Federal funds are essential to many critical surface transportation projects in congressional districts throughout the country, including Kentucky’s Fourth District.
I frequently meet with constituents and local officials about the importance of obtaining federal funding for their communities’ transportation needs. Every five to six years, Congress passes a new surface transportation authorization bill (commonly referred to as the highway bill). The last highway bill, SAFETEA-LU, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: a Legacy for Users (P.L. 109-59) was enacted in 2005 and expires at the close of Fiscal Year 2009. As a result, the House of Representatives has begun the reauthorization process for the next highway bill.
In preparation for the highway bill, local government and transportation officials submit detailed project applications for federal funding to my office. All those applications undergo a thorough review to determine which projects are eligible and appropriate for federal funding.
The highway bill funds highway, bridge and mass transportation projects. Each type of project has a specific set of rules and requirements that must be satisfied if a project is to receive funding. Nearly all projects require non-federal matching funds; in other words, the recipient of the funds must be willing and capable of investing their own funds, too. Projects requested in 2009 require a contact in the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet who attests that the project fulfills a need in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
The projects listed below were submitted by my office to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T & I) for consideration of highway bill funding during Fiscal Years 2010-2015. Their submission by my office does not guarantee funding. The T & I Committee will review these submissions and make determinations, in consultation with the U.S. Department of Transportation, about which requests will ultimately receive federal funding.
Once the T & I Committee finishes its deliberations, the bill will be debated on the House floor and voted on by all the Members. A similar process takes place in the Senate. Ultimately, the House and Senate versions of the bill must be reconciled in a conference committee and then approved again in each chamber before the final legislation is presented to the President for his signature.
It is worth noting that the majority of federal transportation funds are distributed according to a formula directly to the States. In Fiscal Year 2008, Kentucky received $603 million from the federal highway trust fund. Despite the fact that these are federal funds, decisions on how Kentucky spends the money are made in Frankfort by the legislature and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
I have consistently supported earmark reform measures to make this process more open and transparent since I was first elected to Congress. I am proud of the important transportation projects throughout the Fourth District for which I have secured funding in past years, like the Brent Spence Bridge, among many others.
In an effort to continue to increase transparency, below is a complete list of the projects I have submitted to the T & I Committee for consideration for federal funding in the next highway bill.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Project: Brent Spence Bridge
Location: Kenton County
Amount Requested: $551,500,000
Description: Replace and rehabilitate the Brent Spence Bridge which carries I-71 and I-75 across the Ohio River between Covington, KY and Cincinnati, OH. The total estimated cost below is for the KY portion of the project. Included activities are (in millions of dollars):
* Stage 1 Design: 13.7
* Stage 2 Design: 24.0
* Final R/W Plans: 3.4
* Stage 3 Design: 20.6
* Right of Way Acquisition (Titles, Appraisals and Acquisition Services): .7
* Right of Way Acquisition (Offers, Negotiations and Relocations): 2.5
* Final Design Plans: 6.9
* Utility Relocations: 20.3
* Construction Management and Engineering: 47.6
* Construction: 411.8
A corresponding request for the Ohio portion of the project will be submitted by Representatives Steve Driehaus and Jean Schmidt.
You can read more about Congressman Geoff Davis’ efforts to secure funding for the Brent Spence Bridge by clicking HERE.
Safety Benefits: Crash rates for the corridors the Brent Spence Bridge carries across the Ohio River exceed both the Kentucky and Ohio statewide averages. The high crash rates are due in large part to the congested traffic conditions and deficient and substandard roadway geometry involving I-75, I-71 and the Brent Spence Bridge.
Economic Development Benefits: According to federal statistics, the annual value of freight commerce crossing the Brent Spence Bridge totals more than $400 billion. By 2030, this amount will grow to almost $830 billion. (Both estimates are in 2005 dollars.)
Mobility Benefits: The project annually will save $748 million in various costs to the region (in 2005 dollars) which includes $684 million in economic savings to shippers, due to congestion reduction. These savings grow to $1.3 billion annually by 2030. The value of time savings to bridge travelers is estimated at $51 million each year with annual fuel savings totaling 2.6 million gallons.
Environmental Benefits: The Brent Spence Bridge project would reduce harmful emissions by 27,000 pounds annually by reducing congestion and idling vehicles.
Project: I-71/75 Interchange Reconstruction at KY S.R. 338
Location: Boone County
Amount Requested: $21,000,000
Description: Reconstruct Interstate 71/75 exchange at KY State Route 338 to relieve mounting congestion and open up adjoining properties to additional development, especially industrially zoned property along the U.S. 25 corridor. The current underpass is only two lanes, and must accommodate significant eighteen-wheel trailer traffic, as well as a growing number of automobiles from the rapidly expanding residential and commercial areas along Richwood Road (S.R. 338). This request includes $1,000,000 for project design, the initial activity needed to begin this project.
Safety Benefits: Reconstruction and widening of this important interstate exchange will move significantly more traffic and widen turning radiuses for eighteen-wheel trailer traffic.
Economic Development Benefits: Reconstructing this interchange will open up several thousand acres for commercial and industrial development and speed development of future housing along S.R. 338.
Mobility Benefits: Reconstructing the exchange will not only improve access for commercial and industrial uses, but also speed access and mobility for both the automobile commuter and local transit buses.
Environmental Benefits: Traffic congestion at this intersection raises idle time and increases the amount of NOx and CO2 released into the atmosphere. Due to the age of the existing exchange and overpass, storm water runoff and the quality of the effluent raise concerns about the environmental impact on nearby receiving streams.
Project: I-471 pavement replacement between I-275 and Ohio River
Location: Campbell County
Amount Requested: $4,160,000
Description: Rehabilitate pavement on the section of I-471 between I-275 and the Ohio River. The pavement has deteriorated to the extent that grinding and repairing is no longer feasible. Pavement rehabilitation in the form of structural overlay will restore this deficient thoroughfare.
Safety Benefits: Rehabilitation will prevent further pavement damage on I-471 and ensure the safety of travelers.
Economic Development Benefits: I-471 provides a link that is critical to the economic growth of Northern Kentucky. Development along this corridor includes multi-million dollar condominium, office, retail and entertainment plans.
Mobility Benefits: Since I-471 will serve as an alternate route when work begins on repair or replacement of the Brent Spence Bridge on I-71/75, a rehabilitated I-471 will ensure that traffic moves in a fast and efficient manner without further jeopardizing the safety of travelers.
Environmental Benefits: Improved pavement will decrease haphazard water infiltration and hazardous runoff due to the current state of the deteriorated surface.
Project: I-471/KY-8 Interchange Construction
Location: Campbell County
Amount Requested: $17,920,000
Description: Reconstruct the southbound exit ramp at the I-471 and KY-8 interchange. The I-471 at KY-8 Interchange Model is currently in year 4 “Preliminary Design and Environmental Analysis.” With sufficient funds, construction can begin between 2012 and 2014. This request includes $2,400,000 to acquire right-of-way, the initial activity needed to begin the construction phase of the project.
Safety Benefits: On average, 100,000 vehicles per day travel the stretch of I-471 over the KY-8 interchange; this project will eliminate dangerous backup onto I-471.
Economic Development Benefits: The project will allow for ease of access into and out of the riverfront area where existing and planned private investment totals well over $1 billion.
Mobility Benefits: Improvement to this dangerous interchange is essential to accommodate increased traffic volume along I-471 during construction of the Brent Spence Bridge project.
Environmental Benefits: By addressing the congestion and backup of traffic, the project will limit pollutants associated with slowed or idling vehicles and improve air quality in the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky region.
Project: I-275/AA-Highway Interchange
Location: Campbell County
Amount Requested: $336,000
Description: The I-275/AA-Highway Interchange project would plan reconstruction of entrance and exit ramps at the Interchange of KY-9 (AA-Highway) and I-275. This interchange was originally constructed in the early 1970s.
Safety Benefits: Currently, the ramps exiting I-275 carry over 19,000 cars per day; this project will reduce dangerous bottleneck traffic congestion.
Economic Development Benefits: Numerous commercial and residential developments are planned for Alexandria in Campbell County; however, without this project, the dangerous and antiquated interchange will prevent the region from achieving expected growth.
Mobility Benefits: Since the AA Highway and its tributary roads serve as “backdoor entrances” to Northern Kentucky University (NKU), the project will alleviate stress due to increased traffic volumes that have resulted from the expansion of NKU and the rise of the Bank of Kentucky Center, a 10,000 seat, state-of-the-art arena.
Environmental Benefits: As the congestion on the AA Highway and on I-275 is improved, the negative impacts to air quality from engine idling would decrease.
Project: I-275 Structural Pavement Repair between Ohio River and KY-9 (Mile Point 73.55 to Mile Point 75.286)
Location: Campbell County
Amount Requested: $1,584,000
Description: Rehabilitate pavement on the section of I-275 between KY-9 (Exit 77) and the Combs-Heil Bridge over the Ohio River. The pavement has deteriorated to the extent that grinding and repairing is no longer feasible. Pavement rehabilitation in the form of structural overlay will restore this deficient thoroughfare
Safety Benefits: The existing pavement on I-275 is deteriorated and must be repaired to maintain safe traffic flow both now and in the future, when the demands on the highway will most certainly increase.
Economic Development Benefits: The I-275 connector provides a link that is critical to the economic growth of Northern Kentucky, as it connects with three interstate highways (I-75, I-71 and I-471). Development along the project’s stretch is planned in Wilder, Highland Heights, and Dayton, Kentucky.
Mobility Benefits: I-275 will serve as an alternate route when work begins on repair or replacement of the Brent Spence Bridge on Interstate 71/75. A repaired I-275 will ensure that traffic moves in a fast and efficient manner, without further jeopardizing the safety of travelers.
Environmental Benefits: Improved pavement will decrease haphazard water infiltration and hazardous runoff due to the current state of this deteriorated section.
Project: Veterans Memorial Bridge Replacement Plan (KY-8 over the Licking River)
Location: Campbell County
Amount Requested: $1,600,000
Description: Design replacement of the Veterans Memorial Bridge over the Licking River between Newport, KY and Covington, KY.
Safety Benefits: According to the Federal Highway Administration 2006 National Bridge Inventory, the bridge is rated two (Critical) on a nine point scale, indicating that the seventy-one year old bridge is deficient in both design and condition.
Economic Development Benefits: Safe and reliable traffic flow in this area is vital to the continued economic success of the Northern Kentucky Riverfront including the Ovation project on thirteen acres at the confluence of the Ohio and Licking Rivers, which is expected to generate over $600 million in private investment.
Mobility Benefits: Currently, the bridge is one of only two bridges crossing the Licking River north of I-275. Replacement of the bridge will facilitate the movement of citizens and visitors from east to west along the Ludlow, Covington, Newport, Bellevue, Dayton corridor.
Environmental Benefits: The project will decrease congestion on the bridge, thereby decreasing pollutants associated with stopped and idling vehicles and improving air quality. Additionally, improved pavement will decrease hazardous runoff.
Project: New Access Road VIA KY 3161
Location: Mason County
Amount Requested: $8,250,000
Description: Construct a new access road to extend the KY 3161 connector from KY 10 to the AA Highway in Mason County, KY. This request includes $750,000 for engineering and $7,500,000 for construction.
Safety Benefits: The construction of a new access road will reduce safety hazards for heavy truck traffic and commuter vehicles.
Economic Development Benefits: A safer and more efficient road for truck travel would give the local company the opportunity to grow.
Mobility Benefits: The new access road would provide access to the Carmeuse Lime & Stone mining operation, which has over 200 employees and daily heavy truck traffic operations. A new road to Carmeuse Lime and Stone would give the company and its employees a superior route to and from their work site.
Environmental Benefits: A new access road would provide a safer route to transport bulk limestone products and materials from the Carmeuse Lime & Stone mining operations and avoid potential environmental problems that could result from accidents.
Project: TANK Bus Replacement
Location: Northern Kentucky
Amount Requested: $7,560,000
Description: Replace twenty-seven transit buses as part of TANK’s Bus Replacement Program. The replacement of these buses would take place in 2012, 2013 and 2014. The Federal Transit Administration defines the useful life of a heavy-duty transit bus to be 12 years, or 500,000 miles. This project would replace 27 TANK buses that have been in operation for one to two years beyond their FTA-recommended useful life (13 to 14 years of operation). This request is scalable. Any number of new buses for TANK between one and twenty-seven would benefit the agency and Northern Kentucky.
Safety Benefits: Newer bus design, materials and technology will greatly improve the safety of both bus passengers and the traveling public at large.
Economic Development Benefits: TANK provides service to almost every major employer and academic institution in Northern Kentucky including Citigroup, CVG Airport (Delta, ComAir), Adidas, Gap, Fidelity, Mazak and Northern Kentucky University. This project will help maintain reliable TANK services which provide a viable and extremely affordable means of transportation for the Northern Kentucky workforce.
Mobility Benefits: Replacing old buses will greatly improve service reliability for transit users. Furthermore, the reduction in maintenance cost for these vehicles will free up funds that maintain vital transit services provided to the public.
Environmental Benefits: Newer buses achieve better fuel economy and emit fewer harmful emissions than the twelve to fourteen year-old buses they will replace.
Project: KY 19 Powersville to Harrison County Line
Location: Bracken County
Amount Requested: $1,500,000
Description: Plan and design reconstruction of KY 19 from Powersville, KY to the Harrison County line. There are sections of this road, on top of ridges, with no shoulders or guard rails. There are several vertical and horizontal curves that are in great need of reconstruction to correct site distance issues. KY 19 is a connector road to US 62 in Harrison County. This project has been ranked a high priority by the Buffalo Trace Area Development District and District 6 of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Included activities in this request are planning ($500,000) and design ($1,000,000).
Safety Benefits: Currently, KY 19 is very curvy, narrow and dangerous for travelling motorists. Improvements to the road would give passengers a safe route to and from their destination.
Economic Development Benefits: Improvements to KY 19 would give the citizens of Powersville a better corridor to Harrison County. This corridor is essential for those who depend on this road to get to and from work.
Mobility Benefits: Making improvement to KY 19 would better accommodate traffic moving in and out of Brooksville, the main town in Bracken County. In particular, truck deliveries from the Lexington area take KY 19 into Brooksville.
Environmental Benefits: This project will solve area drainage issues related to storm water drainage and protect important farmland.
Project: Construction of KY 57 Bridge on Fleming Co. and Lewis Co. Line
Location: Fleming County
Amount Requested: $3,000,000
Description: Reconstruction of the KY 57 Bridge on the Fleming County and Lewis County line. The reconstruction of this bridge will consist of widening the existing bridge and removal of the vertical curve. There have been numerous accidents with two fatalities. Each year the traffic count has increased. In 2008, a traffic count was conducted on the bridge and resulted in a tally of 1730 cars per day.
Safety Benefits: The current bridge is extremely narrow and almost impassable when crossed by semi-trucks creating a safety hazard which would be alleviated with reconstruction.
Economic Development Benefits: In addition to providing construction jobs, reconstruction of this bridge would support the economic vitality of the area and associated economic development through enhanced travel to and from work places in Fleming and Lewis Counties Kentucky.
Mobility Benefits: A new bridge would ease crossing for business and personal travel.
Environmental Benefits: The project would result in some congestion reduction with resulting fuel savings and reduced air pollution through fewer engines idling.
Project: I-71 Interchange between Exits 18 and 22
Location: Oldham County
Amount Requested: $16,875, 000
Description: Construct an I-71 interchange and overpass between exits 18 and 22, Oldham County, Kentucky. A major segment included in the total cost is construction of the overpass ($12,000,000). The total estimated project cost ($20,700,000) also includes the cost of design ($1,000,000), right-of-way acquisition ($3,000,000), utilities work ($3,000,000) and overall construction ($13,700,000).
Safety Benefits: The new interchange would result in a traffic reduction on KY 53, which is experiencing a critical rate factor of crashes between 1.5 and 3.0, higher than normal as compared to other roads.
Economic Development Benefits: The interchange would serve Oldham County’s highest priority economic development initiative, the Oldham Reserve project. This local initiative is envisioned to include three million square feet of office and retail space, almost one thousand housing units and the creation of nearly two thousand new jobs for the community.
Mobility Benefits: The interchange will alleviate extreme and growing congestion on Highway 53.
Environmental Benefits: Congestion would be significantly reduced along the KY 53 corridor, which would result in improved air quality.
Project: Browns Run Road Bridge Replacement
Location: Lewis County
Amount Requested: $196,200
Description: Reconstruct Browns Run Road Bridge, Lewis County, Kentucky.
Safety Benefits: The bridge was built in 1960 before the county started using the KY State Bridge Specifications and thus does not comport with the safety considerations underlying those specifications. Additionally, the bridge has no side rails.
Economic Development Benefits: An adequate bridge is required for local citizens to commute to their workplaces, for the economic vitality of the area and for its potential for economic development.
Mobility Benefits: This roadway serves as the only viable access to Browns Run Road. Construction of a safe bridge will potentially increase the confidence of local residents to use it for business and personal travel.
Environmental Benefits: N/A
Project: Lower Kinney Road Bridge Replacement
Location: Lewis County
Amount Requested: $178,425
Description: Replace bridge on Lower Kinney Road (CR# 1102), Lewis County, KY.
Safety Benefits: The current bridge structure is outdated and the deteriorated steel stringers are a safety hazard.
Economic Development Benefits: The road served by the bridge connects to seven other roads which together contribute to the economic vitality of the area and its economic development potential.
Mobility Benefits: The bridge has wood decking which has caused the county to lower the weight limit and made it more difficult for local farmers to transport equipment over the bridge. Reconstruction will significantly enhance mobility for this equipment.
Environmental Benefits: N/A
Project: Milton-Madison Bridge
Location: Trimble County
Amount Requested: $19,000,000
Description: Acquire right of way, relocate utilities and begin construction for replacement of the Milton-Madison Bridge, which is structurally deficient and functionally obsolete. Activity costs for this project include $600,000,000 to acquire right-of-way; $3,000,000 to relocate utilities; and $10,000,000 to begin construction.
Safety Benefits: The current bridge recently received a fracture-critical inspection. Inspectors describe the current condition of the bridge as serious, poor and severe. Replacement would eliminate these concerns.
Economic Development Benefits: This bridge connects the industrial bases of Madison, Indiana and Carrollton, Kentucky and is a major link for many automobile-support manufacturing facilities potentially affecting their growth and the related economic development.
Mobility Benefits: As a result of the fracture critical inspection, the weight limit on the bridge was reduced to fifteen tons, thereby eliminating all commercial traffic on this critical link.
Environmental Benefits: The project will reduce current pollution levels resulting from added commutes and lengthier commercial transportation routes. Adding large ferry traffic to already busy barge traffic lanes would add to environmental concerns if this river crossing is not maintained.
Project: KY-146 Realignment between US-421 and KY-153
Location: Henry County
Amount Requested: $24,000,000
Description: Realign and widen shoulders of KY-146 from US-421 to KY-153. Included activities in this project request are environmental review and right-of-way acquisition which could be considered for separate funding.
Safety Benefits: This stretch of KY-146 currently has serious safety issues that have resulted in several accidents with fatalities or serious injury. Realignment and widening of the road’s shoulders will help reduce the level of risk to motorists.
Economic Development Benefits: If KY-146 were reconstructed to promote safe travel, the economic viability of the businesses in Henry County would be greatly enhanced. This particular corridor carries both passenger vehicles and large motor carriers, and a large employer, Safety Kleen, is located along the route.
Mobility Benefits: This project would enhance the mobility of persons and businesses that rely on KY-146 as a means of travel. Currently, the posted speed limit cannot be attained because of the road’s winding course.
Environmental Benefits: Many of the vehicles that travel this route carry liquids that could possibly discharge in the event of a rollover, which already occurred on several occasions due to the road’s poor surface. Safety Kleen, a chemical recycling company located on the route, transports various hazardous materials to and from their facility. This project would alleviate some of the hazards the road currently presents.
