By Leslie Cupp, Office of Congressman Hal Rogers

"This funding will allow UK to conduct valuable transportation research that could ultimately benefit the state as well as the entire nation. Overall, this legislation provides funding for transportation-related projects that are vital Kentucky. We are working hard to strengthen our economy, boost tourism and create new jobs. This funding will go a long way in helping us achieve our goals."

-- Congressman Hal Rogers

Oct. 10, 2002 (Washington, D.C.) The House Appropriations Committee has approved the FY 2003 House Transportation Appropriations bill, authored by U.S. Representative Harold "Hal" Rogers (KY-5), that includes significant funding for transportation projects across Kentucky, including targeted support for tourism-related priorities. Congressman Rogers is the chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, which has spending authority over U.S. Department of Transportation programs.

The measure contains $526 million for Kentucky transportation projects. This amount includes more than $96 million for targeted transportation projects throughout Kentucky -- of which $47.53 million will fund specific projects in the 5th Congressional District, which Rogers represents. This funding also contains $429.6 million in federal highway and transit formula grant money in the coming fiscal year. An additional $100 million is provided in the bill for Appalachian regional highway corridors.

Congressman Rogers also provided $3.64 million in funding for the following University of Kentucky projects:

-- $2 million for the UK Academy for Community Transportation Innovation -- funding will be used to educate transportation professionals and study transportation development, planning and design of suburban and rural areas.

-- $1.64 million for commercial vehicle monitoring by UK and Veridian along I-75.

"The Kentucky Transportation Center at the University of Kentucky has a long history of working to improve the safety and efficiency of trucking operations throughout North America," said UK President Lee T. Todd, Jr. "We are proud to be partners with the CUBRC/Veridian team, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and Lexington Cartage Company in this vitally important project. We believe the onboard systems being developed and deployed through this project can have a significant impact on safety and operational efficiency for the motor carrier industry."

"This funding will allow UK to conduct valuable transportation research that could ultimately benefit the state as well as the entire nation," said Rogers. "Overall, this legislation provides funding for transportation-related projects that are vital Kentucky. We are working hard to strengthen our economy, boost tourism and create new jobs. This funding will go a long way in helping us achieve our goals."

The bill advanced by Rogers today includes $4.5 million for Interstate 66 efforts -- including $2.5 million to begin designing the northern bypass connector to I-66 in Somerset and $2 million for ongoing efforts in Pike County. The bill also contains: $1 million for Kentucky to establish a Statewide Transportation Operations Center to serve as a clearinghouse for public travel information, $11 million for rural bus facility needs in southern and eastern Kentucky, and $1 million for continued work on a project to straighten a dangerous section of the Daniel Boone Parkway in Leslie County between mileposts 37 and 44. Rogers also included $1.425 million for improvements to our new National Scenic Byways, including the Country Music Highway, the Wilderness Road Heritage Highway and the Cumberland Cultural Heritage Highway.