Additional funds from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and a federal grant combined for $151 million to be awarded to Boone County for its double diamond interchange project.
The Boone County Fiscal Court voted unanimously to accept a resolution for a memorandum of agreement with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) on Tuesday. The federal infrastructure grant was awarded to KYTC, and the county is offering $2.5 million in seed money. In turn, Boone County will receive $67.4 million in addition to designated KYTC funding, bringing the total investment to $151 million.
The double crossover diamond interchange at Richwood Road and Dixie Highway has been in progress since 2020, and it’s scheduled to be completed in summer 2023. The project will replace the existing Mt. Zion and Richwood Road interchanges in an effort to streamline traffic and accommodate more drivers. It also adds northbound and southbound lanes along Interstate 71/Interstate 75 between Florence and the Kentucky 338 interchange.
County administrator Jeff Earlywine explained the $2.5 million comes from Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District 1– the district housing Boone County’s industrial zone– which will stand to benefit from the project.
He added that right now, semi-truck traffic is often stopped by passing trains east of the Richwood Road and Dixie Highway intersection. The plan is that this grant will also pay for a tunnel to go under the railroad tracks to create “a straight shot” for trucks to go to the industrial park.
According to a recent press release from KYTC, construction is in progress between Tiburon Drive. Soon, the entrance to Kroger from Mt. Zion Road will close temporarily. The closure is scheduled for Friday, April 22, weather permitting, but the store will still be accessible by the Berberich Drive entrance.