$25 million federal RAISE grant will support efforts to rebuild city

FRANKFORT, KY – On June 26, 2024, Gov. Andy Beshear highlighted a $31.5 million effort to revitalize the city of Mayfield’s downtown, which was badly damaged by the deadly tornado outbreak on Dec. 10, 2021.

The Rebuild Downtown Mayfield project is moving forward thanks to a $25 million federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity, or RAISE, grant that was announced today by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The balance of the project will be paid for by $6.3 million in state transportation funding and an additional $200,000 in other federal funding.

The effort aims to improve quality of life in Mayfield by supporting job growth, increasing driver and pedestrian safety, improving clean water systems, replacing trees lost in the disaster and building ADA accessible routes to buildings. The project will also connect new residential homes constructed for displaced renters and homeowners to city services, jobs and activities, including a new farmers market.

This devastating natural disaster took the lives of 24 Mayfield residents, destroyed more than 400 structures and damaged 1,100 others. Shortly after the tornadoes, President Joe Biden joined Gov. Beshear in Mayfield, and they pledged to help the city rebuild.

“After that storm, we made a promise to be with Western Kentucky until every life and structure was rebuilt,” Gov. Beshear said. “We have seen successes in building hundreds of new homes for people who lost everything. But another major part of keeping our promise lies in making sure these communities recover and thrive. We thank the president and his administration for their commitment to help us rebuild Mayfield for the bright future we see coming our way.”

“Two and a half years ago the people of Mayfield were told by President Biden that we would not be forgotten by the federal government in our quest to rebuild after the tornado of December 10, 2021, destroyed so much in the heart of our community,” said Mayfield Mayor Kathy O’Nan. “The award of this RAISE grant is a monumental part of the fulfillment of that promise; every level of government has done exactly what they said they would do. We are truly Mayfield Strong – but not without the help that this opportunity brings – and we are most grateful.”

As part of the effort to secure the grant, Gov. Beshear and Mayor O’Nan sent letters of recommendation to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and had dozens of conversations and meetings with federal officials to advocate for the funding.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will help the city of Mayfield by administering the grant and providing support from experienced staff who have managed large-scale, federally funded projects. Staff have been involved in multiple recovery efforts since the tornadoes hit, including clearing debris, inspecting bridges, repairing traffic signals and signs, and securing travel trailers for transitional housing. Once complete, this project will be a model “complete street” that provides safe and equitable connections for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.

“From day one, we committed to being in it for the long haul to help tornado survivors recover their lives, and we are proud to partner with the city of Mayfield to further restore this community through transportation improvements that promote safety, sustainability and opportunity,” said Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Jim Gray. “This funding will allow us to lift, rebuild and strengthen the community with multimodal improvements that serve all road users well into the future.”

The downtown revitalization is part of a comprehensive effort by the Beshear administration to rebuild areas affected by the 2021 storms.

Most recently, in June, Gov. Beshear announced a record $223 million to build 953 rental units in affected Western Kentucky communities.

In May, the Governor joined local officials and nonprofit leaders to dedicate 10 new homes for tornado survivors in Mayfield.

In March, Gov. Beshear visited Mayfield to dedicate eight new homes for tornado survivors and present $21 million for high-speed internet and economic development.

Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund 
More than $21.6 million has been committed from the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund to construct or repair 300 homes. To date, more than 200 homes have been built, are under construction or have been approved for construction to begin. Launched just days after the tornadoes in December 2021, the fund has raised over $52.3 million, with donations from over 150,000 individuals and businesses. In addition to building homes, the money raised helped pay funeral expenses for the families of the deceased and provided assistance to survivors as well as local farmers.

Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation also announced federal grant funding for the Reconnecting Covington Central Riverfront Hub and Boone County Complete Streets planning grant.