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Kentucky lawmakers make deal on $4.5 billion road plan

A deal has been worked out at the Kentucky statehouse on a $4.5 billion transportation budget to benefit roads and bridges.

Wrapping up a five-day special session called by Gov. Steve Beshear to address transportation, lawmakers agreed on funding for transportation programs for the new fiscal year that begins July 1.

As part of a six-year road construction plan, lawmakers authorized partial funding for the $2.6 billion Ohio River Bridges Project in Louisville.

Another $100 million is earmarked to widen Interstate 65 through three counties. The affected area includes the location of a 2010 truck-van crash that killed a truck driver and 10 members of a Mennonite family.

The projects are included in a two-year road plan approved in the waning days of the regular session that listed road and bridge work that would be funded, and projects that need additional funds to get done. However, absent from the bill – HB267 – were 10 road construction projects in or near the district of Senate President David Williams in southern Kentucky.

The Democratic governor previously used his line item veto authority to remove the projects totaling $50 million from the Republican lawmaker’s district.

Beshear said he used his veto pen on HB267 because of changes made along the way by Williams to bump his projects ahead of others. Williams called the governor’s actions vindictive.

Despite efforts to reinsert the projects in Williams’ district into the funding bill – HB2 – lawmakers ultimately chose to side with Beshear.

“A deadlock and delay on the transportation budget bill would have been devastating to every single county in our state, and I appreciate the legislature’s quick action to pass this budget in the shortest amount of time possible,” Beshear said in a statement.

To view other legislative activities of interest for Kentucky, click here .

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