Local legislator pushing U.S. 460 four-lane project

By TONY FYFFE

BSN Editor

PAINTSVILLE — A state legislator from the Big Sandy region is pushing for funding for a project to four-lane U.S. 460 between Johnson and Magoffin counties.

“I think this is the best thing for our region,” state Rep. Bobby McCool said of the federal highway widening project that is in Kentucky’s six-year road plan.

Classified as a “major widening” project in the plan, the U.S. 460 work would stretch from the intersection with Ky. 114 in Magoffin County to the interchange with U.S. 23 in Johnson County, according to the plan. More specifically, it would run from mile point 0.000 to 7.620 in Johnson County and from mile point 14.566 to 20.406 in Magoffin County.

The price tag for the work is $175,641,800, which includes $2 million in fiscal year 2022 and $5.950 million in 2023 for design, $7.212 million in 2024 for right-of-way acquisition, $10.479 in 2025 for utility relocation and $150 million in 2026 for construction.

McCool wants to see the project moved up on the priority ladder to coincide with the ongoing 46-mile Mountain Parkway expansion. That project includes an additional 16 miles of the four-lane road from the U.S. 460/Ky. 114 junction in Salyersville to U.S. 23 in Prestonsburg.

A public meeting on the new Ky. 114 section of the roadwork was held in November 2015 to discuss the two route options considered for the project.

“No decision has been made on whether to widen the Parkway along the existing corridor (KY 114), or to build a new road along a cross-country corridor to the north of KY 114,” according to the Mountain Parkway Expansion website.

Construction of the Ky. 114 work “depends on funding that will be allotted by the Kentucky General Assembly and has not yet been finalized.

As important as the Salyersville-to-Prestonsburg parkway construction is, McCool says the U.S. 460 project should receive high priority because it would give “closer access to the east-west corridor” and benefit travelers from Lawrence and Martin counties.

“It would open up the gate for us,” the Van Lear Republican said.

McCool said the Ky. 114 project will ultimately connect Floyd and Pike counties to the Mountain Parkway, while leaving Johnson, Martin, Lawrence and Boyd counties “still disconnected.” He said the U.S. 460 widening plan will provide four-lane access to many other Eastern Kentucky counties and neighboring West Virginia via Martin County.

“A four-lane is really not complete until it connects to another four lane,” McCool said.

He also said the U.S. 460 project is “much less” expensive than the Ky. 114 work and provides the most efficient and cost-effective solution.

In addition, the U.S. 460 project will support Kentucky’s presence as a “logistical hub,” promote regional economic development, improve the quality of life in the region and provide enhanced highway safety.

The U.S. 460 work will require “very few” right-of-way acquisitions and affect only one bridge and no railroads, he said.

Another plus will allow an interconnect between Paintsville Utilities and Magoffin County water, according to McCool.

“The opportunity to increase the waterline size will provide Magoffin County with a secondary water source or even a primary water source, if necessary, to support their future economic growth,” he said. “Paintsville Utilities has an intake on Paintsville Lake creating a high-quality and high-capacity water supply that has the potential to support neighboring counties.”