SOMERSET, Ky (LEX News) — A major transportation project in southern Kentucky took a significant step forward Tuesday after U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers announced an $85 million federal grant for Somerset’s Northern Bypass.
The funding comes through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Infrastructure for Rebuilding America, or INFRA, grant program. According to Rogers, the award is the third-largest federal transportation grant in Kentucky history.
Combined with two previously secured congressional earmarks totaling $82 million, the project has now received $167 million in federal funding, clearing the way for the next phase of development.
“We are going to blast through rock walls to open up a new expressway for southern Kentucky. This 8-mile bypass paves the way for I-365, linking us east to west from I-65 to I-75 and on throughout Eastern Kentucky,” Rogers said during a press conference in Somerset.
The planned bypass would create a new route around the northern side of Somerset and is expected to improve traffic flow, safety and regional connectivity while supporting economic development across southern Kentucky.
State Rep. Ken Upchurch called the project an investment in the future of the region.
“This is a tremendous investment in the future of Pulaski County and Southern Kentucky,” Upchurch said. “The Northern Bypass is beyond a road project. It is an investment in the future of this region.”
Pulaski County Judge-Executive Marshall Todd said local leaders have worked closely with Rogers and Kentucky's congressional delegation to advance the project.
“The Northern Bypass represents yet another significant step forward in that partnership and will help lay the foundation for an East-West highway system connecting communities from I-65 to I-75,” Todd said.
Supporters say the bypass is a key piece of a broader vision to improve east-west transportation connections across Kentucky, potentially creating stronger links between communities from western Kentucky to the eastern part of the state.
Officials said that with the federal funding now secured, construction on the Northern Bypass could begin as early as the summer of 2027.
