By Brenna R. Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Several major road projects in Northern Kentucky are to get more money and to be built sooner under the proposed six-year road plan presented to state lawmakers Wednesday.

But other area projects have been put on the back burner because of the state's billion-dollar budget deficit.

The state's road plan, which Gov. Ernie Fletcher delivered to lawmakers Wednesday, is updated every two years and serves as the state's guide for all road construction. The plan still must be approved by the General Assembly.

"We are very pleased with the six-year plan as it relates to Kenton County," said Scott Kimmich, deputy judge-executive in the county.

In Kenton, $18 million was slated to widen Ky. 17 next year while construction of Ky. 16 was pushed from 2006 to 2007.

Also, the $11.4 million widening of Turkeyfoot Road from Autumn to West Richardson roads, which was supposed to start in November, has been moved to 2006.

Most of the projects delayed in the new plan are to be paid for by the state. The plan includes $1.5 billion in state-funded projects, but the transportation cabinet has only $200 million to pay for them.

In Boone County, one of the most important projects to county officials and residents - the widening of Ky. 237 north of Interstate 275 - was sped up by a year and construction is now scheduled to begin in 2008.

"I am extremely pleased that the administration has shown its support for our needs in Boone County," Moore said.

But the widening of Ky. 536 from U.S. 42 to Interstate 75 was pushed back two years, and the widening of U.S. 25 was pushed back four years.

"There are some successes," Moore said.

A project to widen Ky. 237 (Pleasant Valley Road and Camp Ernst Road) was split into two, which are slated to get $20 million in pre-construction costs next year. A construction date was not set.

In Campbell County, extending Pond Creek Road from U.S. 27 to the AA Highway has "slipped" from the plan because of higher priorities. A project to paint the bridges over Interstate 471 was pushed back two years.

Several projects were added to the six-year plan, including rebuilding two Interstate 75 interchanges in Boone County.

Two major projects that were to begin this year but were delayed because of the budget shortfall - the widening of Turfway Road in Florence and Ky. 17 in Kenton County - were funded in the plan. Construction should begin next year.

E-mail bkelly@enquirer.com