McConnell announces $14.1M grant to complete Town Branch Commons Corridor

HENDERSON, Ky. (WTVQ) – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced today that the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government has received a $14.1 million competitive federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation which will be used to complete the Town Branch Commons Corridor (TBCC) project. The grant was awarded by DOT’s TIGER discretionary grant program.

TBCC is a comprehensive trail, greenway and park system that in addition to providing recreation activities for Central Kentuckians, will also, according to city officials, improve transit access and reduce pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular conflicts in the area. The federal grant award will allow the city to complete the project.

“This is great news for the people of Lexington,” Senator McConnell said. “The TBCC will help connect Lexington’s urban core to its rural areas and provide enhanced accessibility to green spaces and improve mobility and safety in the area by connecting low and middle income neighborhoods to downtown Lexington and a number of important community facilities.”

Earlier this year, Senator McConnell reached out to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx on behalf of the City of Lexington. Senator McConnell informed Secretary Foxx that the project “has the potential to address multiple overlapping community needs by developing new public green space and by connecting neighborhoods with educational institutions, and tourist, entertainment, and historical sites.”

Mayor Gray released a statement regarding the grant, saying, “This is a true watershed moment for our city and our downtown.  Thanks to Senator McConnell for meeting with us to discuss the project and for his early support of the Town Branch Commons corridor.  Senator McConnell’s willingness to help secure this highly competitive grant by weighing in numerous times with Transportation Secretary Foxx and the U.S. Department of Transportation was crucial to the success of obtaining this beneficial economic development project for Central Kentucky.”