National Freight Advisory Committee Being Formed

In an effort to improve our national freight system, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced last week the establishment of a National Freight Advisory Committee. The committee will be providing recommendations to improve the current system.

“Our freight system is the lifeblood of the American economy,” said Secretary LaHood. “We must ensure that our freight system is stronger and better connected.” 

The recent transportation bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, or MAP-21, signed by President Obama in July 2012, established a national freight policy and called for the creation of a National Freight Strategic Plan. The plan calls for engaging stakeholders representing diverse geographic, modal, and policy interests, such as safety, labor and the environment. The freight committee will provide recommendations to the Secretary of Transportation on how DOT can improve its freight transportation policies and programs.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is soliciting nominations for members of the National Freight Advisory Committee. The committee will be comprised at least 25 voting members from outside of DOT who have various perspectives on freight transportation, including mode, region, policy areas, freight customers and providers, and government entities, and will meet at least three times per year.

DOT also proposed the process through which the DOT will designate a national freight network to better focus attention on the highways most critical to the movement of goods. The Secretary will designate the most critical existing interstates and roads as the primary freight network. This network will consist of up to 27,000 miles of existing interstate and other roadways. It will also include the possible addition of 3,000 miles of existing and planned roadways necessary for the efficient movement of goods in the future. 

U.S. freight travels over an extensive multi-modal network that includes highways, railroads, waterways, pipelines and airways. The Department is requesting comments on the proposed process. Instructions on how to submit comments are available in the Federal Register notice available here: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-02-06/html/2013-02580.htm.

Additional information on the National Freight Advisory Committee is available here: http://www.freight.dot.gov/freight_nfac.cfm.

Louisville Loop Meeting Next Tuesday!

Louisville Metro Parks is hosting another meeting about the Louisville Loop at 6 p.m. Tuesday, February 26 at Okolona Christian Church, 10801 Faithful Way.

The meeting will discuss the section from Fairdale to Floyds Fork. It is the forth and final public meeting on the master plan for the south central/southeastern portion of the Louisville, from National Turnpike at Fairdale Road to Floyds Fork near Bardstown Road.

A draft recommended alignment will be presented with a chance for the public to comment on the draft.

For more information, go to louisvilleky.gov/MetroParks/planninganddesign/metro_loop_trail.htm or www.louisvilleloop.org.

Prelimary Work For The New Downtown Bridge Begins This Week

The Kentucky Transportation begins some preparation work for the Downtown Crossing of the Ohio River Bridges Project this week with initial clearing of right of way along interstate routes in downtown Louisville.

Cabinet employees and contract work crews will begin cutting and trimming trees today and work will continue over the next several weeks in right of way areas along:

·         I-65 between Jackson and Floyd Sts. (Behind McDonalds and Michel Tire)

·         I-65 between Preston and Floyd Sts.

·         I-64 between Mellwood and Story Aves.

 The preliminary work will prepare areas for Walsh Construction Co. to build the Downtown Crossing starting this summer. The project includes widening portions of I-65 and I-64 in downtown Louisville to improve the interchange and connect to the new Downtown Bridge.

 The tree cutting and trimming will not require lane closures or restrictions.

Kentucky Official Highway Maps Now Available

Want to find your way around the Commonwealth of Kentucky without using your GPS or online sites? Then stop by an area rest areas, welcome centers, local convention and tourism offices and all Kentucky State Parks for the the 2013 Kentucky Official Highway Map.

The new maps contain information for motorists as well as the “Only One Kentucky” theme highlights the beauty, natural attractions and features unique to Kentucky:

·         The Kentucky Bourbon Trail, which explores the rich tradition and heritage of “America’s Official Native Spirit.”

·         Eastern Kentucky’s Red River Gorge Scenic Byway, which takes motorists to one of the nation’s special natural areas, offering stone arches, caves, cliffs, ravines and waterfalls.
·         The Great River Road in Western Kentucky, which highlights the Mississippi River’s pathway of history carrying people, cultures, ideas, art and music along its route.
·         The Wilderness Road Heritage Highway, which follows the steps of Daniel Boone and was crucial to settlement of the West. The trail leads motorists to Cumberland Gap National Historic Park, renowned country music venue Renfro Valley and Berea, Kentucky’s crafts capital.
·         Woodlands Trace, which meanders along a ridge of land between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. It is a beautiful drive in rolling terrain with plenty of opportunities to pull off and explore on your own or at developed interpretive facilities.
·         The Belle of Louisville, America’s last true Mississippi River steamboat still in operation, is also featured on the map along with Lexington’s world famous Kentucky Horse Park.
·         The Lincoln Heritage Scenic Highway, which explores the history and culture in six communities in the region where Abraham Lincoln was born.

The highway map, which is published annually by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, reflects many system improvements, such as KY 313 in Hardin and Meade counties; a widened, four-lane U.S. 27 in Garrard County, and the new KY 873 in Clay County, which now accesses the Hal Rogers Parkway from U.S. 421.  U.S. sanctioned bike routes are listed on the map along with symbols to indicate limited access parkways and divided highways.

 Plus, there are fifteen inset maps detailing Lexington, downtown Lexington, the Louisville area, downtown Louisville, Bowling Green, Owensboro, Henderson, Hopkinsville, Paducah, Elizabethtown-Radcliff, Northern Kentucky, Covington-Newport, downtown Frankfort, Richmond-Berea and Ashland.

 There is also information about improvements that will come about in the Louisville area as a result of the Ohio River Bridges Project. The project, nearing the start of construction, includes new crossings in downtown Louisville and eastern Jefferson County, plus a drastically improved Kennedy Interchange, where Interstates 64, 65 and 71 meet in Louisville.

 Multiple legends identify every type of street and highway, including bicycle routes and scenic byways. They also pinpoint Kentucky State Parks and Resort Parks, colleges and universities, airports and river ports, hospitals, welcome centers and rest areas and Kentucky State Police posts.

To view or download an electronic version of the Official State Highway Map, county maps or city maps, visit www.transportation.ky.gov/maps/pages/

Louisville Loop Meeting is Monday

The Louisville Loop Middletown to Eastwood Trail open house and public meeting will be held on Monday evening at the Middletown Fire Department, 108 Urton Lane. The open house begins at 6 p.m., presentation at 6:30 p.m. and discussion at 7 p.m.

This is the first meeting on the design of the Loop's Middletown to Eastwood Trail. There will be maps and other information about the trail corridor.

Public input is being sought on the design of the trail and these thoughts and questions will be addressed at this meeting or can be sent via email.

For more information, call (502) 456-8100 or email parks@louisvilleky.gov.