<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2kJrg2_0wCjIsMI00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2kJrg2_0wCjIsMI00" width="1320" height="743" >FRANKFORT, Ky. (WCHS) — The people of eastern Kentucky have been waiting for nearly 12 years for the work on the widening of the Mountain Parkway to be completed. Now with a federal grant of more than $116,000,000, the project is on the road to being finished.Completing the road widening project has been a long process and a priority of Gov. Andy Beshear. Now it appears the work will be done sooner rather than later."We're hitting the gas on the final segment of the Mountain Parkway expansion," Beshear said.Beshear said a multi-million-dollar federal grant speeding up the process. The money will go to the final segment of the Mountain Parkway from Salyersville to Prestonsburg."It unlocks $150 million from our Kentucky State Budget to push towards the project as well," he said. "What that means is $266.3 million just opened up to speed the finalizing of the project.""Clearly the more money you have available, generally the quicker you can proceed and resolve right of way claims. You can get more people on the project," Sen. Philip Wheeler of Pikeville said.Philips has been working to complete the widening project for several years. He said while the roadway in its current condition has opened the doors of economic development, the finished product will open those doors even more and be a valuable tool to grow the regional economy.Meanwhile, the governor would like to see the project completed before his term ends, but some say that may be a bit ambitious."In total the Mountain Parkway expansion consists of 6 project segments, all of which are currently completed, under construction or under contract," Beshear said.When completed, the widening project will mean there's a continuous four-lane highway from Pikeville across the state to Paducah.</div></body>

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Federal grant to speed up work on the Mountain Parkway

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WCHS) — The people of eastern Kentucky have been waiting for nearly 12 years for the work on the widening of the Mountain Parkway to be completed. Now with a federal grant of more than $116,000,000, the project is on the road to being finished. Completing the...