Governor Andy Beshear presents Debbie Mattingly with a check for a new shuttle bus.
From left to right: Mayor Debra Cotterill, State Representative William Lawrence, Senator Steve West, Debbie Mattingly, Governor Andy Beshear and Judge-Executive Owen McNeill.
State Representative William Lawrence, Senator Steve West, Debra Cotterill and Governor Andy Beshear posing with a check to improve four Kentucky roads.
City Commissioner Andrew Wood, State Representative William Lawrence, City Commissioner Ann Brammer, City Commissioner David Cartmell, Senator Steve West, Mayor Debra Cotterill, Governor Andy Beshear and Judge-Executive Owen McNeill pose with a check that will help improve transportation in the downtown area.
Governor Andy Beshear announced $2 million in funding to improve transportation in Maysville.
While visiting Maysville on Wednesday, Beshear joined state and local leaders to celebrate the commencement of work on the Hayswood Brownfield Cleanup Project and the ribbon cutting for the new PrimaryPlus J. Ugrin Medical Center.
During the commencement for the old hospital, Beshear presented over $2 million in funding allocated to the improvement of transportation in the region.
Funding for $55,237 was awarded from a Federal Transit Administration grant which gifted the Maysville Transit System the opportunity to purchase a new shuttle bus with the hopes that public transportation will be more accessible to its residents.
“This new bus will enhance public transportation in this community, it’ll help families get to important appointments, it’ll make getting around a little bit easier. Debbie Mattingly the Maysville Transit manager was instrumental in securing this funding,” stated Beshear before he presented the check to Mattingly.
The next check presented was for $176,250 in discretionary transportation funds to the city of Maysville to resurface several roads; Lakeview Glen Drive, Glenbrook Circle, Glenbrook Drive and Glen Drive.
“Kentucky’s families deserve smooth safe roads where you can get to church, to school, to get to your next appointment and you can do it safely,” said Beshear.
The check was presented to Maysville Mayor Debra Cotterill.
“We didn’t have the funds to do these roads so this is truly meaningful,” Cotterill expressed.
Beshear asked the mayor to stay at the podium as he announced the last and largest financial funding check presentation.
He announced funding from the Transportation Alternatives Program in the amount of $1,864,881 which will support the construction of new sidewalks that will better connect West and East Second St with Limestone Landing and the Maysville River Park.
“When you think about investment, it’s not just in our roads, it’s in the sidewalks, it’s in the communities, it’s in the downtowns that draw so many people especially here to Maysville,” said Beshear.
Beshear stated that this funding will allow more opportunities for residents to safely walk or bike around the downtown area.
Cotterill conveyed gratefulness to Beshear and stated that the funds would help to meet the match that was needed in federal funding to make this project a reality.
“With tourism being one of the economic engines in Maysville and Mason County and for our total region, this really helps to solidify and again stretch those dollars and gets us to a point of a more walkable city. And it provides some additional sidewalks where those with disabilities can motivate and hopefully get our people outside, more healthy mentally physically and to be able to share that with our tourism folks as well so thank you, governor,” concluded Cotterill.
Once all checks were presented, Beshear turned his attention to the success that Kentucky has had in the last several years.
“Good things are happening in Kentucky. It’s an exciting time,” said Beshear. “We have broken economic impact records for tourism two straight years and while it is just the end of October, I can tell you that 2024 will be the best year for tourism in the history of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.”
Beshear continued by expressing his thoughts on Kentucky’s condition.
“For the first time in my lifetime the rest of the United States is looking up to us instead of looking down on us and that feels pretty good as a Kentuckian,” said Beshear. ”God bless and let’s keep doing really good work for the people of Kentucky.”
