LEXINGTON, Ky. — State and local leaders gathered Monday to honor longtime farmer and agricultural advocate Jim Mahan with a memorial highway designation, recognizing decades of service to Kentucky agriculture and his community.

State Representative Vanessa Grossl announced the dedication of the James "Jim" R. Mahan Memorial Highway in Fayette County, according to a statement from the Kentucky House Majority Caucus. The roadway designation covers Kentucky Route 353 in Fayette County, from the intersection with Kentucky Route 1962 to the Fayette/Bourbon County line.

Mahan served as president of the Thoroughbred Farm Managers Club, Fayette County Farm Bureau, and the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Alumni Association. He also held positions on the Fayette County Extension Council, 4-H Council, Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, and Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance Board.

"Jim Mahan dedicated his life to agriculture, to his community, and to serving others," Grossl said in a statement. "It is an incredible honor to help ensure that his name and legacy remain a permanent part of the community he loved so deeply."

The dedication ceremony featured the unveiling of the memorial highway sign and was attended by family members, friends, agricultural leaders, members of the Lexington Lions Club, and state and local officials.

Grossl filed House Joint Resolution 93 during the 2026 Regular Session of the Kentucky General Assembly to designate the highway. The designation was subsequently included in Senate Joint Resolution 139 as part of a larger road and bridge naming resolution, which was signed into law in April.