February Severe Weather Created High Damage Costs in Eastern Kentucky

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Highway District 12 officials estimate the cost of road damage to be over $11 million due to February’s severe weather and flooding. Darold Slone, Engineering Branch Manager, said preliminary totals for the seven-county state highway district equal $11,454,500. Slone added that the figure is a “low ballpark” and that the estimates will change as each site is inspected thoroughly. The highest damage estimate was in Letcher County, with costs estimated to be about $3,060,100 across 72 sites. Floyd County had 9 sites surveyed, with estimated damage costs at $1,500,000.

Additional estimates:

JOHNSON COUNTY: Forty-four sites; preliminary estimate – $1,701,000.000.

KNOTT COUNTY: Fifty-one sites; preliminary estimate – $2,017,400.00.

LAWRENCE COUNTY: Twenty-two sites; preliminary estimate – $663,000.00.

MARTIN COUNTY: Nine sites; preliminary estimate — $600,000.00

PIKE COUNTY: Twenty-eight sites; preliminary estimate — $1,910,000.00.