 |
Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, better known as the F.A.S.T. Act, has passed both chambers of the United States Congress.
After many, many years of short term continuing resolutions we finally have a long term authorization that will give our states the opportunity to plan for and implement major road projects.
With the final passage of this bill, we can plan for the future.
As a part of the transportation industry, we have the security of knowing that we'll have the opportunity to not only build projects but maintain them as well. That means we will be putting people to work - consistently - for at least the next 5 years. That's important because we employ more than 50,000 people in the transportation industry in the state of Kentucky alone.
Passage of this bill isn't just important to those of us within the transportation industry. The infrastructure we build today will be used for generations to come, providing them with opportunities to better their lives by accessing employment and education. We will also use the infrastructure we build today to move the freight of tomorrow. Whether we are manufacturing cars or 3D printers, we must be able to safely and efficiently move freight. Having a consistent federal highway bill will allow our state - and others - to address current issues and build for the future.
But this bill isn't just about building roads and bridges.
It's also about our entire transit network. The majority of public transit funding is derived from the federal highway trust fund. An interconnected transit network covers all of Kentucky counties, providing access for Kentuckians to employment, education, and other everyday needs. Passage of the F.A.S.T. Act ensures funding for this important mode of transportation used by thousands of Kentuckians on a daily basis.
KBT want
to thank Leader McConnell and the other members of the Kentucky delegation for their perseverance on this issue. During the annual KBT Fly In last May, Leader McConnell invited Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Committee to speak with our group. The two gentlemen informed KBT members that a long-term surface transportation bill was a top priority and that their Chamber was going to work toward passage. As we visited with our U.S. House members, we heard a similar message. True to everyone's word, the bill has passed both Chambers and is awaiting the President's signature. To view the summary of the bill, click here. To view the explanatory statement, click here.
Thank you to the entire Kentucky delegation for taking action yesterday and doing what our country needs today and in the future.
|
|
Senator McConnell Helps Deliver Long-Term Highway Bill
to Benefit Kentucky
|
|
Dec 03 2015
Press Release: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's office
'With a long-term highway bill we can rebuild our infrastructure, ease growing congestion, and improve traffic safety for Kentuckians. We can support jobs and boost the economy... And we can keep Kentuckians moving safely and efficiently over our state's roads and bridges'
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell praised Senate passage today of a five-year transportation bill, the longest-term transportation bill to pass Congress in almost two decades. The Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act provides 5 years of fully paid for transportation funding and long-term certainty in a fiscally responsible way.
"While Kentucky has a strong network of interstates, highways and parkways, it's obvious to anyone who has driven in the Commonwealth lately that many important transportation infrastructure projects are in urgent need of repair. This disrepair complicates and delays the commutes of the millions of Kentucky drivers and businesses who rely on our roads and bridges every day,"
Senator McConnell said. "In previous years, Congress processed only short-term highway funding extensions, which made vital transportation projects difficult to undertake and manage. Under the new Senate, I made transportation infrastructure a priority and led the Senate in taking bipartisan action to meaningfully improve our roads and bridges over the coming years. Many said that a long-term highway bill would never pass Congress, but we proved them wrong - we proved it could actually pass by a wide, bipartisan margin."
"This bipartisan, long-term highway and transportation bill which I helped shepherd through the Senate provides five years of guaranteed funding and stability for interstate highway projects and gives state and local governments more flexibility in how they spend federal transportation dollars. And most importantly, it would also support jobs in Kentucky and across the nation as these and other important infrastructure projects get underway,"
Senator McConnell added.
Kentuckians for Better Transportation (KBT) -- the Commonwealth's major transportation advocacy group -- thanked Senator McConnell for his work in passing the legislation: "Congress passing the five-year FAST Act transportation funding bill is a major victory for Kentucky commuters and businesses that rely on our vital transportation network and it would not have happened without Senator McConnell's leadership. KBT thanks Senator McConnell for making transportation infrastructure a top priority in the Senate and for his pushing this important bill through Congress,"
said Juva Barber, Executive Director of KBT.
Beyond providing five years of funding certainty to the Commonwealth for transportation projects -- which is prioritized in Frankfort -- the FAST Act includes a number of measures that could specifically benefit Kentucky, including:
Natcher Parkway/I-65 Spur designation
- Designates the existing Natcher Parkway between Bowling Green and Owensboro an official Spur of I-65 in an effort to help attract additional economic development to the region. Representative Brett Guthrie (KY-02) worked on the provision in the House of Representatives.
Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects
- Makes it easier for Kentucky to compete for federal funding to help advance major transportation infrastructure projects like the Brent Spence Bridge that have not been funded through existing resources. $4.5 billion is provided for this competitive program over the life of the bill.
National Highway Freight Program
- Establishes a formula program -- funded at $6.2 billion over life of the bill -- to improve highway infrastructure projects that are especially critical to the movement of freight, like the Brent Spence Bridge.
ARC High-speed broadband development initiative
- Authorizes $50 million over the life of the bill for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to provide grants, technical assistance, training and equipment to the Appalachian region in an effort to increase affordable access to broadband networks, distance learning opportunities, telehealth technologies, and promote e-commerce applications.
"With a long-term highway and transportation bill we can rebuild our infrastructure, ease growing congestion, and improve traffic safety for Kentuckians. We can support jobs and boost the economy by undertaking new construction and by helping Kentucky farmers and businesses get their products to market. And we can keep Kentucky drivers moving safely and efficiently over our state's roads and bridges," Senator McConnell said. "Today's passage of the highway and transportation bill is just the latest reminder of what's possible in a new and more open Senate. It's an achievement for the American people-an achievement that only the new majority in Congress has been able to deliver."
|
Don't let Earl
y Bird Registration "Fly-By"
Register by December 14, 2015!
|
Michael F. Trentacoste,
Associate Administrator for Research, Development & Technology;
Director, Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center;
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
US Department of Transportation, USA is scheduled to speak at the 2016 Annual Kentucky Transportation Conference.
Michael Trentacoste was named the Associate Administrator for Research, Development & Technology (RD&T) for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in January 2009. He also serves as the Director of FHWA's Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) in McLean, Virginia. In those capacities, he is responsible for leading the development and coordination of a national highway research and development agenda; formulation and conduct of research and development at the Turner Fairbank Center; and establishment of research and technology partnerships with States, academia, industry, and international highway research organizations.
|
Kathleen B. Hoye, MUPP, CFBA, CExp,
Director, Family Business Center,
University of Louisville,
College of Business scheduled to speak at the 2016 Annual Kentucky Transportation Conference.
Kathleen Hoye is an Executive in Residence at the University of Louisville's College of Business and the Director of the Family Business Center. She holds an International Certificate in Family Business Advising from the Family Firm Institute and is a Certified Exit Planner.
Kathleen has more than 20 years of experience providing technical assistance to busi
nesses of all sizes and industry sectors as an economic development
professional and practitioner. She holds a Master's Degree in Urban Economic
Development from the University of Illinois-Chicago, where she spent eight years
in Chicago working first with manufacturers and then with retailers and small
businesses.
|
Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority to Establish Foreign-Trade Zone
The U.S. Department of Commerce Foreign-Trade Zone Board has approved the Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority to establish a foreign-trade zone. The riverport authority has been working for approval since 2011.
Riverport Authority executive director Bill Miller says imports and exports held within the zone are not taxed until they leave the facility for final use, making the zone a good business recruitment tool. He says the zone should foster manufacturing and distribution jobs throughout the area.
"If a company wanted to set up an import business in Murray, then what would happen is that they would apply for us and we would get them signed up and approved by the trade zone board as an off site area. So, it can extend outside the current riverport property limits," Miller said.
Paducah Economic Development's Scott Darnell says the zone will give Paducah a competitive advantage when attracting new business. His agency plans to incorporate the zone into their marketing strategy for the city.
There are three other foreign-trade zones in Kentucky, including Louisville, Boone County, and Greenup and Boyd Counties jointly. Miller says he hopes to have Paducah's foreign-trade zone fully established within the next 3 to 9 months.
|
|
Flying UAS Near Airports -
How FAA Changed the Rules For One Operator
One of the issues a number of our commercial UAS clients have is flying within 5 nautical miles of an airport. The blanket Certificate of Authorization (COA) issued with each Section 333 grant of exemption prohibits flights in this airspace without new, special permission being obtained.
We recently found a change in the FAA mandated procedure for requesting permission to fly within 5 miles of an airport. We will need to see if this change occurs in other Section 333 grants of exemption, since this approach may only be for the unique operations of the operator, a public university flight school, Kansas State University.
For much of Section 333's history, the procedure for requesting permission to fly within 5 miles of an airport was to get a Letter of Agreement (LOA) with the airport's management. For example the following has been a typical Section 333 exemption condition:
"The UA may not operate within 5 nautical miles of an airport reference point (ARP) as denoted in the current FAA Airport/Facility Directory (AFD) or for airports not denoted with an ARP, the center of the airport symbol as denoted on the current FAA-published aeronautical chart, unless a letter of agreement with that airport's management is obtained or otherwise permitted by a COA issued to the exemption holder. The letter of agreement with the airport management must be made available to the Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request."
|
Who: Members of the public
What: Are invited to "Walk the Bridge"
When: Saturday, December 5, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Where: On the deck of the Lincoln Bridge, access is on the Jeffersonville side
Access to the Bridge
Public access to the bridge, by foot and by shuttle, will be from Jeffersonville. Parking will be available at Water Tower Square (300 Missouri Avenue), McCauley Centre (702 North Shore Drive) and Colston Park (301 Mulberry Street). Jeffersonville Police will be assisting with traffic control.
TARC buses will provide free shuttle service from Water Tower Square. Court Avenue will be closed to traffic from North Shore Drive to Ohio Avenue to facilitate pedestrian and shuttle transport.
City of Jeffersonville trolleys will provide downtown shuttle service, with a number of trolley stops planned.
The ramp from I-65 North to Court Avenue will be closed to provide access to the bridge. Shuttles will drop passengers at the end of the ramp, with participants walking to the deck of the bridge.
Walk Details
After walking up the ramp (1,000 feet), participants will walk the approach to the bridge (1,000 feet) and have the opportunity to walk nearly the length of the bridge (2,100 feet), before returning to the Court Avenue ramp. A complete circuit will total more than 1 ½ miles.
No pets, bicycles, skateboards or rollerblades will be allowed on the bridge. Limited parking for bikes is available in a number of locations in Jeffersonville.
|
17th Annual Design-a-Bus Contest
TARC and Louisville Metro's Public Works and Assets are partnering this year for the
17th annual Design-a-Bus contest, featuring artwork by schoolchildren throughout the
Louisville area.
This year's theme is "Look Alive Louisville," based on the commitment by both
organizations to help promote pedestrian and vehicle safety.
"TARC values the safety of pedestrians and passengers," said Barry Barker, Executive
Director of TARC. "Our aim is to increase the awareness of safe practices with this
partnership."
|
CSX's Santa Train Completed it's 73rd Run
CSX's Santa Train completed its 73rd run on Nov. 21, 2015 in Kingsport, Tenn., after having made its inaugural run in 1943 as a good will gesture to residents of rural Eastern Kentucky and Southwest Virginia.
The Santa Train was started by the Merchants Bureau of Kingsport (which later became the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce) and one of CSX's predecessor railroads, the Clinchfield Railroad, as a way to thank people who traveled to Kingsport throughout the year to do their shopping. It runs a 110-mile route through Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee and makes 14 scheduled stops, starting with Shelby County, Ky., and ending with Kingsport, Tenn.
|
During this holiday season, and throughout the year, NHTSA's new SaferRide app will help keep drunk drivers off our roads by allowing users to call a taxi or a friend and by identifying their location so they can be picked up.
For Android devices, from Google Play store:
|
Save the Date - Kentucky Lifesavers Conference
|
Date:
|
March 22-24, 2016
|
|
Place:
|
Galt House, Louisville
|
|
More Informat
ion:
|
|
|
Thanks to our 2016 Annual Kentucky Transportation Conference
Sponsors to Date:
|
|
Gold
|
Silver
|
|
Kentucky Equipment Distributors
WSP| Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc.
|
|
|
Bronze
|
Exhibitors
|
|
Roadway Construction Products
Ricon Corporation
Unique Paving Products
Terracon
O.R. Colan Associates
Intech
Long Construction Management
Hinkle Environmental Services
Hinkle Construction Services, LLC
Hinkle Contracting Company
Gresham Smith and Partners
Garver
Haydon Materials
DLZ
Sherman Dixie Concrete
LEXTRAN
Nugent Sand Company
|
|
|
|
KBT's Mission Statement
Kentuckians for Better Transportation educates and advocates for all modes of transportation to promote a safe, sustainable transportation network that brings economic growth and improved quality of life to all Kentucky Communities.
|
|
|
Kentuckians for Better Transportation | (502) 491-5600 | www.kbtnet.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
