$1.6 Million AMLER Grant Announced for CFX Project in Buchanan County, VA

GRUNDY, VA – (AUGUST 28, 2026) – A $1.6 million grant from Virginia Energy Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) Program to the Buchanan County Industrial Development Authority will provide the remaining funding needed to complete the Corridor Q / Rt 460 / CFX Paving Project, according to Virginia Coalfields Expressway Authority Executive Director Jonathan Belcher.

The funding announcement was made Friday by Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger.

“The AMLER funding announced by the governor is the final piece of the puzzle for this section of the Coalfields Expressway project in Buchanan County,” Belcher said. “It will support design, construction and oversight to expand the Route 460 Connector Phase IIA within Corridor Q from two lanes with truck-climbing lanes to a four-lane highway near the Breaks Interstate Park.”

The US 460 Connector Phase IIA section is a four-mile section of US 460 connecting to the Coalfields Expressway between Rt. 609 and Rt. 80 near the Kentucky state line in Buchanan County, VA.

The Coalfields Expressway, designated as U.S. Rt. 121, is designed to improve connectivity, enhance public safety and create new opportunities for economic growth throughout the coalfield region. When complete, the new highway will improve access to industrial sites, support tourism, strengthen regional transportation networks and provide safer travel routes for residents and businesses.

“The overall project has long been a priority for local leaders and state and federal officials who recognize its importance to the region’s economic future,” Belcher said.

Earlier this year, the expressway project received $7 million in FY27 state funding due to the efforts of Virginia Senator Todd Pillion, who served as a state budget conferee and Del. Will Morefield, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, as well as Virginia Senator Travis Hackworth. The funding requests were originally submitted for General Assembly consideration by Morefield and Hackworth.

On the federal level, Congressman Morgan Griffith, Senator Mark Warner and Senator Tim Kaine have repeatedly gone to bat for the project, securing federal CDS funds, including the most recent $3 million in CDS funding included in the FY26 federal budget.

Buchanan County also provided match funding of $1.75 million for the current project.

Belcher noted the CFX project receiving the AMLER funds is possible because all three levels of government (county, state and federal) recognize the importance of the four-lane to the region and stepped up to provide the funding.

“This will now allow the entire stretch of new highway from Grundy, Va. to Pikeville, Ky. to be finished up as a four-lane highway,” Belcher said.  “We are very grateful to Governor Spanberger and her Administration, as well as the Virginia Department of Energy, and all of our local, state, and federal officials who supported and went to bat for this very important project for the economic future of our region,” said Belcher.

“This newly-announced AMLER funding in Southwest Virginia will be a crucial boost to the region – repurposing land and fostering economic growth in the process,” said Kaine. “I will always advocate for policies and funding that support jobs and infrastructure improvements throughout the Commonwealth.”

“This funding is great news for Southwest Virginia to create good paying jobs and boost economic opportunities for years to come,” said Warner. “I am grateful to see these impactful investments made in Virginia’s mining communities who have given so much to power our nation.”

“This AMLER grant for $1.6 million will provide the Buchanan County IDA with the necessary resources to widen the Route 460 Connector Phase II within Corridor Q to a four-lane highway,” said Griffith. “Buchanan County is using AMLER funds to improve transportation infrastructure and highway access, support economic growth and create investment opportunities through increased accessibility. With new projects set to be announced later, I will continue to fight for additional AMLER opportunities that benefit Virginia’s Ninth District.”

“Transportation infrastructure is critical to the future of Southwest Virginia and completing the Coalfields Expressway ensures that Buchanan County and the surrounding region remain positioned for future growth and development,” Pillion said. “Projects like the Coalfields Expressway are about creating opportunities for future generations, attracting new investment, supporting existing employers and connecting our communities to jobs and markets. The new AMLER funding demonstrates the ongoing commitment that exists for this project.”

“The AMLER funding announced will continue to advance the completion of the Coalfields Expressway project in Buchanan County,” Morefield said. “The CFX is a critical component to the economic future of Buchanan County and Southwest Virginia and each section of the road that is completed positions the region for growth and expansion which will benefit its citizens now and in the years to come.”

“We were very pleased to hear about the approval of the AMLER grant for $1.6 million to the IDA for a section of the CFX in Buchanan County,” said Buchanan County IDA Executive Director Craig Horn. “The CFX is an important infrastructure project in Buchanan County and in our region and this particular project will now allow for the full section of the highway to be a four-lane from Grundy to Pikeville, Ky.”

“The funding provided by the AMLER program is the final step in ensuring Corridor Q in Buchanan County is a true four-lane highway,” said Marty Halloway, P.E., VDOT district project development engineer. “Design work is anticipated to begin soon and we plan to move toward construction in late 2029.”

Belcher noted the expressway authority is already working on planning and fundraising for new projects for additional sections of the Coalfields Expressway, including the sections near Pound and Clintwood, Virginia, as well as the Route 744 connector between Rt. 83 and the expressway in the Southern Gap area.

The funding announced Friday builds upon previous local, state and federal investments that have advanced construction of the expressway and reflects ongoing bipartisan support for infrastructure improvements in Southwest Virginia, Belcher said.

“The successful completion of the Coalfields Expressway project in Virginia requires a strong collaborative approach involving the CFX Authority, the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA), the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), state and federal legislators, the Governor’s office, planning district commissions, localities and key contractors,” Belcher said. “We are pleased to see the AMLER funding approval which continues to advance the overall expressway project.”

About the Virginia Coalfields Expressway Authority:   The Virginia Coalfields Expressway Authority was formed by the Virginia General Assembly in 2017 to improve transportation into, from, within and through Southwest Virginia; to assist in regional economic development; and to generally enhance highway safety in the affected localities of Southwest Virginia.  The Coalfields Expressway, designated as U.S. Route 121 and a Congressional High Priority Corridor, is a proposed limited-access highway to provide a modern, safe and efficient transportation artery through the coalfields region of far Southwest Virginia and southern West Virginia.  The Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority provides staff support to the authority board. www.vceda.us/cfxauthority.

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PHOTO CAPTION: A sign near the turn-off to the Breaks Interstate Park designates the road as the Coalfields Expressway. AMLER funding of $1.6 million for the project in Buchanan County was announced Friday.