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Louisville Metro’s Office of Civic Innovation and Develop Louisville are seeking input from the public for an Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Playbook to help the city proactively prepare for the impact of autonomous vehicles on transportation.
The public meeting to discuss the playbook and potential strategies for integrating AV technology will be held on Wednesday, May 30 at 6:30 p.m. at LouieLab (745 W. Main Street).
Though Louisville may not see widespread adoption of AVs for several years, it is important that the city initiates a conversation now on transportation values and provides an initial framework by which we can better understand the advantages and potential pitfalls of this new technology.
While projections of how, and how quickly, the technology will be adopted are still being studied, AVs are expected to have a dramatic impact on how people and goods move to, from, and around our nation. In anticipation of that, Louisville Metro is researching and crafting a policy framework that prepares for this technology while ensuring that mobility is enhanced in an equitable manner for all of Louisville’s residents.
The draft playbook lists five steps to guide the city’s approach:
- Ensure that major infrastructure decisions focus on safe movement of people and goods while considering the effects of AVs.
- Forge public-private partnerships to prepare for new regulatory and technological challenges, anticipate emerging technologies and establish best practices.
- Prepare for changes in parking demand.
- Ensure AV technology supports TARC operations to strengthen our transit system.
- Develop and maintain transportation technology and data infrastructure to provide enhanced safety and reliability while encouraging innovation and providing accurate information to people using Louisville’s transportation network.
To view the autonomous vehicle playbook and submit comments using an online form, please visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/advanced-planning/autonomous-vehicle…
It’s an opportunity to clean out the garage, the attic, and the basement of those things that have been collecting dust over the years and get them to a place where someone else might be able to use them, or where they can be safely disposed.
Councilman Bill Hollander (D-9) announces the Annual Responsible Recycling Event set for Saturday May 12th between 9:30am and 12:30pm at the Louisville Water Tower Park, 3005 River Road.
“This is a great way to remove those things in your home that could find new life by being recycled,” says Hollander. “Any Louisville Metro resident can help the environment and a variety of non-profits by simply bringing to one location what you no longer want or use and dropping it off for free.”
The Free Responsible Recycling Event is open to all Louisville Metro residents. It is easy to participate. Just gather what you would like to recycle, then drive up and drop your items off at the appropriate vendor. Businesses will not be allowed to participate at this event. A multitude of items will be accepted for recycling, reuse, or safe disposal, including paper for shredding, Haz Bin items and old, expired and unused medications.
The following items will also be accepted:
· BATTERIES (rechargeable and non-rechargeable) Please have them separated
· COMPUTERS & ELECTRONICS (terminals, towers, laptops, printers, copiers, fax machines, scanners, VHS/DVD players, stereo, monitors)
· DRUG DISPOSAL LMPD will be onsite for safe collection of unused and expired medications.
· HANDHELD ELECTRONICS (cell phones, cell phone accessories, iPods, tablets, MP3 players)
· HAZARDOUS MATERIALS All items accepted at Haz Bin location – see attached flyer for complete list. Household chemicals – MUST have labels and no leaks, no containers larger than 5 gallons)
· HOUSEHOLD BUILDING SUPPLIES (cabinets, doors, flooring, windows, hardware, light/ceiling fans, lumber, roofing, siding, tools)
· HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE must be in good condition – see attached list for accepted items (NO mattresses, items with odors, water beds, baby cribs and accessories, entertainment centers, armoires for TVs/computers)
· HOUSEHOLD ITEMS (working appliances)
· MEDICAL SURPLUS ITEMS (walkers, wheelchairs, orthopedic items, diabetic supplies, ace bandages, gauze pads, canes)
· PERSONAL DOCUMENTS (shred on-site paper documents ONLY) Unable to take boxes or plastic bags
· SHOES (new and gently used) Must be dry and free of mold
For a complete list of accepted items, please visit louisvilleky.gov/district9. On the event page is a flyer with attachments with detailed lists of accepted items from each organization.
Please note, TVs will not be accepted this year onsite, but may be recycled at the Waste Reduction Center, 636 Meriwether Avenue.
“We have made it easy to get rid of things people no longer use, with no cost to bring in these items that will benefit others,” says Hollander. “If you have tried to find a way to dispose of those things you have around the house, then I encourage you to take advantage of this event.”
Among the vendors on hand: All-Shred, Genie e-Waste, Habitat for Humanity, Louisville Metro Police, Louisville Metro Public Works, Supplies Overseas, and WaterStep.
Visit www.louisvilleky.gov/district9 for more information, or contact Councilman Hollander’s office at 574-1109.
As fans plan for another Derby Season, Louisville Metro Emergency Services is offering a text message alert system for residents and visitors. LENSAlert, the Louisville Emergency Notification System, offers a text message sign up which will provide event goers real time notifications in the instance of an emergency. To sign up for notifications for any event throughout the Derby Season, just text “Derby” to 67283.
Should an incident occur, text message notifications are sent from MetroSafe, Louisville’s 911 Communications Center. MetroSafe stays in constant communication with the Incident Command System, the Emergency Operations Center, first responders, and LMPD’s Real Time Crime Center and maintains a high level of situational awareness during all events.
Attendees are encouraged to text “Derby” to 67283 prior to attending events, but you can sign up for the service at any point in time. If you are already signed up for LENSAlert, you can elect to receive event specific notifications through your safety profile, which can be accessed anytime at smart911.com.
Emergency Services Director Jody Meiman states, “We expect a safe and secure Derby Season and are doing everything we can to be prepared, including offering text alerts for the public. LENSAlert is meant to communicate emergency information only and will be the trusted source of information should a major incident occur.
Photo: Secretary of State website
Ahead of next month’s Primary Election, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes announced a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security to train county election officials across Kentucky on cybersecurity and threats to elections. The trainings are some of the first of their kind in the nation. The announcement came Thursday after a meeting of Kentucky’s Election Integrity Task Force, which Grimes created in 2012.
DHS officials trained Kentucky county clerks on Thursday on cybersecurity and best practices. Grimes announced that over the summer, DHS officials and other partners will conduct statewide cybersecurity briefings and trainings for Kentucky’s 15,000 precinct election officials and media.
The trainings are one piece in a host of security measures Grimes announced Kentucky has in place to protect the integrity of elections.
“Secretaries of State are now on the front lines of national security and protecting America’s democracy,” said Grimes. “Security and integrity has been at the forefront of my approach to elections as Kentucky’s chief elections official. I count our partnerships with the Department of Homeland Security and other federal and state law enforcement agencies as critical to that work. We work every day to monitor and fortify our defenses against any actor – foreign or domestic – that seeks to undermine our democratic process. Today’s trainings are crucial to protecting, defending and increasing confidence in our elections.”
Grimes initiated a partnership with DHS during the 2016 presidential election, shortly before the agency designated America’s elections as critical infrastructure. DHS provides cybersecurity tools and protections of Kentucky’s infrastructure.
“The Department of Homeland Security values our partnership with Secretary of State Grimes as we work together with Kentucky and other states to improve the security of the election process,” said Matt Masterson, senior cybersecurity advisor at DHS. “We appreciate the commitment and dedication that election officials across the state have demonstrated to ensuring secure and resilient elections for Kentucky voters. We look forward to our continued partnership with Secretary Grimes and state and local officials across the nation as we work to maintain the integrity of America’s election infrastructure system.”
Kentucky election officials, led by Grimes, are taking additional steps to protect election integrity.
Following Grimes’ recommendation, the State Board of Elections moved to require all future election equipment purchased in Kentucky to provide a voter-verified paper trail. Kentucky’s Election Integrity Task Force unanimously endorsed the recommendation, which echoes guidance from the Senate Intel Committee’s election security report released last month. Funding recently appropriated by Congress will assist Kentucky in transitioning to a fully paper-backed voting system.
The State Board of Elections is also working with an industry-leading cybersecurity firm, CyberScout, to strengthen the security of Kentucky’s election processes. The Board recently unveiled a new poll worker recruitment tool to assist county clerks in administering our elections with confidence.
“Make no mistake, foreign adversaries seek to do harm by creating doubt that democracy works. I am here today to say that it does, and we are protecting it,” Grimes said.
Details regarding future briefings and trainings with DHS will be forthcoming.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that Louisville is ranked 3rd on the list of top U.S. mid-size cities with the most ENERGY STAR certified buildings. Louisville ranked 7th last year and this year, ranks behind only San Jose and Virginia Beach. On the list of all U.S. metropolitan areas, Louisville ranks in the top 25.
“When property owners make the choice to invest in energy efficiency, they are not only making an environmentally conscious choice but also a smart financial choice,” Mayor Greg Fischer said. “I encourage all building owners to use energy efficient systems because they will see a reduction in operating costs and help make Louisville a healthier city.”
Louisville earned its ranking with 86 ENERGY STAR buildings, which includes office buildings, schools, banks, and retail and grocery stores. Energy efficiency saved Louisville ENERGY STAR building owners $6.6 million in 2017.
Since 2013, the Louisville Metro Office of Sustainability has offered free verification services from a licensed architect or engineer to validate ENERGY STAR Certification submission data for eligible buildings.
Louisville Metro Government (LMG), led by the Office of Sustainability and Office of Management & Budget, has implemented energy efficiency measures, which in 2017 saved the city $2.7 million and reduces greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing 5,300 vehicles off the road.
ENERGY STAR certified buildings use an average of 35 percent less energy and are responsible for 35 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than average buildings. Also, ENERGY STAR certified buildings cost $0.50 less per square foot to operate than average buildings.
LMG partners with the Louisville Energy Alliance (LEA) to promote energy efficiency and conservation efforts. The LEA hosts the annual Kilowatt Crackdown Awards, a city-wide competition that challenges building owners and operators to decrease energy use in their buildings. The Kilowatt Crackdown winners listed below were recognized last week for leadership and excellence in energy conservation.
- Norton Audubon Hospital – 2017 Kilowatt Cup Winner
- Oxmoor Center – Innovation Award
- Tully Elementary – Best K-12 School Facility
- Jefferson Community & Technical College Shelby Campus – Best College/University Facility
- First Unitarian Church – Best Church/Worship Facility
- Southeast Christian Church – Best Large Church/Worship Facility
- Norton Women’s and Children’s Hospital – Best Healthcare Facility
- Sealed Air – Best Manufacturing Facility
- The Presbyterian Center – Best Office Facility
To become ENERGY STAR certified, visit https://www.energystar.gov/buildings/facility-owners-and-managers/existi….
For more information on energy efficiency opportunities in Louisville, please visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/sustainability/energy-efficiency.
For the complete city rankings, visit www.energystar.gov/TopCities
Photo: State Treasurer website
Kentucky State Treasurer Allison Ball held a press conference on Monday morning at Southern High School in Louisville, KY to announce the launch of the Financial Empowerment Coalition and the Financial Empowerment Database, a first-of-its-kind resource for Kentuckians.
“As a former bankruptcy attorney, I understand the need of greater financial literacy in our state,” Treasurer Ball said. “This is an exciting day in Kentucky, as this coalition and database will help bring greater financial empowerment to Kentuckians. With the passage of HB 132 this session, we now have an opportunity to potentially change the lives of many, many people.”
House Bill 132, sponsored by Representative Jim Duplessis of Elizabethtown, makes financial literacy a graduation requirement for Kentucky public high schools. The legislation allows local principals to determine how to meet that requirement; the Financial Empowerment Database offers resources for that very purpose. Providing this resource for educators was a deliberate part of the coalition’s purpose, but, according to Treasurer Ball, the coalition and the database financially empower more than Kentucky’s K-12 students and teachers.
“We have been developing this resource through conversations with community leaders for quite some time,” Treasurer Ball said. “The coalition has been hard at work, developing solutions to Kentucky’s need for greater financial literacy and financial empowerment among many different communities. I am proud of this database and the work we have started.”
The database is a product of the Treasurer’s work with leaders from numerous fields including educators, financial institutions, advocates for veterans and military personnel, and nonprofits. This online resource has been compiled as part of Treasurer Ball’s Financial Empowerment Coalition, which began meeting informally in 2016, the year she took office. The coalition, which now boasts more than thirty organizations, has provided over 100 links of financial literacy resources. The database’s resources are divided into six target groups, or Cultivation Communities, which are also the focus of the Financial Empowerment Coalition’s work. These six communities include Aging Kentuckians, Emerging Adults, Kentuckians with Disabilities, Low-Income Families, Student Strategies, and Veterans and Military Personnel.
“My Role as State Treasurer is to be a watchdog for Kentucky taxpayer dollars and to be a beacon of good government across the Commonwealth,” Treasurer Ball said. “A practical way of doing that is by building a network of people and organizations committed to improving the financial livelihood of Kentuckians. HB 132 and the Financial Literacy Coalition and Database are the beginning fruits of that labor.”
To learn more about the Financial Empowerment Coalition and Database, visit www.treasury.ky.gov/financialempowerment/. If you are interested in joining the Financial Empowerment Coalition, email treasury.web@ky.gov.
Mayor Greg Fischer unveiled eleven new propane powered mowers that have replaced worn out gasoline mowers. The propane mowers will run cleaner, cheaper and quieter than gasoline mowers.
That will help achieve goals set in the mayor’s Sustain Louisville plan to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. Propane-powered mowers put out approximately 20 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline mowers. They also put out about 45 percent fewer carbon monoxide emissions, as well as fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which contribute to summertime ozone.
Five city departments responsible for mowing will receive the new propane mowers. That includes the Louisville Zoo, the Vacant Lots Division of Codes & Regulations, Metro Parks, Public Works, and the Metro Facilities Division. These departments manage grass growth on all city owned property as well as vacant and abandoned private properties.
The propane mowers, at $9,500 each, cost less than 3 percent more than gasoline mowers but will cost about 25 percent less to run based on March 2018 per gallon fuel prices of $2.39 for gasoline and $1.76 for propane. They were purchased and will be maintained by the Metro Fleet Division.
“The new mowers will quickly pay for themselves in terms of reduced fuel cost,” Mayor Fischer said. “And they’re not just better for the bottom line. They’re also better for our environment.”
Because the propane mowers run so much cleaner, city crews will be able to mow even on Air Quality Alert days, when people are asked not to use their gasoline mowers. Since city crews follow the same restriction, they have had to stop mowing multiple times per season during the air alerts. Now they’ll be able to keep cutting without unduly adding to the pollution problem.
Metro Fleet bought 11 propane mowers this year. That still leaves 68 gasoline-powered mowers in the city fleet. Plans call for buying more propane mowers in the future to replace gasoline mowers as they wear out.
“That will allow us to continue to make improvements in sustainability while also keeping our city looking good,” Mayor Fischer said.