Committee backs pilot allowing counties to use state road aid for chip‑and‑seal and recycled asphalt

The House Transportation Committee adopted a title amendment and reported House Bill 622, a pilot program sponsored by Chair John Blanton that would let counties use a share of state road aid to apply chip‑and‑seal or recycled asphalt "wrap" on gravel county roads.

Blanton told the committee the pilot would run through 2030 and allow counties to use up to a portion of their state road aid equal to the percentage of county roads that are gravel. He offered the example that if 20% of a county's roads were gravel, the county could elect to use up to 20% of its state‑allocated county road aid for chip‑and‑seal or wrap on those roads. "If 20% of the roadways in the county are currently gravel, then they could use up to 20% of their funding to use chip and seal, and or wrap," Blanton said.

Blanton said wrap refers to recycled asphalt and can be used if the asphalt mixture meets performance standards set by the Transportation Cabinet. Members questioned funding mechanics, whether the pilot is limited to rural or urban counties (Blanton said any county may participate) and whether costs would be charged against county budgets if they exceed the share; Blanton said counties retain discretion and that reporting back to the Transportation Cabinet and the Legislative Research Commission is required.

A motion and second carried; the committee adopted a title amendment and reported HB 622 with favorable expression. The committee thanked staff and adjourned.

If the bill becomes law, counties would have an option to apply chip‑and‑seal or recycled asphalt to gravel roads using a capped share of existing county road aid funds; additional budget or implementation details would depend on further floor action or implementing guidance from the Transportation Cabinet.