US 460 Reconstruction Project Earns MAASTO Regional Award
Big congratulations to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) on receiving the Quality of Life/Community Development Large Project Award for “Bridging Mountains, Connecting Lives: The Reconstruction of US 460” in the Mid America Association of State Transportation Officials (MAASTO) region of the 2026 America’s Transportation Awards competition.
Selected as one of just 12 regional winners from 27 projects submitted by 10 states in the MAASTO region, this honor is part of the 2026 America’s Transportation Awards competition. Sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the program recognizes transportation projects that deliver meaningful benefits to communities and improve mobility, safety, and quality of life.
We’re also proud to share that this transformative project has earned these other major awards:
2026 Grand Conceptor Award Winner – American Council of Engineering Companies of Kentucky
2026 Grand Award - American Council of Engineering Excellence Awards (was one of eight projects to receive a Grand Award out of 240 projects submitted nationwide)
Members of KYTC accepting the award at the 2026 MAASTO Annual Meeting in Cincinnati, OH.
Photo courtesy of KYTC
Palmer Engineering is proud to have served as the design firm for this significant project. The reconstruction of US 460 represents an important investment in Eastern Kentucky’s transportation infrastructure, creating safer, stronger connections and improving mobility for the communities and travelers who rely on this corridor.
The award was presented during the MAASTO Annual Meeting in Cincinnati on August 12. As a regional winner, the US 460 project also has the opportunity to advance to AASHTO’s Top 12, which will be announced in early September.
Congratulations to everyone who made this achievement possible!