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We experience a lot of change in our lives.
We grow up, we get married, and we have kids. Then our kids grow up, our parents pass away, we may even change spouses, we change jobs, we move. We change and we move on.
In spite of all the changes we experience there are some things in our lives that are constants.
We need to get to work. We need to get the kids to school. We need to visit our parents during the holidays. We need to get our manufactured goods to the marketplace.
We still need roads, bridges, airports, railroads, river ports, and transit to move our freight and move our people. That has not - and probably will not - ever change. We will need to maintain and enhance our infrastructure and we will need to pay for it. That will not change.
We must navigate through all these changes, whether they are technology changes, legislative changes, lifestyle changes, or changes in elected leadership. We assess the situation, make adjustments, and move forward.
We've just experienced a change in Kentucky. This past Tuesday, Kentuckians elected a new Governor. On December 8, 2015 Matt Bevin will be sworn in as Kentucky's 62nd Governor. As with all administrations, KBT will work with Mr. Bevin's administration, educating and advocating for a safe, sustainable transportation infrastructure.
Many Kentuckians have been so focused on the recent changes here at home that we missed a major change that occurred yesterday in Washington.
Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed their version of a long-term surface transportation bill, the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 (STRR).
The Senate passed their version of a long-term surface transportation bill, the Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy Act (DRIVE) earlier this year. The bill will now go to a Conference Committee for final negotiations before it is sent to the President who will hopefully sign the measure.
Final passage of this needed legislation will be a major change from the continuing resolutions we've had in the recent past. And this change will impact our infrastructure in a positive way for years to come. We will finally have the certainty we've requested so we can plan for and implement major construction projects - not just in Kentucky but throughout our entire country.
Senator McConnell led a bi-partisan group to move this initiative in the Senate and for that we are truly appreciative. We are also thankful that the Kentucky delegation supported the passage of a long-term surface transportation bill - one of the most important pieces of legislation for our entire country. Final passage of a long-term surface transportation bill allows for positive changes in our country and our country's infrastructure for years to come.
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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 Air Transportation Committee Meeting:
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Date and Time:
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November 30, 2015
10:00 am - 12:30 pm
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Place:
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Blue Grass Airport
Board Room
Terminal Drive
Lexington, KY |
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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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Fulton County Transit Authority Radio Spot Honors Veterans
Click above to be directed to YouTube to listen.
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Kentucky Ranked 3rd Best Business Climates in Nation
FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) - A new magazine report says Kentucky has the third best business climate in the nation. The recognition comes from Site Selection magazine. It just released its 2015 US Business Climate Report. The new ranking is a big improvement from 2014, when Kentucky's business climate ranked 8th in the nation.
This year, Kentucky follows Georgia and North Carolina. When it comes to the scoring system, the report says, "Half the overall ranking is based on a survey of corporate site selectors asked to rank their top 10 state business climates based on their experience of establishing or expanding facilities in them. At 50 percent, states need to do very well in this exercise to make it into the winners circle."
Click here to see the report.
Governor Beshear's office commented on the ranking. It released this statement:
A succession of expanding businesses, new facility openings, thousands of jobs added and dedicated efforts by economic developers statewide helped Kentucky place third nationally in the 2015 Business Climate Ranking by Site Selection magazine.
Kentucky leapt from eighth place last year - the largest increase of any state in the 2015 Ranking - to achieve its highest position ever.
"This ranking reflects the culmination of my administration's focus on economic development. Since January 2008, we announced nearly 2,300 new or expanding facilities, bringing more than 86,000 jobs and a total investment of $19.2 billion into Kentucky," Governor Steve Beshear said. "From Kentucky's automotive-related manufacturing to our thriving aerospace industry to our world-renowned bourbon distilleries, business leaders recognize the Bluegrass State as a premier location for commerce and this ranking by Site Selection magazine underscores that fact."
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House Passes Massie-Lofgren-Eshoo Amendment to Bring Electric Car Charging Stations to Federal Facilities at No Cost to Taxpayer
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The House of Representatives passed an amendment sponsored by Congressman Thomas Massie, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA) that would allow the General Services Administration (GSA) to construct, install, and operate electric vehicle (EV) charging stations for private vehicle use at federal facilities at no cost to the taxpayer. The amendment, which Congressman Massie modeled after a bill written by Congresswoman Lofgren, is part of the
Surface Transportation Reauthorization & Reform Act of 2015
, which authorizes funds for the Highway Trust Fund for six years.
"In 2012, Congress passed legislation to allow electric vehicle recharging at the U.S. Capitol for congressmen and their staff for a fee, but neglected to extend this authority to other federal agencies and employees. Our amendment would correct this disparity," said Rep. Massie, who serves on both the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
"I first learned of this issue after a constituent wrote me a letter last year," said Rep. Lofgren, who introduced the
EV-COMUTE Act that served as template for this amendment. "In it, he said he was 'surprised and dismayed' that it is illegal for federal facilities to provide electric vehicle charging stations for the public or their employees, even at no cost to taxpayers. My family has an electric car and I know they are an important part of improving efficiency and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. As this amendment was adopted on the House floor today, it served as a powerful reminder of the role citizens play in generating new ideas and legislation."
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Downtown Crossing: Bridge to Open to Two-Way Traffic in December
Nov. 2, 2015
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Workers on the new Downtown bridge, the centerpiece of the Downtown Crossing portion of the Ohio River Bridges Project, are putting the finishing touches on the new bridge. It's expected to open to two-way traffic in December.
The final steel beam for the deck of the new bridge was set in October, and the final precast deck panels were put into place. An evergreen tree and American flag have a place on the deck of the bridge, as part of the "topping out" ceremony, marking the placement of the final beam.
Still to Come
Final work is being completed to prepare the deck for paving, including pouring concrete to fill the holes left behind by the removal of the tower crane. After those holes are filled, crews will apply a waterproofing membrane to the entire surface of the deck. That process will take about two weeks to complete. The deck is expected to be paved by late November.
The bridge is expected to open to two-way traffic in December. When the bridge opens to traffic, attention will shift to the Kennedy Bridge for $22 million in improvements. A new floor system is expected to add decades of new life to the nearly 52-year old bridge.
Substantial completion of the entire Downtown Crossing - the new cable-stayed bridge, an improved Kennedy Bridge and new interstate connections - is scheduled for December 2016.
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KBT Highways Committee
On Thursday of this week, the KBT Highways Committee chaired by Chuck Craycraft (Lochner) met. The committee had the honor of hearing from Federal Highway Administration Division Administrator Thomas L. Nelson, Jr., PE.
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3 Million in Improvements for Kentucky Short Line Railroads
FRANKFORT, Ky. - Governor Steve Beshear today announced approval of more than $3 million in state grants for needed improvements to short line railroads in Kentucky.
The projects include public safety improvements to at-grade railroad crossings, railroad bridge overpasses, and upgrades of railroad crossing warning signals, lights, signs and barriers.
"This is an investment in the economy of the Commonwealth because freight railroads are indispensable to our economy and our transportation system," Gov. Beshear said. "Freight rail companies, including the 12 short lines that operate in Kentucky, contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to our economy each year in the form of wages and benefits, and that's only part of the story. They provide business, industry and agriculture with a market connection that is safe, efficient and environmentally sound."
The assistance grants, totaling $3,082,197, were provided in the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's budget. The grants represent 75 percent to 80 percent of total project costs, with each railroad providing the remainder.
A summary of grants:
R.J. Corman Railroad Group - $1,568,915 for 13 projects on the company's Central Kentucky Line (Fayette, Franklin, Shelby and Jefferson counties) and eight on its Memphis Line (Logan, Warren and Todd counties). Projects comprise reconstruction or rehabilitation of various crossings and overpasses and a crossing signal upgrade.
Paducah & Louisville Railway - $1,282,725 for 15 projects in McCracken, Marshall a
nd Jefferson counties involving reconstruction of crossings and a signal upgrade.
Port of Louisville Railroad - $93,980 for reconstruction of a crossing on KY 1230 in
Jefferson County.
Kentucky Railway Museum - $136,577 for improvements to crossings on U.S. 52 in LaRue County and a county road in Nelson County. (The museum stores railroad rolling stock and is therefore a part of the short line system.)
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President Obama Signed H.R. 3819 "Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2015"
The legislation's main goal is to extend the authority and funding of surface transportation programs through Nov. 20, giving elected officials additional time to work on a longer-term solution. It also gives U.S. railroad operators additional time to install Positive Train Control (PTC).
The president's signature was the last official action needed to extend the compliance deadline for PTC from Dec. 31, 2015 to Dec. 31, 2018. The House of Representatives
passed the legislation on Oct. 27 with the Senate voting to approve it on Oct. 28.
In addition to the blanket three-year extension, railroads have an option to apply for a waiver that would grant an additional two years to the deadline.
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Water Transportation Advisory Board Appointments
KBT congratulates members Steve Allley (Ingram Barge) representing members at large and Greg Pritchett (Henderson County Riverport) representing public riverports on their reappointment to the
Water Transportation Advisory Board (WTAB).
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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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FAA Task Force Still Unsure How to Regulate Drones
November 20th Deadline
A key task force convened to work out registration rules for consumer drones ended a three-day meeting on Thursday with apparently no final conclusion.
While it spent the day discussing how the registration program would work, the task force is yet to decide what types of drones would be covered by a registration program and what types would not.
That's hugely important, as drones are expected to be hot holiday gifts this year, so the scope of the registration program could affect tens or hundreds of thousands of people.
On Thursday, the group focused on reaching consensus on a recommended process for registration, the FAA said. "The discussions included how an operator might prove a [drone] is registered, how the aircraft would be marked, and how to use the registration process to encourage or require [drone] operators to become educated on basic safety rules."
The FAA didn't say if a conclusion was reached on those issues, but whatever happened at the meeting, the task force still faces a Nov. 20 deadline to deliver its proposal.
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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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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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