# Kentucky secures $73M in federal transportation grants **Published:** 2026-07-09T14:23:12.000Z **Source:** [Lane Report (KY Business)](https://www.lanereport.com/188367/2026/07/kentucky-receives-3-u-s-department-of-transportation-grants-totaling-73-million/) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/kentucky-secures-73m-in-federal-transportation-grants Gov. Andy Beshear announced on July 8 that Kentucky has secured three grants totaling $73 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program, according to [reporting from the Lane Report](https://www.lanereport.com/188367/2026/07/kentucky-receives-3-u-s-department-of-transportation-grants-totaling-73-million/). The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will receive a $25 million BUILD grant to expand truck parking at seven rest areas in Oldham, Boone, Woodford and Bullitt counties. The project will nearly double designated truck parking spaces from 201 to 387 along four major freight corridors on Interstates 64, 65, 71 and 75. The expansion also includes new Truck Parking Information Systems and additional restroom facilities at the southbound I-75 Boone County site, addressing a national priority to improve safety for commercial drivers. A second $24 million BUILD grant awarded to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet in partnership with Frankfort will support replacement of the historic Singing Bridge, which [was closed in August 2024](https://franklincounty.ky.gov/immediate-closure-of-the-singing-bridge-in-downtown-frankfort-following-inspection/) following structural inspections that found significant deterioration. The 130-year-old bridge, known for the humming sound vehicles make on its metal grid deck, carried approximately 4,000 vehicles daily before closure. A public meeting was held late last year to present preliminary replacement plans, with another meeting anticipated to gather feedback on preferred designs before final design and construction phases begin. The third $24 million BUILD grant goes to the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority to expand the main riverport at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers. The expansion, called [Riverport West](https://paducahriverport.org/), will serve as an extension of the existing main public port, which is at full capacity. The new facility will be located adjacent to the Triple Rail Site, a 1,000-acre property marketed for its multimodal transportation access. Paducah is a major hub for barge companies operating on the nation's inland waterways. Transportation Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Goodman said in a statement that the investment reflects Kentucky's commitment to infrastructure supporting the state's economy and quality of life. The federal government awarded $1.73 billion in BUILD grants to 127 projects nationwide this year, with Kentucky's three awards representing a significant share of this competitive funding. ## Sources - [Lane Report (KY Business)](https://www.lanereport.com/188367/2026/07/kentucky-receives-3-u-s-department-of-transportation-grants-totaling-73-million/) - [Immediate Closure of the 'Singing Bridge' in Downtown Frankfort Following Inspection](https://franklincounty.ky.gov/immediate-closure-of-the-singing-bridge-in-downtown-frankfort-following-inspection/) - [Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority](https://paducahriverport.org/) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Lane Report (KY Business), enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://www.lanereport.com/188367/2026/07/kentucky-receives-3-u-s-department-of-transportation-grants-totaling-73-million/.