Beshear Breaks Ground on Final Segment of Mountain Parkway Expansion

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear held a press conference Monday morning in Prestonsburg to announce the groundbreaking of the final segment of the Mountain Parkway Expansion project.

The Mountain Parkway Expansion is a 45-mile transportation improvement initiative designed to create a wider and safer connection between eastern Kentucky and the rest of the state. On Monday, officials broke ground on the Magoffin-Floyd segment, a 13-mile, four-lane stretch of roadway that will extend east from Salyersville to Prestonsburg.

The Magoffin-Floyd segment is the last of six total segments to be constructed — and the only one involving the construction of an entirely new roadway. Gov. Beshear called the milestone “coming through on a promise,” noting that the Mountain Parkway Expansion has been decades in the making.

“This is a monumental announcement and investment for Eastern Kentucky and Appalachia,” Beshear said. “The number one need in infrastructure to put a new factory, a new business in a place is a four-lane highway, and Central Appalachia has never had one that goes directly uninterrupted to Central Kentucky and other parts of the country.”

He emphasized that beyond economic development, the project enhances daily life for eastern Kentuckians by improving road safety and reducing travel times.

“It’s getting the church safe, and it’s getting your kids to school safely, and then it’s saving time on your commute,” Beshear said. “Twenty more minutes every single day with your family adds up to incredible memories.”

Construction of the Magoffin-Floyd Segment Will Include:

• 13 miles of new four-lane highway

• Multiple new bridge structures over waterways and existing roads

• A modern roundabout at the eastern terminus in Prestonsburg

• An estimated 30 million cubic yards of excavation

In total, the Mountain Parkway Expansion will widen 32 miles of the existing parkway and add new roadway connections to better serve the region.

Project Segment Timeline:

• Wolfe County – 11 miles | August 2022 – 2026

• Morgan County – 8.2 miles | 2017 – 2021

• Magoffin County West – 4.6 miles | 2019 – 2025

• Magoffin County Central – 5.7 miles | 2015 – 2018

• Salyersville Restaurant Row – 2.4 miles | 2016 – 2019

• Magoffin-Floyd – 13 miles | 2025 – TBD

The Mountain Parkway Expansion represents a major step toward revitalizing infrastructure in the region, with the goal of fostering economic growth, improving safety, and enhancing quality of life for residents across eastern Kentucky.