$23 million in state funds will improve roads near Kentucky schools

Published 5:39 am Thursday, April 22, 2021

Kentucky will spend $23 million to improve highway safety near public schools, according to the governor’s office.

The dollars will fund nearly 70 projects in 44 counties. Some of the projects include sidewalks and new turning lanes near schools, the governor’s office said in a media release.

Funding will go to a warning system at a tight railroad underpass near the University of Louisville’s campus. Large trucks over the years have crashed into the roof of the underpass, and the tight spot has become known as “the can opener” on social media. Officials plan to install a height detection warning that flashes and a digital message to warn truck drivers if their vehicle won’t clear the underpass.

Other project sites are schools in Hopkins County, Bardstown and London. The funding was allocated in the 2020 Highway Plan, the governor’s office said.