$20 million in funding to support new Cave City Area Agriculture Exposition Center

BARREN COUNTY, Ky. – U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell announced Tuesday that he has secured $117 million in federal funding for Kentucky airports, highways and economic development projects.

McConnell helped shape the legislation, and now it’s headed to President Donald Trump for his signature.

According to McConnell’s office, $20 million is slated for a new Cave City Area Agriculture Exposition Center in Barren County.

The project will create a regional agriculture center designed to host events and boost local economic development, McConnell’s office says.

According to a release by McConnell’s office, $30 million will go to Kentucky highways, while $36 million will go to Kentucky airports, and $50 million will fund economic development projects.

Additional development projects include the following, according to the release:

• $11 million for the McCreary County Heritage Foundation.
• $7 million for Louisville Metro Government. The City of Louisville will use this funding to redevelop crumbling infrastructure at the Belvedere.
• $6.6 million to build a new childcare facility in Owensboro. The City of Owensboro is facing a shortage in childcare facilities and the Owensboro Family YMCA, in response, aims to redevelop an existing building to increase childcare availability.
• $4.5 million for the City of Covington. The Covington Central Riverfront Podium and Land Bridge Infrastructure project will see construction of a new pedestrian-friendly connection for the city’s newest mixed-use business district on the site of the former IRS facility.
• $1.45 million for the Southern Pulaski Economic Development Authority. The development authority will construct an overpass to connect an emerging business park with Kentucky Highway 80, Hal Rogers Parkway, via Barnesburg Road.

Kentucky airport projects include the following:

• Elizabethtown Regional Airport (EKX) ($9.25 million)
  • $9 million for enabling design work and land acquisition for the new runway once the initial study is complete.
  • $250,000 to reorient their runway at an estimated cost of $100 million. These funds will enable a study that will inform future efforts to facilitate the larger project.
• Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) ($9.5 million)
  • $7.5 million to support reconstructing a portion of Taxiway M critical for the operation of cargo flights.
  • $2 million to support reconstructing an apron that serves all twenty-one gates for Concourse A.
• $9.6 million for Louisville International Airport (SDF)
  • SDF will develop a Federal Inspection Service (FIS) facility with two gates that will enable international flights for passengers.
• $5.4 million for Blue Grass Airport (LEX)
  • LEX is undertaking an approximately $400 million expansion of the airport. Part of this work includes the relocation of the air traffic control tower, and these funds, specifically, will enable the tower to be moved at a later date.
• $3.1 million for Barkley Regional Airport (PAH)
  • PAH will use this funding to improve runway lighting systems critical for night operations.

Finally, Kentucky highway projects include the following, according to the release:

• $20 million for the Hal Rogers Parkway Improvement Program for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC)
  • KYTC aims to widen approximately 59 miles of Hal Rogers Parkway. This funding will support the study that will enable the future construction project.
• $10 million to support I-69 Ohio River Crossing (ORX) for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
  • I-69 ORX will see construction of a new bridge for I-69 across the Ohio River in Henderson. This project will support right-of-way acquisition and utility placement for the larger project that is expected to cost, in total, $933 million.