The Kentucky Army National Guard cut the ribbon Aug. 24, on a new field maintenance shop in Burlington that officials say will pull military truck traffic off I-75 and I-71, a change local commuters should notice on two of the region's most congested corridors.

The more than 25,000-square-foot facility at the Burlington Readiness Center, 2676 Conrad Lane, will service modern military vehicles for Guard units across Northern Kentucky. The project cost $15 million, according to a WLWT post.

Maj. Gen. Haldane B. Lamberton, Kentucky's adjutant general, spoke at the 10 a.m. ceremony, which was open to the public.

"This facility strengthens our readiness and self-sufficiency, while providing our Soldiers with the resources they need to respond safely and effectively to whatever challenges lie ahead," Lamberton said.

Guard officials said the shop's location means vehicles that previously had to travel the interstate corridors for maintenance can now be serviced locally, reducing heavy military traffic on I-75 and I-71. The facility also gives mechanics an upgraded workspace compared to older Guard infrastructure, according to the NKY Tribune.

The Burlington Readiness Center already serves as a base for Guard operations in Boone County. Adding the maintenance shop on the same campus keeps repair work close to the units that need it rather than routing armored vehicles and heavy trucks south on congested interstates to reach other facilities.

For drivers who share those highways daily, fewer military convoys means one less source of slowdowns during peak commute hours. The Guard has not announced a timeline for when the shop will reach full operational capacity.