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Saturday is Halloween. If your family is like mine, your Saturday night will be spent with children indulging in all the thrills of the holiday.
While Halloween is important to some of our youngest citizens, the following week is more important to us.
Tuesday, November 3 is Election Day.
And you are lucky enough to be born in a country that allows you to vote. You have the golden opportunity to select who will run your state for the next four years.
That is amazing.
This election is a big one for transportation. The candidate we select for Governor will lead our state for the next four years, drafting transportation budgets and setting transportation priorities that will have long term impacts on the entire state of Kentucky.
So if you think you'll be too busy Tuesday to visit the polls I encourage you to adjust your schedule. Find some time to exercise your right to choose the person who will have an impact on your life and your company for the next four years.
Encourage your spouse, staff, peers, neighbors, and anyone else who is registered to take the time out of their busy schedule next Tuesday to go vote.
Abraham Lincoln may have said it best when he said "Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters."
Make sure you vote next Tuesday so you don't find yourself sitting on your blisters for the next four years.
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KBT Highways Committee Meeting:
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Date and Time:
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November 5, 2015
10:00 am - Noon
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Place:
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Ky. Chamber of Commerce
464 Chenault Road
Frankfort, Ky 40601
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Guest Speaker:
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Thomas L. Nelson, Jr., PE
Division Administrator
Federal Highway Administration
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Registration Required:
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Click here to register |
KBT Conference Planning Committee Meeting:
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Date and Time:
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November 18, 2015
10:30 am - Noon
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Place:
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Mountain Enterprises
2257 Executive Dr.
Lexington, KY 40505
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Registration Required:
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Click here to register |
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KBT committee meetings are open to all KBT members.
KBT events are open to members and their guests.
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About Kentucky with Gov. Steve Beshear
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| Click on above to view video |
Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear's YouTube page recently featured a look back on Kentucky's infrastructure improvements.
The video features several major projects that positively impact Kentucky by making major improvements in our transportation network.
Take a moment to click on the video and learn a little more About Kentucky.
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Senate Passes Transportation Funding Stopgap Bill & PTC Extension
The Senate on Wednesday approved a measure that extends federal transportation funding for three weeks, along with at provision that gives the railroad industry at least three more years to implement life-saving automatic-breaking technology.
Bowing to the reality that railroads were far from meeting the year-end deadline for the installation of the brake technology, known as Positive Train Control (PTC), the Senate joined the House in granting the extension. The original deadline, set in 2008, will now be extended to 2018, and, under certain circumstances, to 2020.
The move follows years of halting progress and aggressive lobbying by the railroads, which argued that the multibillion-dollar mandate was too complex and costly to finish on time.
The industry, led by large freight railroads, had presented an economic doomsday scenario if the deadline for implementing the technology was not extended. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) said the extension was critical to avoid "devastating" economic consequences.
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Commentary by Ray LaHood Louisville Courier Journal -
If Halloween is days away, winter must be lurking right around the corner. Once the temperature goes below freezing at night and then warms up when the sun is out, the "freeze-thaw cycle" begins to create potholes and worsen road conditions. This is not just a phenomenon in Louisville - winter and terrible road conditions are a problem in almost every community across the country. The nation is one big pothole. And it is costing you more money than you probably realize.
Driving on bad roads costs the average driver in Kentucky $339 per year in extra vehicle repairs and operating costs. If dodging the potholes isn't bad enough, consider the time that the average driver here in Louisville wastes sitting in traffic each year - 21 days. That is time not spent going to your child's soccer game or having dinner with your best friend.
And every year, more time is wasted and the cost of driving on those bad roads goes up.
One cost that has not changed in the past 22 years is the 18.4 cent per gallon federal gas tax. In inflation adjusted terms, the gas tax has lost more than a third of its purchasing power and is worth only 11.5 cents today. This is important because the gas tax is the primary source of revenue for the Highway Trust Fund, which pays for the nation's roads and bridges.
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The Yellow Dot Program - May Save Lives
FRANKFORT, Ky. (NEWS RELEASE) - Governor Steve Beshear announced on Oct. 26 the launch of Kentucky's Yellow Dot program, designed to improve emergency care to motorists involved in a vehicle crash.
The "dot"--a circular yellow sticker o n the lower left corner of the driver's side rear window--alerts emergency responders that a pamphlet with identification and medical information about the motorist is in the glove box. Smaller yellow stickers are available for placement on motorcycle license plates.
"We are always looking for ways to improve safety on Kentucky roadways, and the Yellow Dot program could truly be a lifesaver," Gov. Beshear said. "If a motorist is unconscious after a crash, every minute matters, and I believe this program could mean the difference between life and death."
The all-important pamphlet includes the participant's name, photo, medical conditions, recent surgeries, current medications, allergies, physical information and emergency contact information.
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MISA Metal Fabricating Will Expand at Jefferson Riverport
MISA Metal Fabricating Inc., an industrial mainstay for more than a quarter century, will expand at the Jefferson Riverport International Industrial Park in Louisville, Gov. Steve Beshear and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced earlier this month.
MISA, which provides steel cutting, welding, machining, fabricating and other services to industrial clients, will create 18 jobs and invest more than $4.3 million in the project.
"The expansion at MISA Metal Fabricating is the latest success in our work to bring jobs to the Commonwealth. It's all the more appropriate this announcement comes as Kentucky celebrates Manufacturing Month," Gov. Beshear said. "Over the past five years, 80 percent of announced new investment and 55 percent of new jobs tie directly to manufacturing. These 18 jobs coming to Louisville represent the continued strength of manufacturing growth in Kentucky."
The project expands and upgrades MISA's current space to better serve customers. The changes will also give employees a safer, more productive environment. Shop floor space will increase by approximately 36,000 square feet, providing room for additional equipment, inventory and material handling. A new employee entrance, break room, locker room, restrooms and new human resources offices will contribute an additional 6,000 square feet to the facility. The project will also add parking spaces.
"MISA Metal Fabricating Inc.'s expansion will allow us to increase production capacity, as well as add capabilities to meet new customer demands and opportunities, while providing a better and safer work environment for our employees," said Mike Talis, MISA's president. "We are excited about the opportunities we see for the growth of our company, our customers and our employees."
"MISA Metal Fabricating Inc. has been a corporate citizen in Louisville for over 20 years, and we are excited about their latest expansion at Riverport Industrial Park," said Mayor Fischer. "Their products and services play a strong role in our flourishing manufacturing sector and we look forward to their continued success."
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Kentucky Company RJ Corman Will Operate Lines in Carolinas Next February
CONWAY, S.C. (AP) - Trains are expected to be rolling again in February on a short line railroad linking Horry County, South Carolina, and Columbus County, North Carolina.
The R.J. Corman Railroad Co. in Kentucky bought the old Carolina Southern railroad earlier this year for $14 million.
One of the engines for the new Corman Carolina Line was put on display Tuesday. It's been four years since an engine ran on the 100 miles of track linking the states.
Corman had hoped to have trains running by the end of this year.
But that date was pushed back because recent floods damaged some of the line. The company said it was also helping getting tracks in the Columbia area in operating order.
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Central Kentucky Airports Prepare for Busy Weekend
The four-day period starting <this>Thursday will be a busy - but festive - time to fly into the Bluegrass.
Guests arriving for the Breeders' Cup Classic and the University of Kentucky-University of Tennessee football game, both being held that weekend, will be greeted at Blue Grass Airport with an oversize floral horseshoe at the entrance. The front of the terminal will be lighted in purple. Passengers will receive bourbon balls courtesy of Maker's Mark, and Call to the Post will be played at baggage claim.
And a bluegrass band will play on several days.
If you're coming in by private aircraft - and many people will be - you'll be stepping off onto a purple Breeders' Cup carpet.
Commercial flights - Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines serve Blue Grass Airport - are bumping up capacity for the Breeders' Cup, according to Amy Caudill, a spokesman for the airport. For example, 50-seat regional jets will be upgraded to 150- or 180-seat planes, such as
a Boeing 757, a midsize twin engine jet, or Airbus A320, which Caudill said probably will be 90 percent to 100 percent full.
Additional airport workers are being brought in - from security screening agents to restaurant staff - to help with the expected rush. Airport terminal staff will wear purple, a Breeders' Cup color, and the flower beds outside will be adorned in purple and gold, also Breeders' Cup colors. A temporary food court in the terminal will be filled with Alltech bourbon barrel tables.
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TIGER Grant Paves Way
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) - A federal grant announced Monday will help bring a type of fast-moving bus system to Louisville, speeding riders from southwestern Jefferson County to downtown.
The bulk of the $16.9 million approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation will go towards creating a TARC "bus rapid transit" line to be running by mid-2018.
It would cover about 15 miles - from Dixie Highway at the Gene Snyder Freeway to the KFC Yum! Center - and could involve dedicated bus lanes, new shelters and upgraded buses, according to Metro government's grant application. Barry Barker, TARC's executive director, said it's too early to discuss specific details.
"There's been a lot of discussion to date," Barker said. "Now the work begins in earnest."
The grant funds the federal portion of a larger $28.9 million plan for the Dixie Highway corridor already underway. Kentucky state government has approved more than $11 million for improvements on Dixie from Crums Lane to Greenwood Road - all part of making the corridor safer for pedestrians and drivers.
The state-funded work includes building new medians; set-back and filled-in sidewalks and brighter lighting; and raised pedestrian islands with crosswalks. Dixie Highway, which widens to six lanes at some points, has had an
uneven share of pedestrian deaths in recent years.
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Workshop - Drones: What do you know? What do you need to know?
Kentucky Transportation Department will be holding a workshop December 10, 2015 at the Marriott Griffin Gate Resort in Lexington.
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Save the Date - Kentucky Lifesavers Conference
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Date:
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March 22-24, 2016
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Place:
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Galt House, Louisville
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More Informat
ion:
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2016 Annual Kentucky Transportation Conference
Sponsors to Date:
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Gold
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Silver
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Kentucky Equipment Distributors
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Bronze
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Exhibitors
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Roadway Construction Products
Ricon Corporation
Unique Paving Products
Terracon
O.R. Colan Associates
Intech
Hinkle Construction Services, LLC
Hinkle Contracting Company
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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.
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Kentuckians for Better Transportation | (502) 491-5600 | www.kbtnet.org
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