building a new bypass and rebuilding US-127 north to Ky-90.

"The session was good considering it was a short session," Hoover added. "Traditionally short sessions don't produce a lot of legislation."

He said that for the first time the legislature agreed to a two-year highway fund, "And we know that all of those things are going to be done and that the money is there."