Daviess County OKs $40,000 local match for I‑165 interchange feasibility study; state grant to cover cost

Daviess County Fiscal Court voted Feb. 4 to provide a $40,000 local match for a $200,000 federal planning grant to study the feasibility of adding an interchange on I‑165, and approved a resolution to seek state reimbursement for that match.

The study, administered through the Owensboro–Daviess County Metropolitan Planning Organization, is funded by a $200,000 federal planning grant. The grant is an 80/20 award that makes Daviess County responsible for a $40,000 local share. Court members approved a separate resolution, labeled 02‑2025, authorizing county staff to pursue state funds to cover the $40,000 match.

Jordan Johnson, a county staff member who presented the item, said the county intends to apply to the state grant program created by House Bill 723 to reimburse the local match. "The grant program through the cabinet for economic development, which was established by House Bill 723, makes state funding available to assist in meeting the non‑federal share of federal grant program applications," Johnson told the court.

Tom Lovett, director of the Owensboro–Daviess County MPO, said the $200,000 comes from a federal planning pool distributed through the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to MPOs. "This money is the money that we have — the $200,000. Yes, it is for studying a potential interchange on I‑165. That's all we can do do it for," Lovett said, explaining the award is specific to the I‑165 interchange feasibility study.

Commissioner Marksberry recorded a no vote on the feasibility study commitment and later explained his opposition, saying he fears the interchange could be the start of a larger