Fall 2010/Winter 2011 Horizons Newsletter Now Available

The Fall 2010/Winter 2011 Horizons Newsletter is available on the KIPDA website at http://www.kipda.org/files/PDF/Transportation_Division/Newsletters/KIPDA_Transportation_Newsletter_-_Fall-Winter_2010.pdf.

 

 In this issue you will find information about:

•  An update on the Big Four Bridge
• Two safety projects in New Albany
• KIPDA planning documents completed and approved
• Bullitt County Transportation Study complete
• Trolley rides in Louisville, Jeffersonville

 Also, there is a story in this issue about the Water Taxi in Jeffersonville. KIPDA found out today that this service will be discontinued on Friday. Our newsletter story was completed prior to this information being released.

 

Fines for Texting While Driving Begin January 1, 2011

Just a friendly reminder that beginning Jan. 1, 2011, fines will be issues to anyone caught texting while driving and for those under 18 who use a cell phone while driving.
 
Violators will be liable for fines of $25 on a first offense and $50 on each subsequent offense, plus court costs.

“Safety is a top priority of this administration,” said Gov. Steve Beshear through a press release. “I am convinced that this new law, which many people worked with us to pass, will reduce crashes and fatalities on Kentucky roadways.”

In Kentucky last year, there were more than 57,000 crashes – and more than 200 fatalities -- attributed to driver distraction, inattention and cell phone use. Gov. Beshear signed House Bill 415 into law on April 15, 2010.

A press release from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said the law bans texting for drivers of all ages while the vehicle is in motion. For drivers over 18, it allows the use of global positioning devices and reading, selecting or entering a telephone number or name for the purpose of making a phone call. Texting is allowed only to report illegal activity or to request medical or emergency aid.

Drivers under 18 cannot use personal communication devices such as cell phones and pagers while the vehicle is in motion. The use of a global positioning system is allowed, but manually entering information must be completed while the vehicle is stopped.

Kentucky was the 22nd state to ban texting while driving. Currently, 30 states and the District of Columbia ban text messaging for all drivers. Twelve of these laws were enacted in 2010 alone.

Information on distracted driving is at http://distraction.gov and http://highwaysafety.ky.gov/.

Federal Certification Review Complete, Results Available Online

The Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration have completed the Federal Ceritification Review for the Louisville Southern Indiana Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), its planning partners and the areas planning process.

Federal reviewers came to the KIPDA offices and met with staff and the planning partners to obtain information on the planning practices and also held a public meeting. The results of their finding are as follows:

Corrective actions - which are elements of the planning process that are not being adequately addressed  by the MPO:

(1) States are required to develop planning agreements with the MPOs to clarify roles and responsibilities and to explain how they will work cooperatively in the development of planning tools such as metropolitan transportation plans and transportation improvement programs. The review team found a lack of clarity and certainty regarding identification of projects and revenues in the metropolitan region and issues a corrective action to the MPO and the two states that the planning agreements must be updated to more clearly describe the process used by them to develop revenue estimates and projects' cost.

(2) The Horizon 2030 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) expired on December 8, 2009, and the MPO is in a one-year grace period. The MPO had to approve a new MTP or complete and update to the current document by December 8, 2010 (we have since done this!), to avoid conformity and planning lapse. Thus, we were given a corrective action for not having a fically constraint document.

Recommendations - Items that he review team feels will improve the process for the region and should be seriously considered for implementation in the near future:

(1) Staff was recommended to participate in upcoming workshops (Oct. 19-21) that the HUD/EPA/DOT Smart Growth Implementation Assistance Program are hosting. Staff participated in the workshop.

(2) Increase the visibility of transit in the MTP and Transportation Improvement Program.

(3) The Congestion Mitigation Process be updated as soon as possible as the current version is almost 6 years old. The update should include non-motorized means as well as intelligent transportation system (ITS) strategies and should correlate with the Regional ITS Architecture.

(4) The MPO works with the two state DOTs to clarify requirements for the ADA Transition Plans and develop an enforcement plan within 18 months for all applicable recipients of federal-aid transportation funds.

(5) Assist the applicants in developing the quantified emission reductions so that all CMAQ applications can be ranked on an even basis.

(6) With the update of the Public Participation Plan market the many opportunities/locations available for input and consider the FHWA/FTA public listening session input on locations, transparency, use of the web and other relevant issues.

Commendations - Items worthy of recognition:

(1) The joint KIPDA/TARC vanpool program is an exemplary example in its geographic distribution and vibrancy. Team suggested KIPDA quantify the benefits of the program and share good practices.

(2) Commended for being in the MOVES pilot group for the nation and making efforts to share the information we have learned by documenting the process and making presentations.

(3) The volume of work by KIPDA/INDOT/KYTC is outstanding in the areas of ARRA, update of the MTP, financial management of expectations of the Ohio River Bridges, TARC participation in ARRA and organization of the regional planning conference.

To view the complete report (which is posted in three parts), go to http://www.kipda.org/Transportation/MPO/FederalCertificationReview2010.aspx

FEDERAL AGENCIES AGREE THAT KIPDA DOCUMENTS MEET CONFORMITY RULES, PLANS CAN MOVE FORWARD

Officials from the Kentucky and Indiana division offices of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Region 4 Office of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and the Region 4 and 5 Offices of the Environmental Protection Agency have found that the Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency’s (KIPDA) 2011-2015 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the Horizon 2030 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) both meet the federal conformity guidelines.


The MTP provides a comprehensive vision for the transportation infrastructure over the upcoming 20 years for KIPDA’s five-counties and its policy committee. Transportation projects seeking federal funding must be included in the MTP.

The TIP is a short-range funding document for the five-county KIPDA area. Projects advance from the MTP to the TIP when they are ready for funding.

The updated documents, which were approved by the KIPDA Transportation Policy Committee on October 8, 2010, are the short-range and long-range transportation planning documents for Bullitt, Jefferson and Oldham counties in Kentucky and Clark and Floyd counties in Indiana. The policy committee is made up of elected and appointed officials from the five-counties.

The TIP is a four-year planning and funding document and the MTP is a 20-year planning document.

The federal agencies found that KIPDA’s documents met the five criteria of the Transportation Conformity Rule, which includes: use of the latest planning assumptions, use of the latest emission model, use of appropriate consultation procedures, consistency with the mobile source emission budgets in the State Implementation Plan (SIP), and provisions for the timely implementation of the transportation control measures in the SIP.

Both the MTP and the TIP went into a lapse in December of 2009, which essentially prevented projects from being added to or deleted from the documents. The current MTP was set to expire December 8, 2010, and this approval of both documents allows the expenditure of Federal transportation funding to continue in the region without interruption.

Holiday travelers warned to "Click It or Ticket"

 Thanksgiving is next week and its aniticipated that millions of Americans will be hitting the road to visit with family and friends. The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety (KOHS) is reminding travelers that state and local law enforcement will be out in force from Nov. 15 to Nov. 28, sending the strong message to Click It or Ticket.


“No one wants to start off the holidays with a ticket,” said Transportation Cabinet Secretary Mike Hancock. “Save your money for turkey and buying presents for loved ones – don’t throw it away simply because you failed to buckle up.”

While seat belt use is at a record high of 84 percent nationwide, Kentucky lags behind with an 80 percent usage rate. Statistics for 2009 indicate 398 (61.3 percent) of the 649 people who were killed in motor vehicles last year in Kentucky were not wearing a seat belt.

“Sadly, the holidays, which for many are the happiest time of the year, is also one of the deadliest and most tragic,” said KOHS Executive Director Chuck Geveden. “Clearly this is an indication that people are just not aware of the huge risk taken by not buckling up.”

In Kentucky last year there were 1,120 crashes over the Thanksgiving holiday, resulting in 330 injuries and seven fatalities. Of those fatalities, five were unrestrained.

Regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes, according to NHTSA. Research has shown that when lap and shoulder belts are used properly, the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants is reduced by 45 percent, and the risk of moderate to serious injury is reduced by 50 percent.

For more information about the Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement campaign for highway safety during Thanksgiving, please visit www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov and http://highwaysafety.ky.gov.





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2010 Census Participation Numbers Available - Nationally 74% Participated

The U.S. Census Bureau has announced that 74 percent of households in the United States filled out and mailed back their 2010 Census questionnaire, matching the final mail participation rate achieved in the 2000 Census. Twenty-two states, 1,553 counties, and 278 cities and townships of 50,000 or more met or exceeded their 2000 Census participation rates. The District of Columbia and Puerto Rico also exceeded their rates.

The final 74 percent mail participation rate includes an additional 2 percent of households that mailed back their forms after April 27, when the U.S. Census Bureau announced a 72 percent participation rate. While these forms were received too late to prevent a visit by a census taker, they were included in the final tally.

Approximately 47 million households that did not mail back a census form by the deadline were visited by census takers in person as part of a series of operations and methods to ensure as complete a count as possible. The Census Bureau either received a form or attempted repeated visits to 100 percent of the identified housing units in the country.

The final mail participation rates for the nation, states, counties, cities, towns and even the neighborhood level can now be found on the 2010 Census's Web site (http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/2010textview.php).

Here is a break down of counties in the KIPDA region:
Indiana State-wide Percentage—79%

By county:
Clark County—79%
Floyd County—80%

Kentucky State-wide Percentage—77%
By county:
Bullitt County—80%
Henry County—76%
Jefferson County—76%
Oldham County—82%
Shelby County—79%
Spencer County—81%
Trimble County—69%

TARC awarded $9 million in federal grants

The Transit Authority of River Cicty (TARC) will receive $9 million to buy eight hybrid buses, install an electronic fare collection system and make energy efficiency improvements at its historic Union Station headquarters in Louisville thanks to federal grants approved in October.

The grant is the most TARC has ever received in competitive grant funding in a single year and will create 96 full-time jobs for a year including up to 40 local jobs.

Louisville workers take more than 7.8 million trips on TARC each year to get to and from their jobs, based on a recent TARC survey of ridership. Students take more than two million trips a year on TARC to get to or from school.

“This is a huge win for TARC and all of Louisville,” Louisville Metro Mayor Jerry Abramson said.

TARC Executive Director J. Barry Barker said TARC “is deeply appreciative of Congressman Yarmuth’s work on behalf of TARC and his support and Mayor Abramson’s support. TARC is well on its way to major service improvements in the next year with these grants and with other developments in the works. We are excited about the improvements and intend to see ridership increase,” Barker said.

In addition to the grants awarded this month, a new TARC radio communications system will be in operation next year and more bus service is scheduled to begin in February on two heavily traveled routes - #23 Broadway, which also includes Bardstown Road, and #18 Preston-18th which includes Dixie Highway. A previous $1 million grant provided funding for adding buses to the two routes so that arrivals will be every 12-15 minutes at stops during rush hours.

Grants approved this month are:

• Electronic Fare Collection System: $2.5 million. Onboard fares can be paid with cash or a new option of using a card and paying electronically. The system, funded with a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) State of Good Repair grant, is expected to be operating by 2012.

• Eight new hybrid buses: $3.9 million. TARC’s fleet of environmentally-friendly buses will increase to 29 with the arrival of eight new hybrid-electric buses funded through the FTA’s Clean Fuels Bus and Bus Facilities Program. The buses will replace diesel-fueled buses that are 12 years old and have traveled an average of 475,000 miles.  Hybrid buses are more fuel efficient, easier to maintain and offer a smoother ride than older diesel-fueled buses. A hybrid bus saves on average 2,000 gallons of fuel a year compared to older buses. At current diesel prices the fuel savings would total $36,000 a year.

• Window restoration/weatherization and geothermal heating and cooling system at Union Station, TARC’s headquarters: $2.6 million. The grant from the federal Department of Transportation’s TIGGER II program will create savings in operating costs and help preserve the 120-year old Union Station, one of Louisville’s historic architectural gems. Annual savings in energy use with the geothermal system and window restorations are estimated at $58,000 a year. All 278 windows at Union Station including 40 made of stained glass are to be restored.

National Teen Driver Safety Week is Underway

Gov. Steve Beshear signed a proclamation in honor of National Teen Driver Safety Week, which is Oct. 17-24. In support of this effort, the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety (KOHS) is partnering with State Farm Insurance to bring awareness of safe driving practices to Kentucky’s teenagers.


“Young drivers are four times as likely as adults to be killed in a car crash,” said KOHS Executive Director Chuck Geveden. “Driver distraction, lack of experience and skill, alcohol and the lack of seatbelt usage all contribute to the high number of fatalities for this age group.”

Last year in Kentucky, there were 28,207 total crashes involving drivers under 21 years of age. These crashes resulted in 9,348 injuries and 136 fatalities.

“Car crashes remain the number one killer of teens and October continues to be our single biggest battleground month,” said Lisa Ripley, spokeswoman for State Farm Insurance. “While promoting teen driver safety requires a year-round commitment, the fall time frame is critically important. As teens return to school, attend homecoming and begin managing very busy schedules, we want them to keep safe driving practices at the top of their minds because our data shows this is one of the most dangerous times of year for teens to be on the road.”

The KOHS is visiting 10 schools throughout the week with various programs, demonstrating the dangers of distracted driving and the benefits of seat belt use. Students will also participate in the KOHS Distracted Driving (D2) simulator, which gives lifelike exposure to the dangers of distracted driving without putting teenagers at risk by mimicking and displaying the handling characteristics of a vehicle. Drivers can receive and send phone calls and text messages while attempting to obey the rules of the road.

In 2009, teenage drivers accounted for 14,505 distracted driving related crashes, resulting in 4,531 injuries and 40 fatalities on Kentucky roadways.

Kentucky’s new texting law bans texting for all drivers while the vehicle is in motion. For drivers under 18, use of all personal communication devices such as cell phones and pagers is not allowed while the vehicle is in motion.

For more information about teen driving safety, please visit www.nhtsa.gov; www.distraction.gov; and http://highwaysafety.ky.gov.

TARC Outlines Arena Service Plan

TARC recently announced that after ballgames and other big events at the KFC Yum! Center, they will keep buses off Main and Market streets near the arena to avoid heavy traffic. TARC passengers will be directed to boarding areas several blocks away and additional buses will be added to some routes.

TARC's arena service plan is designed to keep buses out of heavy traffic and to provide safe, reliable public transportation for all TARC riders. Riders are encouraged to plan ahead on big arena event days. Know your route and recommended post-event boarding location. Drivers will also pick up riders at designated stops along detour routes.

The plan takes effect for the first big arena event, The Eagles Concert, at 8 p.m. tomorrow. If you are riding TARC downtown or to the concert, the following detours will be in effect 60-90 minutes after the event.

Route #2 Second Street - Southbound

Boarding location - on 1st between Liberty and Muhammad Ali

Bus will follow the regular route northbound to Liberty, take a right on Liberty, right on 1st Street to the boarding location.

Routes #4 Fourth Street, #6 Sixth Street and #63 Crums Lane - Southbound

Boarding location - 6th at Cedar St.

Buses will follow the regular route northbound to Muhammad Ali, turn left on Muhammad Ali right on 7th Street, right on Liberty, right on 6th Street to the boarding location at 6th at Liberty.

Route #15 Market Street - Eastbound

Boarding Location - 1st and Liberty

Bus will follow the regular route eastbound to Roy Wilkins, turn left on Liberty Street to the 1st and Liberty boarding location. It will then turn left on Brook Street and right on Market Street to the regular route.

Route # 15 Market Street - Westbound

Boarding Location between 4th and 5th on Jefferson Street. No detour westbound.

Routes #17 Bardstown Road - Fern Creek and #55 Westport Road -Eastbound

Boarding location - 1st and Liberty

Route #18 Preston 18th - Eastbound Boarding location - 1st and Liberty

Bus will travel regular route east bound to Liberty, turn right on Liberty to boarding area at 1st and Liberty.

Route #18 Preston 18th - Westbound
Boarding area - between 4th and 5th on Jefferson

No detour westbound.

Routes #19 Muhammad Ali and #21 Chestnut Street - Eastbound
Boarding location - Between 2nd and 3rd Streets on Chestnut Street

No detour eastbound.

Routes #19 Muhammad Ali and #21 Chestnut Street - Westbound
Boarding locations between 2nd and 3rd on Muhammad Ali

No detour westbound.

Route #31 Middletown - Eastbound
Boarding location -1st and Liberty

Bus will follow regular route eastbound, to Liberty, turn right on Liberty to the boarding area at 1st and Liberty. Then turn left on Brook Street and right on Market to the regular route.

No detour westbound.

Route #43 Poplar Level - Eastbound
Boarding location - on 1st between Liberty and Muhammad Ali

Bus will follow regular route to Roy Wilkins, turn right on Roy Wilkins, left on Liberty Street, right on First to boarding area on First between Liberty and Muhammad Ali.

Route #43 Poplar Level - Westbound
Boarding location between 4th and 5th on W. Jefferson

No detour westbound.

Routes #71 Jeffersonville and #72 Clarksville New Albany - Northbound
Boarding area - 1st and Liberty

Buses will take the regular route on 5th Street, turn right on Liberty to boarding area at 1st and Liberty, turn right on to I-65 North and exit Court Avenue to the regular route.

TARC customer service representatives will be stationed at the KFC Yum! Center main entrance after the event. For additional information, call TARC Customer Service at 585-1234 or visit http://www.ridetarc.org/.

Planning and Design Services Holds Sustainable Communities Workshop

Louisville Metro Planning and Design Services is holding a Sustainable Communities Design Workshop October 19-21 at the Fern Creek Fire Station #2,9409 Bardstown Road.

The three-day interactive community workshop will explore the idea of sustainable communities and mixed use “centers.” The workshop provides an ideal setting to explore how the “centers” idea can work for Fern Creek, and in turn, how this area can serve as a model for other parts of Louisville and the region.

Activities for the workshop include formal presentations; group discussions (focusing on design, transportation, housing, neighborhoods, environment, open space, economic development, and land use); and open design studios.

The workshop is free and all sessions are open to the public.

For more information on the Sustainable Communities Design Workshop, please call Louisville Metro Planning and Design Services at 502-574-6230; or go to: www.louisvilleky.gov/PlanningDesign/Neighborhood+Plans/SGIA.htm

TARC Seeks Input On Proposed Route Changes

The Transit Authority of River City (TARC) is looking for public feedback on proposed route changes, which will go into effect on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2011, to improve service and safety.

Members of the public interested in responding can send an email to info@ridetarc.org or call 561-5112. Those wishing to discuss the proposals and obtain additional iformation about how they will be affected, are invited to attend the public hearings listed below.

Wed., Oct. 20
11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m. and 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Swiss Hall
719 Lynn Street

Thurs., Oct. 21
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Metro Development Center
444 South 5th Street

5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
TARC
1000 West Broadway

Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodations, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format, will be provided for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. Language translators will also be provided upon request. Please call 561-5112 or 561-5115 with specific information on your special needs.


PROPOSED ROUTE ADJUSTMENTS FOR JANUARY 2011

Route #2 Second Street: A rerouting is being considered to serve a portion of S. Preston Street that would no longer be part of Route #18-Preston-18th under proposed changes. Route #2 would be rerouted south of Hill Street, to Preston Street, to Eastern Parkway, then to Crittenden Drive, connecting to the current Route #2. Bus frequency would be adjusted by a few minutes because of the slightly longer route.

Route #4 Fourth Street: Rerouting is proposed from 5th & Liberty Street to serve the Louisville Medical Center. The proposed route will travel east on Liberty Street, south on 1st Street, east on Chestnut Street, north on Jackson Street and west on Jefferson Street. Route #4 would no longer serve stops on 5th at Market, on 4th at Main, or on 6th at Market.

Route #6 Sixth Street: To address overcrowding, a weekday trip, which currently originates at the Iroquois Park Loop at 1:51 p.m., will instead originate at New Cut Market Center on Outer Loop at 1:39 p.m.

Route #18 Preston-18th: A rerouting is proposed between Hill Street and Eastern Parkway. The proposed route will travel on Preston Street, Burnett Avenue, 1st Street and Brook Street, Cardinal Boulevard, Floyd Street, Warnock Street, Crittenden Drive and Eastern Parkway to provide service between the Medical Center and U of L Belknap Campus. Route #18 will no longer serve Shelby Street, Lynn Street and Preston Street north of Eastern Parkway.

Routes #19 Muhammad Ali and #21 Chestnut Street: The westbound stop on Muhammad Ali Boulevard at 4th Street will be removed due to heavy traffic congestion and a larger stop will be established between 5th Street and Armory Place. The eastbound stop on Chestnut at 4th Street will be removed permanently, since it is close to adjoining stops at 5th and 3rd. Trips to Wenzel Avenue will turn two blocks farther east at Liberty and Chestnut Streets. There will be slight adjustments on arrival and departure times.

Route #27 Hill Street: Route #27 will no longer serve Burnett Avenue south of Texas Avenue, Eastern Parkway, Poplar Level Road, Audubon Medical Center or Illinois Avenue. These areas will continue to be served by Routes #29-Eastern Parkway or #43-Poplar Level. Frequency of buses will improve on the remaining route. Also, due to construction at the current Portland bus loop, the bus turn around is proposed to be moved to 35th Street and Bank Street adjacent to the Kroger store.

Route #43 Poplar Level: One trip northbound from Poplar Level Road at Fern Valley Pass will be added to help with overcrowding. Due to construction at the Portland loop, this bus is proposed to turn around at 35th and Bank Streets, providing access to an adjacent Kroger store.

Route #52 Medical Center Circulator: The westbound stop on Muhammad Ali Boulevard at 4th Street will be removed due to heavy traffic congestion and a larger stopping area will be established between 5th Street and Armory Place. There are no time changes proposed for this route.

Route #72 Clarksville/New Albany: Schedule times will be adjusted and all midday trips will serve New Albany.

INCREASED SERVICE ON TWO MAJOR ROUTES
Route #18 Preston - 18th
Route #23 Broadway and Bardstown Road
Pending receipt of federal grant funds, TARC will improve service beginning in January with additional buses on these routes. Weekday buses will arrive more frequently at all stops during peak and off-peak hours. Weekend service will also be increased.

Come see KIPDA at the One Southern Indiana Expo

KIPDA staff will be at the One Southern Indiana business expo from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. today at Kye's in Jeffersonville.

KIPDA is one of about 120 booths at the expo and will be answering questions and speaking to residents about projects. The KIPDA booth is located in Kye's II and admission to the expo is free.

Hope to see you there!

Ramp closures announced by KYTC

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's District 5 Office announced lane and ramp closures on Interstate 264 as part of the ramp replacement project on the Senator Powers Expressway. Lane and ramp closures are scheduled for pavement striping and marker installation on the following dates:

•Exit ramp from westbound Interstate 264 to westbound Interstate 64 (mile point 0.0) from 9:00 p.m. on Monday, August 23rd until 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 24th
•Left lane of westbound Interstate 64 at Interstate 264 (mile point 0.8) from 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 24th until 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 25th
•Right lane of westbound Interstate 64 at Interstate 264 (mile point 0.8) from 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 25th until 5:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 26th
•Exit ramp from westbound Interstate 264 to westbound Interstate 64 (mile point 0.0) from 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 26th until 5:00 a.m. on Friday, August 27th

The actual starting date and duration of this work may be adjusted if inclement weather or other unforeseen delays occur. Dial 511 or log on to 511.ky.gov for the latest in traffic and travel information in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Metropolitan Transportation Plan and Transportation Improvement Program Update and Public Review Underway

The Louisville (KY-IN) Metropolitan Planning Organization (a function of the Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency, known as KIPDA) is updating the metropolitan area's Metropolitan Transportation Plan and Transportation Improvement Program for the five counties (Clark and Floyd counties, Indiana; and Bullitt, Jefferson, and Oldham counties, Kentucky).

The documents can be found at http://www.kipda.org/Transportation/Drafts.aspx.

We need your input to help guide the decision making process of the Transportation Policy Committee, the decision-making body of the Metropolitan Planning Organization. The Transportation Policy Committee consists of 18 members, which includes local elected officials and transportation agencies in the metropolitan transportation planning area.

Please review the final drafts of Horizon 2030: The Metropolitan Transportation Plan for the Louisville (KY-IN) Metropolitan Planning Area and the FY 2011 - FY 2015 Transportation Improvement Program, and let us know what you think. By the way, these drafts are available in hard copy at all of the local, public libraries in the five-county Metropolitan Planning Area.

After reviewing both or either of the documents, please send us your input either by email (kipda.trans@ky.gov), mail to KIPDA, Attn: MTP/TIP Update, 11520 Commonwealth Drive, Louisville, KY 40299, or fax it to us at 502-266-5047, Attn: MTP/TIP Update.

You may also stop in at any of the scheduled public open house meetings to ask questions and submit comments. The meetings are as scheduled:

Thursday, Augut 12, 2010, 6-8 p.m.
New Albany-Floyd County Public Library
180 W. Spring Street
New Albany, Indiana

Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 6-8 p.m.
John Black Community Center
1551 N. Highway 393
Buckner, Kentucky

Wednesday, August 18, 2010, 6-8 p.m.
NIA Center
2900 W. Broadway
Louisville, Kentucky

Monday, August 23, 2010, 6-8 p.m.
Southwest Government Center
7210 Dixie Highway
Louisville, Kentucky

Tuesday, August 24, 2010, 6-8 p.m.
Louisville Free Public Library Fairdale Branch
10616 W. Manslick Road
Louisville, Kentucky

Thursday, August 26, 2010, 6-8 p.m.
Republic Bank Community Room
9600 Brownsboro Road
Louisville, Kentucky

Monday, August 30, 2010, 6-8 p.m.
Town of Clarksville Municipal Center Council Chambers
2000 Broadway Street
Clarksville, Indiana

Tuesday, August 31, 2010, 6-8 p.m.
Paroquet Springs Conference Center, Adam Shepherd Room
395 Paroquet Springs Drive
Shepherdsville, Kentucky

You may also attend the Transportation Technical Coordinating Committee meeting and/or the Transportation Policy Committee meeting. Both have specific agenda items where members of the public are welcomed to speak and address the committees. Information on those meetings is available through the KIPDA News page under the "Meeting Notices" section.

In addition, staff will be available at the Louisville Metro Mayor's Community Conversation on August 16 from 6:30-8 p.m. at Central High School, 1130 West Chestnut Street.

Should you have any questions, please call or email Josh Suiter at josh.suiter@ky.gov, or 502-266-6084.

What do you think about transportation planning in the region?

The U.S. Department of Transportation is seeking public input during the federal review of the metropolitan transportation planning process for the Louisville Metropolitan Planning Area that takes place once every four years.

A public meeting will be held on August 10, 2010 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the South Louisville Community Center, 2911 Taylor Blvd., in Louisville. This meeting will be the public’s opportunity to talk directly with Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration officials about the Louisville area transportation planning process.

The results of the FHWA/FTA 2006 transportation planning review can be found at http://www.kipda.org/Transportation/MPO/FederalCertificationReview2010.aspx and are also available by calling Josh Suiter at (502) 266-6084. Written comments may also be submitted until August 25 to:

Greg Rawlings
FHWA
330 West Broadway
Frankfort, KY 40601
or by e-mail to Gregory.Rawlings@fhwa.dot.gov.

For those needing special accommodation, please contact Josh Suiter at 502-266-6084 at least three days prior to the meeting.

Ticket to Ride is now on Twitter

Ticket to Ride has recently begun using Twitter.

To find Ticket to Ride on Twitter, go to http://twitter.com/KIPDATTR.

Use the Twitter updates from Ticket to Ride to learn more about their van pool, bike pool, car pool and school pool programs. Ticket to Ride's website can be found at www.tickettoride.org.

Kentucky texting law goes into effect today

Attention all of you who enjoying text messaging!

Starting today, it's against the law in Kentucky, to text while driving. However, only warnings will be issued until next Jan. 1 and then fines will be given.

In addition, the law new states that drivers younger than 18 are prohibited from using cell phones while driving.

After the initial warning period ends Jan. 1, fines of $25 for the first texting offense and $50 for subsequent offenses will be given. Plus, teen violators who are driving on instructional permits or intermediate licenses would to wait 180 days before they could graduate to the next licensing level.

Kentucky is one of 10 states that have banned sending text messages while driving thsi year and thirty states now bans and roughly that many also prohibit motorists under age 18 from using cell phones while driving. Indiana bans drivers younger than 18 from texting and using cell phones.

TARC TO UNVEIL NINE HYBRID BUSES WITH NEW BUTTERFLY DESIGN

Mayor Jerry Abramson, along with U.S. Representative John Yarmuth, Kentucky Transportation Service Delivery Director Vickie Bourne and TARC Executive Director J. Barry Barker will unveil the 9 new hybrid buses on Friday, July 9, at 11 a.m. the pavillian in Shawnee Park.

TARC’s fleet of environmentally-friendly buses will increase to 21 with the arrival of nine new Gillig hybrid-electric buses. Seven of them were funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and two from a variety of federal and state sources. The hybrids are silver with a new butterfly design that complements the silver bus design that was introduced last year.

The buses cost $558,000 apiece and are better for the environment, more fuel efficient, easier to maintain and smoother to ride than TARC older diesel-fueled buses.

The hybrid-electric technology uses electric power in combination with a diesel-powered engine. It brings many benefits, as follows:

Improving air quality

Emissions Reduced:
Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) – 61% less
Particulate Matter (PM) – 93% less
Carbon Monoxide (CO) – 90% less
Hydrocarbons (HC) – 21% less

Reducing energy consumption
Better fuel economy with an annual savings of 3,000 gallons per bus

High Mechanical performance
Fewer brake repairs necessary
Sixteen times fewer transmission fluid changes required
No major mechanical errors

“Not only will these hybrid buses help Louisvillians breathe easier by reducing pollution, but they’ll help save money,” said Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3). “With lower maintenance costs and lower fuel consumption that will save 3,000 gallons per year, per bus, TARC will have more resources to create jobs and grow their services.”

The TARC hybrids are manufactured by Gillig Corp. in Hayward, California. The propulsion system is manufactured by Allison Transmission GM, of Indianapolis.

The buses are 40 feet long and have low-floor access. The hybrid's diesel engine is smaller. A regular diesel bus emits the most pollution when it accelerates from a stop or goes up hill. The hybrid bus uses electric power from its batteries to accelerate, drastically reducing emissions and eliminating tailpipe smoke in these situations. With less demand on the diesel engine, the hybrid buses are much quieter. This innovative bus also accelerates and goes up hills without revving the engine.
Hybrid buses also cost less to maintain, due to brakes that last twice as long, thanks to regenerative braking and no transmission to maintain.

NEW OXMOOR-BASHFORD MANOR SHUTTLE IS NOW RUNNING

A new shopper shuttle to replace Route #58 was debuted June 22, departing from the Bashford Lane Walmart at 9:10 a.m. It will have three morning and three afternoon runs on Tuesdays only.

The Route #58S Bashford-Oxmoor Shopper replaces the local Route #58, which was discontinued as of June 6, due to TARC’s budget shortfall. It is designed to provide access to shopping, doctors’ offices and the hospitals on Dutchmans Lane for seniors and people without alternate transportation. It includes stops at Bashford Manor Target, Shalom Tower, Jewish Community Center, Jewish Hospital East, Norton Suburban, Baptist Hospital East, Mall St. Matthews and Oxmoor Center.

The shopper shuttle fare is $.50 with a half-fare discount for seniors and people with disabilities.

“Many seniors and internationals live in the Hikes Lane area and used Route #58 to meet their basic needs. We heard from people that keeping the route on a limited basis would provide them at least a lifeline to needed services, so that’s what we are responding to with this new shopper shuttle,” said TARC Executive Director Barry Barker.

A copy of the new schedule is available on the TARC website. It also lists information about TARC’s two other shopper shuttles in Old Louisville and Southern Indiana. You can also get schedule information by calling TARC’s Customer Service Department at 585-1234.

Visit KIPDA's Table at Americana Festival

KIPDA staff will be available to speak to residents from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. this Saturday at the Americana Community Center's Annual Festival. The festival will be held outside on the center's parking lot, 4801 Southside Drive in Louisville.

Stop by our table and express your views on Louisville's transportation planning and get safety information as well as our newsletter, citizen's guide and many other items.

Hope to see you there.

Hike & Bike event is Memorial Day, TARC announces route detours

The 6th Lou­isville Metro Hike & Bike program will hold the first of its two annual outings on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31. The event starts at Waterfront Park.

The Healthy Hometown Sub­way Fresh Fit Hike & Bike ride will begin at 10 a.m. at the downtown waterfront near the “dancing waters” off Witherspoon Street. More than 5,000peo­ple typically take part in the Hike & Bike events.

The 15-mile cy­cling route will highlight sever­al Louisville parks and landmarks and goes through Old Louisville and along Southern Parkway to Iroquois Park, then back to Water­front Park.

For walkers, a wheelchair-ac­cessible five-kilometer route has been laid out. It will also start at Waterfront Park and go west along the wharf area and onto the RiverWalk section of the Louis­ville Loop, up to Lannan Park and back to Waterfront Park. Those seeking a shorter hike can turn around at points along the route, including at the Louis­ville Science Center. Walkers can bring dogs but must keep them on a leash.

The cycling route will have signs and break stations staffed by volunteers to assist with di­rections and water. Louisville Bicycle Club members will pro­vide bike “doctors” along the route to assist cyclists with equipment problems.

Louisville Metro Police will provide traffic assistance at key intersections. The Louisville Metro EMS bicycle team will pa­trol the route.

In addition, there will be a healthy marketplace with nutritional snacks, free chil­dren’s activities and informa­tional booths will open at 9 a.m. at Waterfront Park. Free T-shirts will be available for the first 2,500 participants and the Brain In­jury Association will distribute 250 bike helmets to riders who don’t have one.

A “bike rodeo” with safety education activities for youths will be offered by Norton Healthcare behind the Flock of Finns sculpture at Preston and Witherspoon streets. and people will be able to sign up for the “Lose It Louisville!” ini­tiative — a communitywide ef­fort for registrants to lose a col­lective 100,000 pounds by the Labor Day Hike & Bike event.

On-street parking will be available near Waterfront Park. TARC buses are equipped with bicycle racks for cyclists who want to leave their car at home.

TARC also announced some detours due to the Mayor’s Hike and Bike. Street closures will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and due to those closures the following detours will be in affect.

•#4 Fourth Street - southbound - buses from Central Avenue to Iroquois Park will continue on 4th Street, turn left on Oakdale to the regular route. The Southland Park route will turn left on 5th Street, left on Lansing, cross Southern Parkway, turn right on 3rd Street Road, left on Woodlawn to the regular route.

•Route #4 Fourth Street - northbound – buses from Iroquois Park on 3rd Street will turn right on Oakdale, right on 4th Street to the regular route. From Southland Park, buses will turn right on 3rd Street, left on Lansing, right on 5th Street, right on 4th Street to regular route.

•Route 6th Street - southbound – buses from Taylor Boulevard will turn right on Bluegrass Avenue, left on Manslick/St. Andrews Road, left on Palatka Road, right on Newcut Road to the regular route.

•Route 6th Street - northbound – buses from Newcut Road, left on Palatka Road, right on St. Andrews/Manslick Road, right on Bluegrass Avenue, left on Taylor Boulevard to regular route.

•Route #19 Muhammad Ali and #21 Chestnut – westbound – buses from Muhammad Ali, will turn left on 1st Street, right on Broadway, right on 4th Street, left on Ali to regular route.

•Routes #2 Second Street, #71 Jeffersonville, and #72 Clarksville/New Albany - southbound – buses from 1st and Market will continue on Market, turn right on Floyd Street, right on Grey Street, left on 1st Street to the regular route.

To check specific detours on your route, call TARC at 585-1234.

Downtown Businesses Provided Support For Fare Free Trolleys

The trolleys that run on Fourth Street and on Main and Market Streets will be FARE FREE and more frequent beginning Monday, June 7.

“The downtown trolleys have become an institution in downtown Louisville, much loved by tourists and residents alike,” said TARC Executive Director J. Barry Barker. “We know they attract many more riders when they are free, so we are delighted that downtown interests have made it possible to offer this fare free and frequent service.”

The Fourth Street Trolley, originally slated for elimination this summer due to TARC’s budget shortfall, was saved thanks to contributions from downtown businesses and organizations. Funding to run the trolleys fare-free and more frequently until Aug. 15 is provided by:

The Downtown Development Corp.
The Kentucky International Convention Center
The Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau
The Louisville Downtown Management District
Humana, Inc.

“This is an important announcement not only because the trolleys are fare free again, just as they were originally conceived to be, but because downtown business interests are stepping up to the plate to keep this vital amenity in place. My hat is off to those business interests that are participating in this effort,” said Mayor Jerry Abramson.

Both the Fourth Street and the Main-Market trolleys will run more frequently between 11 and 6 p.m. The Fourth Street Trolley will run every 7 minutes during that period and the Main-Market Trolley will run every 10 minutes. This is designed to provide the lunch crowd and after-work shoppers who work downtown the opportunity to try new downtown venues by hopping on a trolley. It’s also the period when most tourists are exploring downtown.

Saturday service on both trolley routes will continue from 10 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. The Fourth Street Trolleys runs every 20 minutes and the Main-Market Street trolleys run every 15 minutes on Saturday.

The Fourth Avenue trolley, then dubbed the Toonerville Trolley, began running fare free on Fourth Street in 1987. In 1996, the Main-Market Street Trolley was added. Both ran fare-free until 2004 when a 25-cent fare was added. Ridership took a dip and then dropped again three years later when the fare was increased to 50-cents.

During the summer, a committee of business interests will be looking a long-term funding to keep the trolleys running fare free permanently.

Click It or Ticket It program Campaign giving Kentucky Speedway tickets

Kentucky still has some residents who aren't wearing their seat belts. Despite a wealth of data showing that seat belts save lives and also despite implementation of a primary seat belt law, Kentucky’s 80 percent seat belt usage rate lags behind the national rate of 84 percent.

The annual Click It or Ticket enforcement campaign, which began Monday and runs through June 6, will attempt to bring awareness to this issue as officers buckle down on those not buckled up.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Office of Highway Safety officials, along with the Kentucky State Police, launched the campaign. “Kentucky undoubtedly experiences far too many fatalities that could have been avoided with the simple use of a seat belt,” said Acting Secretary of Transportation Mike Hancock. “Clearly this is an indication that people are just not aware of the huge risk taken by not buckling up.”

Overall, fatality numbers steadily decreasing each year. However, statistics for 2009indicate 398 (61.3 percent) of the 649 people who were killed in motor vehicles last year were not wearing a seat belt.

Traffic safety checkpoints and saturation patrols will be conducted by state and local law enforcement during the two-week Click It or Ticket mobilization, looking for any traffic violation with an emphasis on seat belt usage. Those not buckled up or who are in violation of other laws will receive a citation. But those who are buckled will receive a different kind of ticket – a “Click It FOR Tickets” voucher that allows them to register to win a pair of tickets to the Kentucky Speedway.

Office of Highway Safety Executive Director Chuck Geveden says the office awarded more than $240,000 in federal funds to 59 state and local police agencies across the Commonwealth to help bolster seat belt enforcement during the campaign. The funding is provided through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Although enforcement officers will be prevalent during the campaign, Geveden emphasized, “The Click It or Ticket campaign is not about writing tickets. It’s about awareness and saving lives. If one life is saved through this effort, it will be worth it.”

According to the NHTSA, when worn correctly, seat belts are proven to reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat occupants by 45 percent – and by 60 percent in pickup trucks, SUVs and minivans.

KYTC Seeks Comment on Disadvantage Business Enterprise

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is seeking public input on proposed goals for increasing Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE) involvement in highway projects.

The KYTC Office for Civil Rights and Small Business Development, which oversees the cabinet’s DBE program, is proposing an annual, overall DBE participation goal of 7.76 percent for federal fiscal year 2011, up from the current goal of 7.0. The federal fiscal year begins Oct. 1. Under U.S. Department of Transportation rules, the new goal would be in effect for three years.

The 2011 goals and methodology will be available online at http://transportation.ky.gov/OBOD from May 26 until June 25, 2010. Written comments will be accepted for 15 days afterward –until July 10, 2010 – and can also be submitted online through the website. In addition, written comments on the 2010 participation goal also are being accepted through July 10 and may be submitted to:

Melvin Bynes
Office for Civil Rights and Small Business Development
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
200 Mero Street
Frankfort, Ky. 40622
Information also is available by calling 1-800-928-3079 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT.

In addition, the Office for Civil Rights and Small Business Development will host forums during May in each of the cabinet’s 12 highway districts to explain the proposed goals and how they were established.

“The forums give the public an opportunity to participate in a dialogue about how we ensure disadvantaged businesses are represented fairly when cabinet projects are awarded,” said Acting Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock. “Decisions regarding our disadvantaged business program have a broad effect, and our staff attempts to clarify everything about the process through public meetings and these proposed goals.”

The Office for Civil Rights and Small Business Development is committed to ensuring equal employment opportunity, a diverse workforce and the promotion of equitable business opportunities throughout Kentucky.

Public forum schedule; all times local:

May 17
District 9, Flemingsburg, 5-7 p.m., Stockton Station Inn, 129 West Water Street.
District 10, Jackson, noon-1p.m., Jackson Inn, 19 Brewers Drive.
District 5, Louisville, 5-7 p.m., Holiday Inn, 447 Farmington Ave.

May 19
District 8, Somerset, 5-7 p.m., Hampton Inn, 4141 US 27.
District 11, Manchester, noon-1:30 p.m., London Hampton Inn, 200 Alamo Drive, London.

May 20
District 6, Covington, 5-7 p.m., Cincinnati Marriott at River Center,
10 West River Center Boulevard, Cincinnati.
District 7, Lexington, from noon-1:30 p.m., Holiday Inn, 1950 Newtown Pike.
District 12, Pikeville, 1-2 p.m., Hampton Inn, 831 Hambley Boulevard.

May 21
District 4, Elizabethtown, noon-1:30 p.m., Holiday Inn, 107 Buffalo Creek Drive.

May 24
District 2, Hopkinsville, 5-7 p.m., Holiday Inn Express, 12759 Fort Campbell Boulevard.

May 25
District 1, Paducah, noon-1:30 p.m., Courtyard by Marriott, 3835 Technology Drive.
District 3, Bowling Green, 5-7 p.m., Holiday Inn, 1021 Wilkinson Trace.

Summer Youth Bus Passes go on sale May 21

If you've got a child or a teen that needs to get to their summer job, the mall or a movie, TARC is hoping to make it easier for you!

TARC is offering their Summer Youth Bus Pass for $30. The pass is valid for unlimited rides on all TARC routes seven days a week beginning May 21 and continuing through Aug. 31. The pass can be used by children ages 6 to 17 within TARC’s five county-service area including Jefferson, Bullitt and Oldham counties in Kentucky and Clark and Floyd counties in Indiana.

TARC’s Summer Youth Pass will be on sale at the following locations:

Union Station, 1000 W. Broadway
Nia Center, 2900 W. Broadway
All Fifth Third Banks
Louisville Free Public Library, 3rd & York

Passes will also be sold online beginning Monday, May 17 at www.ridetarc.org. To order by mail, send a check or money order for $30, with your name, address and phone number, to SUMMER YOUTH PASS; c/o TARC cashier; 1000 W. Broadway; Louisville, KY 40203.

Public Meeting to discuss outline route alternatives for Louisville Loop’s Northeast Route

Metro Parks will present the master plan for routing the Louisville Loop through the city’s northeastern neighborhoods during a community meeting on Tuesday, May 11 at 6 p.m. at Historic Locust Grove, 561 Blankenbaker Lane.

The final plan identifies several alternative routes for the Louisville Loop, as it travels from Miles Park on Shelbyville Road to River Road. The Louisville Loop is a paved path for bicyclists and pedestrians that will encircle Louisville for a distance of approximately 100 miles. Some segments of the Louisville Loop will also include soft-surface paths for hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders.

Before the plan becomes final, citizens will have an opportunity to offer comments about the plan, either during the meeting or via e-mail at parks@louisvilleky.gov. The plan will be posted online at http://www.louisvilleky.gov/MetroParks/cityofparks/projects/northeastloop.htm.

Lanes closures on KY 841/KY 1934

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 5 Office annnounced that their will be lane closures on KY 841/KY 1934 (Gene Snyder Freeway) due to pavement joint replacement. The eastbound lanes will be reduced to one lane between Lower River Road and the Greyling Drive overpass (mile points 0 to 4.3)

Lane closures are possible weeknights Monday–Friday from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. the following morning. Work, which began yesterday, will continue through the end of June.

The actual starting date and duration of this work may be adjusted if inclement weather or other unforeseen delays occur. Dial 511 or log on to 511.ky.gov for the latest in traffic and travel information in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Local streets to be closed, TARC route information for Kentucky Oaks and Derby

The Kentucky Department of Highways has announced the following lane and ramp closures in conjunction with the Kentucky Oaks and Derby:

Friday, April 30, 2010 and Saturday, May 1, 2010

•Right lane of northbound I-65 between Bradley Avenue and Warnock Avenue (mile point 132 – 133) from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.
•Exit ramp from southbound I-65 to Arthur Street (Exit 134) will be closed due to the closure of the Eastern Parkway bridge over the railroad. All northbound traffic on 3rd and 4th Streets will be detoured to Cardinal Boulevard and then connected with Arthur Street.
•Right lane of eastbound and westbound I-264 between Taylor Boulevard and Southern Parkway (mile point 9.1 to 10.0) from 5:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
•Exit ramp from eastbound and westbound I-264 to Southern Parkway (mile point 10.0) from 5:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
•Exit ramp from eastbound and westbound I-264 to Taylor Boulevard (mile point 9.1) from 5:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

Dial 511 or log on to 511.ky.gov for the latest in traffic and travel information in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

In addition, TARC will provide service to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Oaks and Derby on four routes that normally travel within walking distance of Churchill Downs and tomorrow night, Derby Eve, all service will be free after 6 p.m.

The free bus and trolley rides on TARC provided by Miller Lite Free Rides™. The Free Rides program is designed to reduce drunk driving during major community events by providing a safe transportation alternative. Free rides on TARC will be available on all TARC routes from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Derby Eve. Extra trolleys will run along Main and Market Streets until midnight to provide better access to downtown establishments and the Miller Lite-sponsored Derby Eve Jam on the waterfront.

On Oaks and Derby Day, service will be available at the regularly scheduled times on all routes for the usual fare of $1.50. The following routes travel near Churchill Downs:

•Route #2 serves downtown, University of Louisville and Louisville International Airport.
•Route #4 serves downtown, Old Louisville, the South End and Iroquois Park area.
•Route #6 serves downtown, Shively, Iroquois Park and Fairdale areas.
•Route #29 serves St. Matthews, Highlands, University of Louisville, and Shively.

TARC will follow designated detours away from track starting at about 4:30 p.m. on Oaks and Derby Day. After the races, buses will pick people up at a different stop than where they were dropped off. Non-Derby TARC riders will also be affected by the detours.

TARC will not provide shuttles from downtown, Papa John’s Stadium or the Fairgrounds this year, due to a change in federal regulations regarding private charter service.

For information about the schedule and fares for using TARC service to Derby and Oaks, call TARC’s Customer Service Department at 502-585-1234, TTY 502-213-3240, or visit TARC’s website at www.ridetarc.org. For information on the Miller Lite Free Rides program, please visit www.MillerLiteFreeRides.com.

Westport Road/I-264 Interchange Ribbon Cutting Held

Elected and other government officials as well as residents gathered this morning to celebrate the ribbon cutting of a long-standing project.

Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez, Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson, Kentuckly Transportation Cabinet District 5 Chief District Engineer Matt Bullock and Govenor Steve Beshear's Chief of Staff Adam Edelen each spoke during the ribbon cutting for the interchange ramps I-264 at Wesport Road.

The $47 million project also includes widening of Westport Road between I-264 and Hubbards Lane. The project has been in the works for 25 years. As the ribbon cutting was being held, crews were still putting the finishing touches on the project.

The ramp from Westport Road to the Watterson headed toward Shelbyville Road opened Thursday morning and two more are scheduled to open by the end of the day. The remaining ramp, from southbound I-264 to Westport Road, will open on Friday. The widening of Westport Road from the interchange to Hubbards Lane will be completed in 6-8 weeks. The delay in opening the ramps all at once was due to the considerable rain we've recently received.

TARC Board approves 4 route cuts and an additional $1 fare for express routes

The TARC Board of Directors took action yesterday to help TARC make up a projected $5.5 million shortfall by reducing service and adding $1 to the $1.50 fare for express routes only. The route changes and service reductions will go into effect Sunday, June 6. The fare increase will be effective July 1.

The slate of schedule reductions will save TARC an estimated $3.5 million and the fare increase is expected to generate enough revenue to keep all express routes operating. In March, 12 of 16 express routes had been proposed for elimination. Many express riders who attended the public hearings March 9 through 11 said they would pay more to keep the express service.

The other changes approved by the board include the elimination of four local routes and service reductions on 20. Another eight routes will have some route adjustments.

Besides continuing the express routes, the board also voted to preserve Route #12 – Twelfth Street and Route #22- Twenty-second Street. The #58 – Bashford Manor –Oxmoor will be eliminated but a one-day shopper shuttle to Bashford Manor and Oxmoor Mall will take its place so that seniors in the area will have access to shopping.

The elimination of the Fourth Street Trolley and service reductions on the Main-Market Trolley are on hold while a proposal for outside funding is developed.


The board voted to eliminate the following four routes:
#80 Hurstbourne Parkway
#59 River Road
#35 Indian Trail
#58 Bashford Manor/Oxmoor.

The following 20 routes will see service reductions effective June 6:

#2 Second Street
#4 Fourth Street
#6 Sixth Street
#17 Bardstown Road
#19 Muhammad Ali
#21 Chestnut Street
#25 Oak Street
#27 Hill Street
#29 Eastern Parkway
#31 Middletown
#37X Iroquois Park Express
#45X Okolona Express
#49X Westport Express
#50X Dixie Express
#52 Medical Center Circulator
#54X Manslick Express
#66X Mt. Washington-Shepherdsville Express
#67X Oldham 1-71 Express
#72 Clarksville-New Albany.
#75 Bluegrass Industrial Shuttle

Additionally these routes will have routing changes:
#6 Sixth Street, #17 Bardstown Road, #18 Preston-18th Street; #21 Chestnut Street, #23 Broadway, #62 Breckenridge-Shepherdsville, #75 Bluegrass Industrial Shuttle and #78X Bluegrass Express. One of those changes is to ensure that Shalom Towers on Dutchmans Lane will continue to have service. It will continue be served by the #23 Broadway route instead of the #58 Bashford Manor/Oxmoor.

At the Feb. 22 board meeting, 12 express routes were proposed for elimination. These routes will continue to run, funded by the $1 additional fare to be paid by express route riders.

Riders who are paying $1.50 cash, transferring or using one-ride tickets will be required to pay the additional $1 fare. A monthly express pass will be available for $80.

All express route riders will be subject to the additional fare. These are the 12 routes that had been slated for elimination:

#37X – Iroquois-Fairdale Express
#38X – Deering Express
#45X – Okolona Express
#49X – Westport Road Express
#50X – Dixie Express
#53X – Breckenridge Express
#54X – Manslick Express
#61X – Plainview Express
#64X – Fincastle-Forest Springs Express
#66X – Mount Washington Express
#68X – Prospect Express
#73X – Charlestown Road Express


It has not yet been determined if riders who use a pre-paid employer ID will have to pay the $1. Discussions with those employers are underway.

Look for new schedules printed on yellow paper on the buses and in schedule racks throughout the area. For additional information call 585-1234, TTY 213-3240. Schedules and maps can be viewed and downloaded from the TARC web site at www.ridetarc.org.

Planning to go to Derby?

If you are planning to go to the Kentucky Derby or the Kentucky Oaks, TARC will provide service to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Oaks and Derby on four routes that normally travel within walking distance of Churchill Downs.

Service will be available at the regularly scheduled times on all routes for the usual fare of $1.50. The following routes travel near Churchill Downs:

• Rt. #2 serves downtown, UofL and Louisville International Airport.
• Rt. #4 serves downtown, Old Louisville, the South End and Iroquois Park area.
• Rt. #6 serves downtown, Shively, Iroquois Park and Fairdale areas.
• Rt. #29 serves St. Matthews, Highlands, UofL and Shively.

TARC will follow designated detours away from track starting at about 4:30 p.m. on Oaks and Derby Day. After the races, buses will pick people up at a different stop than where they were dropped off.

In addition, as part of Derby Eve festivities, there will be free bus and trolley rides on TARC provided by Miller Lite Free Rides™.

The Free Rides program is designed to reduce drunk driving during major community events by providing a safe transportation alternative. Free rides on TARC will be available on all TARC routes and trolleys from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Derby Eve. Extra trolleys will run along Main and Market Streets until midnight to provide better access to downtown establishments and the Miller Lite-sponsored Derby Eve Jam on the waterfront.

Public meeting to discuss Seneca Park Multi-Use Path

A public meeting to discuss the plans for the multi-use path in Seneca Park will begin at 7 p.m. Monday at St. Matthews Baptist Church, 3515 Grandview Ave.

Dirk Gowin, of Louisville Metro Government Public Works who coordinates bike projects, will discuss the path and answer questions. Part of the project has already been completed.

For more information, call Councilwoman Tina Ward-Pugh's office at (502) 574-1109 or email kyle.etheridge@louisvilleky.gov.

Louisville named one of America's Top 50 Bike Friendly Cities

Bicycling Magazine has named Louisville in its Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities listing.

The magazine ranked the cities in order and Louisville was ranked 21st. In order to be considered for the list, the magazine said cities should have segregated bike lanes, municipal bike racks and bike boulevards, to name a few. "If you have those things in your town, cyclists probably have the ear of the local government—another key factor. To make our Top 50, a city must also support a vibrant and diverse bike culture, and it must have smart, savvy bike shops," the magazine says on their website.

With regard to Louisville, the magazine says "Prior to 2005, Louisville was not a bike-friendly place. Thanks to mayor Jerry Abramson, cycling is thriving. Construction of the 100-mile Louisville Loop is underway; it's about 25 percent complete."

A complete list of the top 50 is available at http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,6610,s1-3-583-21901-1,00.html. To read more about these cities and why they were chosen go to: http://www.bicycling.com/topbikefriendlycities/

Public meeting to be held about transit hub

The public in invited to a meeting on April 12 to discuss the possible locations planned for a downtown transportation hub and on what facilities it should have and what services it should offer.

The meeting will be at 5 p.m. at the Transit Authority of River City’s Union Station headquarters at Broadway and 10th Street. The meeting will be conducted by JRA Architects, a consulting firm that the city is paying to design and develop a plan for the transportation facility.

The project will be funded primarily with federal money. Louisville Metro has already received $130,000 federal grant to hire the consultant and an additional $1.3 million from the U.S. Transportation Department for development of the project.

The hub provide bicyclists a place to park their bicycles as well as a place to get bus tickets and would be a stopping point for buses and taxis.

The building is proposed to include showers and lockers for cyclists and storage facilities for bikes.

The city has suggested four possible locations for the hub, but the final location could be elsewhere. Here are the four proposed locations:

• The ground floor of the municipal garage near Sixth and Market streets
• The surface lot behind City Hall at Sixth Street and Congress Alley
• Founders Square near Louisville Gardens
• Plaza near Fourth and Jefferson streets.

We want our input on public outreach!

We want to hear from you!

We are seeking your input on our public involvement process and the ways that you're provided information to get you involved.

A Public Participation Survey will be online through April 30. The link to the survey is https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/kipdappsurvey.

The survey will help us analyze our current outreach practices and also develop new ways to get you involved in the planning process.

If you have questions or need additional information, contact Josh Suiter at (502) 266-6084 or email kipda.trans@ky.gov.

TARC hearings focus on express route fare increases

The Transit Authority of River City (TARC) is seeking public input on a proposal to raise the fare on TARC’s 16 express routes from $1.50 to $2.50.

The $1 surcharge on express service was suggested by riders at public meetings in early March as a way to save the 13 express routes that were slated for elimination. The fare increase will allow TARC to keep its popular express service and help make up a projected $5.5 million shortfall. It is expected that the express routes will also see some reductions in the number of runs.

TARC has scheduled public meetings for April 12-15 (see schedule below). Those wishing to comment can also email comments to info@ridetarc.org or call 561-5112.

Express routes are those that generally travel a longer distance, have fewer stops and run only in the morning and afternoon commute periods. The affected routes go to Oldham, Bullitt, southern Indiana and the suburban areas of Jefferson County. A list of all routes is available on the TARC website at www.ridetarc.org.

Because of reduced revenues from the local occupational tax, TARC is proceeding with other cuts, including the elimination of four routes and cutbacks on 16 others. Those changes, which were the subject of public hearings March 9-11, are expected to save about $2.5 million annually and will take effect on June 6.

The public hearings on the express fare increase are as follows:

Monday, April 12
11 a.m. -1 p.m. at the Metro Government Development Center, 444 S. 5th Street
6-8 p.m. at the Southwest Government Center, 7219 Dixie Highway

Tuesday, April 13
6-8 p.m. at the Jeffersonville (Ind.) Library, 211 East Court Ave.

Wednesday, April 14
6-8 p.m. at the East End Government Center, 200 Juneau Drive

Thursday, April 15
6-8 p.m. at the Oldham County Community Convention Center, 1551 N Hwy 393 in Buckner.

For more information, call 585-1234.

APCD to hold "Clearing the Air" Seminar Series

The Air Pollution Control District (APCD) is holding a "Clearing the Air" Seminar Series over the next few months.

Morning seminars will be held from 9-9:30 a.m. and evening seminars will be held from 5:30-6 p.m. with question and answer sessions to follow. All seminars will be at the APCD offices' board room, 850 Barrett Ave., in Louisville. All seminars are free.

Here are the topics and dates:

March 30:

• Morning Seminar: Air Quality 101 with APCD Executive Director Lauren Anderson.
• Evening Seminar: Air Quality 101 with APCD Executive Director Lauren Anderson.

May 25:

• Morning Seminar: Managing Buildings and Grounds for Air Quality with a special guest from the Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center
• Evening Seminar: Lawn Care for Cleaner Air

June 29:

• Morning Seminar: Idle Reduction Tool Kit: Turn the Key for Cleaner Fleets.
• Evening Seminar: You and Your Car: The Key to Cleaner Air and Greater Fuel Efficiency.

August 31:

• Morning Seminar: It All Adds Up: A Guide to Air Monitoring.
• Evening Seminar: It All Adds Up: A Guidet to Air Monitoring.

September 28:

• Morning Seminar: State of the Air with APCD Executive Director Lauren Anderson.
• Evening Seminar: State of the Air with APCD Executive Director Lauren Anderson.

For more information, go to www.louisvilleky.gov/apcd

Groundbreaking held for another ARRA project

Another project funded by Amer­ican Recovery and Reinvest­ment Act (ARRA) dollars broke ground yesterday.

Gov. Steve Beshear, KIPDA Executive Director Jack Couch and other local officials gathred to break ground for construction of an extension to Blankenbaker Parkway., a $5.1 million project.

The new section of roadway will extend Blan­kenbaker by six-tenths of a mile from Chenoweth Run Road to Taylorsville Road. It will create direct access from Taylorsville Road to the Bluegrass Industrial Parkway. The extension will be con­structed to the east of Cheno­weth Run Road and run between the Deer Creek patio homes and Landherr Estates.

Flynn Brothers Contracting Inc. of Louisville was awarded the contract and participated in the ceremony. Construction is to be completed in the summer of 2011.

TARC BOARD ELIMINATES FOUR ROUTES AND REDUCES/CHANGES 16; ADDITIONAL FARE BEING EXPLORED

During their meeting yesterday, the Transit Authority of River City (TARC) Board of Directors gave its support to a new course of action designed to help TARC make up a projected $5.5 million shortfall and preserve some of the bus routes that had been slated for elimination last month.

TARC Executive Director J. Barry Barker recommended that the board move ahead with 20 of the recommendations he made on Feb. 22. Those include four route eliminations and 16 routes that are slated for service reductions or routing changes. Those changes are expected to save about $2.5 million annually and will take effect on June 6.

However, the elimination of 12 of 16 express routes that was proposed last month was put on hold while TARC explores the feasibility of making up part of the shortfall by adding $1 additional fare on all express routes and reducing rather than eliminating service on some of them. Barker also recommended combining Routes #12 Twelfth Street and #22 Twenty-second Street, both of which had been proposed for elimination.

Barker recommended holding off on changes to the Fourth Street Trolley while funding options are considered. Changes to Routes #29 Eastern Parkway, #75 Bluegrass Circulator and #77 Main-Market Trolley were also put on hold.

The final decision is scheduled to be made on the remaining service changes at the next board meeting on April 26. Public hearings will be scheduled in April on the proposed fare increase for express routes.

“The difficult challenge is that we are struggling financially at the same time that public transportation has got to expand,” said Board Chairman Cedric Merlin Powell. “We are looking at ways to maintain service as efficiently and effectively as we can.”

Barker’s recommendation was to eliminate the following four routes:

#80 Hurstbourne Parkway
#59 River Road
#35 Indian Trail
#58 Bashford Manor/Oxmoor.

The following 13 routes will see service reductions effective June 6:

#2 Second Street
#4 Fourth Street
#6 Sixth Street
#15 Market Street
#17 Bardstown Road
#19 Muhammad Ali
#21 Chestnut Street
#25 Oak Street
#27 Hill Street
#31 Middletown
#52 Medical Center Circulator
#55 Westport Road
#72 Clarksville-New Albany.

Four routes will have routing changes: #17 Bardstown Road, #18 Preston-18th Street; #23 Broadway and #62 Breckenridge-Shepherdsville. One of those changes is to ensure that Shalom Towers on Dutchmans Lane will continue to have service. It will be served by the #23 Broadway route instead of the #58 Bashford Manor/Oxmoor.

At the Feb. 22 board meeting, the following express routes were proposed for elimination:

#37X – Iroquois-Fairdale Express
#38X – Deering Express
#45X – Okolona Express
#49X – Westport Road Express
#50X – Dixie Express
#53X – Breckenridge Express
#54X – Manslick Express
#61X – Plainview Express
#64X – Fincastle-Forest Springs Express
#66X – Mount Washington Express
#68X – Prospect Express
#73X – Charlestown Road Express

Ramp closures announced by KYTC

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 5 Office has announced temporary ramp closures on March 17th from 7:00 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. due to guardrail repairs. The following ramps will be closed simultaneously during this work:

• Exit ramp from eastbound Interstate 64 to northbound Interstate 265 (Exit 19)
• Exit ramp from northbound Interstate 265 to westbound Interstate 64 (Exit 25)

The actual starting date and duration of this work may be adjusted if inclement weather or other unforeseen delays occur. Dial 511 or log on to 511.ky.gov for the latest in traffic and travel information in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

KIPDA Winter 2010 Horizons Newsletter now available

KIPDA's winter newsletter is on our website. Check out this quarter's edition and found out about:

• American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects update


• The Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan


• New TARC bus designs


• The 2010 Census


• What is the leading cause of Kentucky's accidents?

And more....
To see this quarter's newsletter go to http://www.kipda.org/files/PDF/Transportation_Division/Newsletters/KIPDA_Transportation_Newsletter_-_Winter_2010.pdf

If you'd like to receive the newsletter, email Josh Suiter at Josh.Suiter@ky.gov with your name, address, city, state, zip code, email address (if you have one). Also, if you have story ideas or things you might like to see in the newsletter, email Suiter those details as well.

TARC has another round of proposed cuts

Due to dropping revenues and increased expenses, the TARC Board of Directors will consider additional service reductions at its meeting on Monday, Feb. 22. At the meeting, scheduled for 8:30 a.m. at Union Station, the board will review proposed service cuts designed to make up TARC’s projected budget shortfall for Fiscal Year 11, which begins July 1. The proposed cuts would reduce TARC’s expenses by about $5 million and could include eliminating service on up to 20 routes and reducing service on another 16 routes.

The proposed service changes are in addition to those taking effect Sunday, Feb. 21. Those entail eliminating four routes and reducing service on 18 routes. A full list of those changes is available on the website at http://www.ridetarc.org/.

At Monday’s meeting, the following service reductions will be proposed:

Routes proposed for elimination:
#1 – Fourth Street Trolley
#12 – Twelfth Street
#22 – Twenty-Second Street
#35 – Indian Trail-Hikes Lane
#37X – Iroquois-Fairdale Express
#38X – Deering Express
#45X – Okolona Express
#49X – Westport Road
#50X – Dixie Express
#53X – Breckenridge Express
#54X – Manslick Express
#58 – Bashford Manor-Oxmoor
#59 – River Road
#61X – Plainview
#64X – Fincastle - Forest Springs Express
#66X – Mount Washington Express
#68X – Prospect Express
#73X – Charlestown Road Express
#75 – Bluegrass Circulator
#80 – Hurstbourne Parkway

Routes proposed for reduction of frequency (or more time between buses):
#2 – Second Street
# 4 – Fourth Street
#6 – Sixth Street
#19 - Muhammad Ali
#21 – Chestnut Street
#25 - Oak Street
#27 – Hill Street
#67X – Oldham I-71 Express
#72 – Clarksville-New Albany

Routes that may not run during the same hours:
#29 – Eastern Parkway
#31 – Middletown
#77 – Main-Market Trolley

Routes that may see a routing change:
#6 – Sixth Street
#17 – Bardstown Road
#18 - Preston – 18th Street
#21 – Chestnut Street
#23 – Broadway
#62 – Breckenridge-Shepherdsville

A chart of all the changes is available on TARC’s website, http://www.ridetarc.org/. TARC is soliciting public comment on the proposals through March 11. Feedback can be sent to TARC by clicking “Contact Us” on the website, or by calling 561-5112. The mailing address is TARC, Union Station, 1000 W. Broadway, Louisville, KY 40203. Those wishing to discuss the changes and get more information about how they will be affected are invited to attend public hearings. The days and dates are as follows:

Tuesday, March 9
11 a.m to 1 p.m. at TARC Union Station, 1000 W. Broadway
5- 7 p.m. at Americana Community Center, 4801 Southside Drive

Wednesday March 10
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Bon Air Library, 2816 Del Rio Place
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at New Albany-Floyd County Public Library, 180 West Spring St., in New Albany, Indiana
5-7 p.m. at the East End Government Center, 200 Juneau Drive

Thursday March 11
5-7 p.m. at TARC Union Station, 1000 W. Broadway

Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodations, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format, will be provided for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. Language translators will also be provided upon request. Please call 561-5112 or 561-5115 with specific information on your special needs.

Technical committee elects chair, vice chair

The Transportation Technical Coordinating Committee elected its 2010 chairman and vice chairman during yesterday's meeting.

Matt Meunier (pictured to the right), Assistant to the Mayor and Director of Planning & Design for the City of Jeffersontown, was re-elected chairman. Meunier also serves on the Transportation Policy Committee.

Don Lopp, Floyd County (Ind.) Planner, was re-elected vice-charman.

TARC cuts, reductions begin Feb. 21

Due to a budget shortfall caused by the current economic downturn, TARC is cutting back service on many routes effective Feb. 21, 2010. Five routes will be eliminated and service will be reduced on 17 routes.

The following routes, all of which have alternative service, will be eliminated:
#46X – 26th/42nd G.E. Express
#69X – New Albany Express
#70X – Clarksville Express
#96 – West Louisville Circulator
#22 – 22nd St. (Saturday)

Little-used route segments on the following routes will also be discontinued:
#1 Fourth Street Trolley
#15 Market Street
#31 Middletown
#43 Poplar Level
#49X Westport Express
#61X Plainview Express
64X Southern Oldham County Express.

Finally, there will be service reductions on the following routes:
#1 Fourth Street Trolley
#2 Second Street
#4 Fourth Street
#6 Sixth Street
#12 Twelfth Street
#15 Market Street
#19 Muhammad Ali
#25 Oak Street
#37X Iroquois Park Express
#45x Okolona Express
#49x Westport Express
#53X Breckenridge Express
#58 Bashford Manor
#61x Plainview Express
#63 Crums Lane
#64X Southern Oldham County Express
#67X Oldham I-71 Express
#71 Jeffersonville Express
#72 Clarksville-New Albany
#73 Charlestown Road Express
#78 Downtown Bluegrass Express.

New schedules will be available on the bus the week before the schedule change and will be available at www.ridetarc.org under “TARC News” up to two weeks before the schedule change. For specific schedule information, call 585-1234.

Transportation Policy Committee elects chairman, vice-chairman

KIPDA's Transportation Policy Committee (TPC) has elected J. Byron Chapman , Mayor of Middletown and representative of the Jefferson County League of Cities (pictured to the right with 2008 chair Trish Fraser), as their new chairman for the committee for 2010. In addition, J. Barry Barker, executive director of the Transit Authority of River City, was elected vice-chairman.

Chapman and Barker previously served in these roles during the 2009 year. Chapman is also chairman of KIPDA's Board of Directors.

The TPC is s comprised of elected officials and transportation providers who make decisions for the agency. Their meeting are open to the public and include a public comment period.

Proposed Bullitt Co. TARC Route subject of open house

Bullitt County is working to develop a bus service, which will cost $200,000 a year. The service is the result of a task force, which includes residents and representatives from county government, local businesses, Bullitt County Public Schools, TARC, KIPDA and Louisville Wheels Transportation Inc.

The proposed bus service, which at first will include one large handicap-accessible van, is expected to start in March and will make six stops throughout Bullitt and four stops in Louisville.
TARC has one express route that travels through four sites in Mount Washington and Shepherdsville, one in southeast Louisville and four in downtown Louisville. It has roughly 100 boardings per day, but service is limited to the early morning and evening hours.

The proposed fare is $2 one way, $4 round trip. To compare, TARC charges $1.50 one way.
The proposed route makes three round trips daily between 7:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. and stops at these locations:

• Oakbrooke Circle and Ky. 44 at Lloyd Lane in Mount Washington
• Market Place Drive in Pioneer Village
• Walmart on Standiford Plaza Drive near Hillview
• Kroger on Adam Shepherd Parkway
• Jefferson Community and Technical College's campus on Buffalo Run Road in Shepherdsville

Residents can view the route and share concerns with officials at an open house Jan. 28.
at 7 p.m. at the Paroquet Springs Conference Centre, 395 Paroquet Springs Drive. Residents will be able to view the proposed route, schedule and discuss concerns with officials.

For more information, call Judge-Executive Melanie Robert's office at (502) 543-2262.