Project provides needed improvements for access to BlueOval SK site

Elizabethtown, KY – On April 12, 2024, Gov. Andy Beshear joined federal, state, local and business officials in Hardin County for a ceremonial ribbon cutting to celebrate the substantial completion of the new Interstate Highway 65 / Kentucky Highway 222 interchange near Glendale and the BlueOval SK battery plants site. The project realigns KY 222 and provides a safer, more efficient interchange to carry car and truck traffic.

Designed over a decade ago in anticipation of an industrial manufacturer locating to the Glendale Megasite, the project was advertised and awarded in early 2022, soon after the BlueOval SK location announcement. The project involved constructing a new I-65/KY 222 single-point urban interchange (SPUI) with a new overpass, new interstate ramps and new intersections – one at KY 222 and U.S. Highway 31W, and one at the entrance road into the BlueOval SK battery plant site.

“Good infrastructure is a must to ensure safe roads for our Kentucky families,” said Gov. Beshear. “The new interchange not only supports the ongoing construction of the BlueOval SK battery plants, it will also handle the future influx of commuters benefiting from the good-paying jobs this historic investment is creating.”

The project allows more vehicles to pass through and use the connecting entrance to BlueOval SK, accommodating the anticipated workforce commuting to and from the electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility.

“The new I-65/KY 222 interchange will make it easier and safer for people to navigate Glendale and the BlueOval SK site. We’re excited to see the progress in Hardin County and thrilled to be part of the developing community,” said BlueOval SK CEO Michael Adams.

The new KY 222 bridge spanning I-65 opened to traffic on Dec. 16, 2023, and the former bridge was demolished in early 2024. The new interchange increased highway traffic capacity, improving a previously congested configuration for exiting interstate travelers to allow better access to local businesses for fuel and dining.

The new design also addresses previous safety concerns and connectivity to U.S. 31W on the east side of the interstate, along with improved safety and access toward the Glendale community along KY 222 on the west side of the interstate. Scotty’s Contracting and Stone of Bowling Green was awarded the $37.9 million project contract.

“Significantly improved infrastructure is a must for Hardin County residents, workers and visitors to ensure safe, efficient roadways,” said Hardin County Judge-Executive Keith Taul. “These improvements meet not only the current but also the future transportation goals to support the BlueOval SK battery plants, existing and future businesses, commuters and residents of this developing area of Hardin County.”

Now open and operational, only final touches remain on the interchange project over the next several weeks. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will continue working toward additional infrastructure projects in the vicinity to address needed improvements. The KY 1136 (Gilead Church Road) widening project on the southern border of the BlueOval SK site is currently in the right-of-way phase of development, and recommendations from the Glendale Mobility Study are in the early stages of survey and design.

The interchange announcement comes on the heels of the best four-year period for economic growth in state history.

Since the beginning of his administration, Gov. Beshear has announced more than 1,000 private-sector new-location and expansion projects totaling over $30.5 billion in announced investments, creating more than 52,500 jobs. This is the highest investment figure secured during the tenure of any governor in the commonwealth’s history.

Gov. Beshear has announced some of the largest economic development projects in state history, which have solidified Kentucky as the electric vehicle battery production capital of the United States, including Ford Motor Co. and SK On’s transformative $5.8 billion, 5,000-job BlueOval SK Battery Park in Hardin County.

Click here to learn more about BlueOval SK.