Daviess County Fiscal Court will apply for a federal grant to assist with the widening project on KY 54.
The highway carries over 30,000 vehicles a day, connecting key commercial, industrial, and residential areas of the city and county.
Approval of the RAISE grant application would result in the construction of 1.9 miles of improvements, including additional lanes, a raised median, an upgraded drainage system, and improved pedestrian and bicycle facilities.
“We are already in the process of acquiring right-of-way and moving utilities, the next phase will be to do the actual construction,” explained Judge-Executive Al Mattingly. “Hopefully, we will be successful in obtaining the RAISE grant because it will make this project move a lot faster.”
Mattingly said the RAISE grant totals around $30 million, with $25 million from the federal government and $4 million from the state. The City of Owensboro and Daviess County Fiscal Court will each contribute $500,000 or a total of $1 million.
“There is a possibility that it would change, with the federal government putting in less money and the state picking up the rest of the cost,” he added.
Upgrades to the KY 54 corridor are divided into two sections.
Section 1 extends from the US 60 interchange to Ralph Avenue. Within this segment, the roadway will be changed from the existing five-lane section to a six-lane section with raised medians. Starting at Hayden Road, an 8-foot shared-use path will be added to the north side of KY 54.
Section 2 runs from Ralph Avenue to Thurston Dermont Road (KY 1456). Within this section, the roadway will be repaved and re-profiled with an upgraded drainage system to improve safety during storm events. Section 2 will also have a 10-foot shared used path added to the north side of KY 54.
Additional Notes:
RAISE stands for Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity. The grant program has awarded over $8.9 billion to transportation projects since 2009. It was formerly known as BUILD and TIGER.
