Perry County receives $269,000 for Fort Branch Road bridge repairs

The Perry County Fiscal Court will receive $269,000 through Kentucky’s County and City Bridge Improvement Program to repair the Fort Branch Road bridge, according to a Kentucky Transportation Cabinet announcement on July 2, 2026.

The project is associated with Fort Branch, which Perry County lists as one of its communities. It is relevant to Hazard readers because Hazard is the seat of Perry County and the county’s government center, while the county road index places Fort Branch Road off Big Branch Road and KY 7.

What the award covers

The approved project will replace the bridge’s entire deck, barriers and all superstructure components. KYTC says the work is intended to preserve the bridge’s service life for travelers and support long-term access along the route.

The award is part of the seventh round of the state’s County and City Bridge Improvement Program. That round provides $5.5 million for 10 bridge projects in eight counties and two cities. KYTC says its engineers reviewed and validated the projects before the awards were announced.

A July 2 report by Hazard-based WYMT also identified the Perry County award and described the planned deck, barrier and superstructure work as intended to extend the bridge’s service life.

Where the project fits

Perry County’s road index lists Fort Branch Road as reached from KY 7 by way of Big Branch Road. That confirms the project’s place within the county road system, but the reviewed records do not provide the bridge’s exact milepoint, structure number or traffic count.

The available sources also do not establish that the bridge is inside Hazard city limits. The documented connection to Hazard is through Perry County’s government and transportation service area, not a claim that the bridge itself is a city project.

What is not yet known

The July 2 funding announcement does not identify a construction start date, contractor, completion date, closure schedule, detour or traffic-control plan. It also does not state that the Fort Branch Road bridge is currently closed, weight-restricted or unsafe.

KYTC said four bridges included in the statewide funding round are currently closed and that the others have weight restrictions, but the release does not specify which condition, if any, applies to the Fort Branch Road bridge.

Readers who use the route should watch future notices from the Perry County Fiscal Court and KYTC for bidding, scheduling and travel information. The funding has been awarded, but construction timing and any temporary travel changes remain unreported in the reviewed sources.

Sources

• Kentucky Transportation Cabinet bridge awards release, July 2, 2026
• WYMT report on eastern Kentucky bridge funding