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A major project to improve safety along one of the city’s most traveled highways began a new phase today, as Mayor Greg Fischer and U.S. Dept. of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced the construction kickoff of the New Dixie Highway Project.
Upon completion in December 2019, the improved corridor will include safety improvements such as new medians, wider sidewalks and clearly marked crosswalks; efficiency improvements including responsive traffic signals linked by fiber optic cable; and the city’s first bus rapid transit system which will vastly improve bus travel times to and from downtown.
“The U.S. Department of Transportation’s $16.9 million TIGER grant is providing nearly half of the funding for the New Dixie Highway Project to greatly improve the Louisville area transportation network,” said Secretary Chao. “As a resident of Louisville, I have spent a lot of time driving Dixie Highway and am delighted to be part of this effort to improve the safety and efficiency of the city’s busiest traffic corridor.
The $35 million project will create a New Dixie Highway that’s safer for drivers and pedestrians, and will fuel transformation of a major economic corridor for southwest and west Louisville. The New Dixie Highway Project is the first major construction project under the Mayor’s MOVE Louisville initiative.
“We’re investing more money into improving Dixie Highway right now than any other corridor in the city,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “This road is a crucial connector for people to get to schools, to work, to health care, and most importantly, to get back home. This project will not only make Dixie safer for drivers, but it will make it more attractive for business owners, consumers and investors.”
Dixie Highway carries nearly 60,000 vehicles per day near its busiest intersections, which is a higher traffic count than some interstate stretches. Dixie Highway also suffers a fatality rate three times higher than comparable Kentucky roadways.
The project includes funding from federal, state and local sources, including a $16.9 million federal TIGER grant, $5.28 federal funds through KIPDA, $12 million in state funds, and $600,000 from Louisville Metro.
“It takes collaboration and support between city, state and federal partners to move a project of this size forward,” said KYTC Secretary Greg Thomas. “The upcoming construction, coupled with roadway improvements in recent years, will completely transform Dixie Highway into a safer, better-connected corridor.”
Mayor Fischer, Sec. Chao, KYTC Sec. Thomas, Congressman John Yarmuth, Metro Council members and other leaders celebrated the New Dixie Highway construction kickoff at the Kroger Marketplace, a $23 million grocery and retail superstore, at 4915 Dixie Highway. The location is appropriate, Mayor Fischer said, because the project builds on the renaissance already under way on the corridor, with tens of millions of dollars in private investments in new restaurants, retail businesses, housing and other developments.
Safety improvements lead the way
This month, MAC Construction began preparations for construction, including temporary lane shifts and utility location. Safety improvements will include new concrete medians designed to limit left turns between Crums Lane and Greenwood Road. Dedicated turn lanes will reduce the risk for head-on collisions. Pedestrians will enjoy new, more accommodating sidewalks that are eight feet wide in many areas, and better markings for crosswalks.
The city’s busiest transit corridor will also get the region’s first “bus rapid transit” line, including distinctive TARC buses and high-visibility shelters to help move thousands of people daily and better define the 14-mile corridor. More than 100 trees will be planted along the route, as well as native grasses and plants within the new landscaped medians.
Mayor Fischer thanked state legislators, Metro Council members and the KYTC for their commitment to improving safety and mobility along Dixie Highway, noting that without their work to secure state and local matching funds, the city would not have been able to leverage the federal grant to jump-start the project.
Bus rapid transit will help move people to work, home
Fueled by a $16.9 million federal TIGER grant, the New Dixie Highway project will include a new bus rapid transit line along Dixie Highway from around the Gene Snyder Freeway to Broadway, and connect to the downtown business district. It will include specially designed vehicles and bus stations that will reduce travel times for riders and increase reliability along Louisville’s most used public-transit corridor.
“This strategic investment in a proven transportation solution will help transit users get to work, to stores and back home faster and more reliably than today,” Yarmuth said. “That’s important for working families, employers and our regional economy.”
With more than 30 distinctively branded bus shelters, new buses and sidewalk improvements, the New Dixie Highway project will also help transform the look and feel of the corridor.
Multiple improvements on Dixie are already underway or completed
Overall, more than $50 million has been invested in Dixie Highway in a series of projects over the past two years. The total investment of federal, state and local dollars includes:
- $14.5 million in pavement replacement and resurfacing underway along a five-mile segment from Stonegate Manor Drive to Greenwood Road
- $2.5 million in resurfacing work completed this summer – a two-mile section from Algonquin Parkway to Maple Street (31W) and a six-mile section from the Jefferson/Hardin county line to Stonegate Manor Drive
- $2.5 million project to clean and repaint the Dixie Highway overpass at the Watterson Expressway completed last year
- $800,000 project completed this fall to add a new sidewalk along the east side of Dixie, and straighten ramp and add a signal at the westbound I-264 Shively exit
Open house meetings planned for early 2018
Citizens will get a chance to learn more about the planned improvements at an open house meeting in early 2018. Citizens can also get more information through the project website (www.TheNewDixieHighway.com) and social media channels, including Facebook and Twitter.
Follow progress on the New Dixie Highway at TheNewDixieHighway.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter @NewDixieHighway.
In an effort to ensure Louisville’s public art and monuments not only tell our history but also showcase our community values, Mayor Greg Fischer announced steps to establish principles for such works, while creating additional opportunities for artists to explore issues of race, discrimination, xenophobia and values.
“Art plays an important role in not only telling the stories of our past but vividly highlighting who we are and who we want to be,” Mayor Fischer said. “2017 has highlighted the immense amount of work left to do to create a country where liberty and justice are enjoyed by all citizens, regardless of race or creed.”
The city’s plan includes:
Mayoral Advisory Committee to Establish Principles for Louisville’s Public Art and Monuments: This newcommittee will begin work in January 2018 on what is estimated to be a six-month process. The committee members will be appointed by the Mayor and include representation from the city’s Commission on Public Art (COPA). Members will determine their meeting schedule and methods; meetings will be open to the public. The culmination of the Committee’s work will be a report to the Mayor.
Reclaiming Public Spaces for Untold Stories Louisville Public Space Art Fund Grant Opportunity: Recent community conversation and public input have highlighted the need for artwork that celebrates Louisville’s current cultural values. Through funds allocated via the fee-in-lieu option in the Land Development Code, COPA will offer a grant opportunity, inviting artists and nonprofit organizations to submit public art proposals that focus on untold stories and reflect our community’s current cultural values. Louisville Metro Government (LMG) is also looking for community and foundation partners to grow this fund and expand the work.
Metro Hall Rotunda Art Exhibition: For the past several years, LMG has contracted with Louisville Visual Art to curate and install exhibitions of local artists’ work in public spaces within Metro Hall. The 2018 exhibition provides a timely opportunity to utilize this platform for art exhibits, and an exhibition titled “HEROES” will include artwork that responds to historical and present injustice and our community’s future, with visual representations of everyday heroes by Louisville-based artists. A public event will be held to introduce the artists and encourage discussion of their works.
Additional programming and events that give Louisvillians the opportunity to learn, discuss and explore the history around race and discrimination in our city and nation will be announced early next year, the Mayor said.
These efforts continue the Mayor’s nationally recognized work in building Louisville as an international city through the Office for Globalization and as a showcase city for racial equity through programs like BeTheOne, Black Male Achievement, Louisville Promise and many others.
“It’s important to remember that we are not responsible for a history created before we were born or when we were children,” Mayor Fischer said. “We are responsible for knowing that history, understanding its impact, and creating our own legacy for the people of Louisville today, tomorrow and beyond. I believe these efforts will make us stronger.”
Photo: Kentucky Cabinet For Economic Development
Appriss Inc., which provides data and analytics services to help clients address safety, fraud, risk and compliance issues, will expand its Kentucky presence by 200 jobs, investing $11.3 million as it relocates its headquarters within Jefferson County, Gov. Matt Bevin announced recently.
“Appriss is a leading employer in Kentucky whose innovative technology serves the law enforcement, justice, security and healthcare communities,” Gov. Bevin said. “Its expansion and relocation will provide greater growth opportunities in the years ahead. We look forward to watching the new Appriss building go from conception to completion. We are grateful to have Appriss thriving in Kentucky and thank its leaders for their continued commitment to Jefferson County and for their latest creation of excellent new jobs.”
Appriss will consolidate services from two Louisville-area locations and relocate by mid-2018 to a Jeffersontown office building at 9901 Linn Station Road, which ResCare Inc. announced earlier this year it would vacate. Going forward, the facility will be known as the Appriss Building. The company’s developer plans a new fitness area, conference center and outdoor lounge, as well as new entrances and signage.
“We believe our employees are some of the most talented in the area,” said Michael Davis, CEO of Appriss. “They are focused on our work that keeps victims safe, helps law enforcement catch the bad guys and supports our health providers as they fight the opioid crisis.”
“We are excited to design and build out 105,000 square feet of space that will be transformational in how more than 400 of our local team members work,” said Jeff Byal, chief financial officer for Appriss. “We are making a significant investment in technology, facility buildout and office furniture, as well as meeting and collaboration areas to align to how our teams work locally and with our other offices.”
Appriss has maintained its headquartered in Louisville since it was established in 1994 as the VINE company. Appriss uses data and analytics to address safety and compliance concerns for clients across an array of government and commercial enterprises in 25 countries, with a focus on retail, healthcare and public safety. The company currently employs 670 people in Louisville, Southern California, the UK and Poland. The new Louisville jobs are projected to pay an average hourly wage of nearly $40.
Sen. Julie Raque Adams, of Louisville, noted the company’s strong track record and the impact this announcement will have on the local workforce.
“I am pleased to hear of Appriss Inc.’s newest investment right here in Louisville, which will create new jobs and opportunities for our ever-growing Kentucky workforce,” Sen. Adams said. “As a company that has been established in the commonwealth for over 20 years, I know Appriss Inc. will continue to have great success in Kentucky and beyond.”
Rep. Phil Moffett, of Louisville, noted the state’s recent emphasis on economic growth.
“Since Republicans took control of the House nearly a year ago, economic development has been the number one priority of the House Republican Majority,” Rep. Moffett said. “I am elated about the $11.3 million investment and 200 additional good-paying jobs that Appriss plans to establish in Louisville. We want entrepreneurs and business owners around America to know that Kentucky is open for business.”
Jeffersontown Mayor Bill Dieruf said officials took extra steps to ensure Appriss remained in the community.
“The announcement of the Appriss retention/expansion project in Jeffersontown could not come at a more perfect and thankful time of year. Through our local Jeffersontown Occupation Business Saving (JOBS) Program inducement, we were able to add an extra incentive toward the corporate consolidation for jobs currently in the commonwealth, but not yet in Jeffersontown, in addition to the organic growth the company expects,” Mayor Dieruf said. “We appreciate all involved in this initiative, including the Commonwealth of Kentucky and Louisville Metro that were able to also partner with Appriss and enable the City of Jeffersontown to add our JOBS Program to the incentive mix. City council and I welcome all the new Appriss corporate employees to what will be the ‘Appriss Building’ at 9901 Linn Station Road, and thank those that have been with us since the company began.”
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer welcomed the project.
“It’s an exciting day when a local business announces it is growing its high-wage jobs and expanding its services here in Louisville,” Mayor Fischer said. “Appriss’ expansion allows us to apply innovative healthcare and public safety-focused solutions at a local level. I applaud its founders and its employees, and I look forward to seeing its continued growth.”
To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) in October preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $3 million through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the agreement term through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets.
Appriss also can receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network. Through the Kentucky Skills Network, companies can receive no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job training incentives. In fiscal year 2017, the Kentucky Skills Network provided training for more than 120,000 Kentuckians and 5,700 companies from a variety of industry sectors.
The Kentucky Derby Museum announces a $6.5 million renovation and expansion project, adding over 11,000 square feet of brand new space and renovation of an existing 5,000 square feet. It will be the largest expansion of the Museum’s footprint since the building was constructed in 1985 and one of the largest renovations since a major refurbishing project following damaging flooding in 2009.
The expansion will provide a greater visitor experience for guests with an emphasis on new exhibit space. The recently acquired D. Wayne Lukas collection will be featured in its own permanent gallery. It also creates space to display key pieces of the Bill Shoemaker collection, which has been housed in the Museum’s archives for many years. The expanded second floor will feature other exhibits, plus additional meeting and rental space.
The Museum will build an entirely new third floor within the expansion footprint to house administrative offices, a large conference room and storage areas.
On the ground level, a new stable will house the Museum’s resident Thoroughbred and miniature horse. The area will include seating for educational programming. It also features more than 7,400 square feet of covered space that can be set for various events, including outdoor weddings, dinners, parties and more. With the addition of the new rental space, the Museum will be able to host events with as many as 1,300 people.
The Museum closed out fiscal year 2017 with a record-setting attendance number, welcoming more than 230,000 visitors through its doors, an increase of 5.6 percent over the previous fiscal year. The energy of that success compelled the Museum’s Board of Directors and leadership team to pursue an expansion project and enhance the overall visitor experience.
“We wanted to build upon the momentum of our recent growth and take the Museum to the next level. With this expansion, we’ll create a new, dynamic way to present our mission to engage, educate and excite everyone about the extraordinary event that is the Kentucky Derby to guests from around the world,” Kentucky Derby Museum President and CEO Patrick Armstrong said.
“The Kentucky Derby Museum is one of the city’s iconic attractions drawing both leisure and convention travelers looking for an authentic Louisville experience,” Karen Williams, President & CEO of the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau said. “The expansion and renovation will offer our visitors even more one-of-a-kind opportunities to enjoy the thrills and traditions of the legendary Kentucky Derby.”
Construction is set to begin after Kentucky Derby 2018 and is expected to be complete by November, in time for the 2018 Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs Racetrack.
Mayor Greg Fischer announced that Louisville has again been ranked a top digital city nationally, placing in the Top 5 in the Center for Digital Government’s Digital Cities Survey.
The annual survey, now in its 17th year, “recognizes cities using technology to improve citizen services, enhance transparency and encourage citizen engagement,” according to the center.
“In this changing world, we have to keep innovating to serve our citizens. Louisville has been a national leader in using technology and data to improve city services and create opportunity, and this recognition is another confirmation of our team’s hard work and innovative spirit,” Mayor Fischer said.
Earlier this year, Louisville ranked second in the Government Experience Awards from the Center for Digital Government for efforts to improve online services and access on the city’s web portal www.louisvilleky.gov.
The city’s Office of Civic Innovation is working to integrate city services with Amazon Echo, working to improve broadband services with companies such as Google Fiber (https://fiber.google.com/cities/louisville/), helping to remove barriers to digital access with the Digital Inclusion Plan (http://digitalinclusion.louisvilleky.gov/) and have deployed services on the IFTTT platform with the Smart Louisville initiative (https://louisvilleky.gov/government/smart-louisville).
“This year’s leading digital cities are leveraging technology to connect disadvantaged citizens with critical information and services, promote citizen inclusion in important government processes and share government data with the public,” said Teri Takai, executive director of the Center for Digital Government. “Thanks to the efforts of these innovative cities, citizens can now meaningfully interact with city government more easily than in any other time in history. Congratulations to the winners!”
This year the survey honors cities in five population classifications. Louisville placed fifth in the 500,000 or more classification:
500,000 or more population category:
1st City of Los Angeles, CA
2nd City of Albuquerque, NM
3rd City of San Diego, CA
4th City of Charlotte, NC / Philadelphia, PA
5th City of Louisville, KY
6th City of Denver, CO /City of Seattle, WA
7th City of Boston, MA / Phoenix, AZ
8th City of Austin, TX / San Jose, CA
9th City of Tucson, AZ
10th City of El Paso, TX
Learn more about the awards (http://www.govtech.com/dc/Digital-Cities-Survey-2017.html), part of e.Republic and get highlights from the winning cities.
Mayor Greg Fischer announced today that Light Up Louisville, which kicks off the month-long celebration of Louisville’s Holiday in the City, is returning to its roots at Jefferson Square and Metro Hall.
Now in its 37th year, Light Up, the official starting point for the holiday season in Louisville, brings together people from all over the city, along with family, friends and visitors, to enjoy a day full of excitement, entertainment and community.
“For so many of us, the holidays mean ‘coming home,’ gathering with family and friends in traditional ways and comfortable spaces,” the Mayor said. “So it’s great that this year’s Light Up Louisville is also coming home, to Jefferson Square Park, where it first began.”
And the festivities continue through New Year’s Day, as Holiday in the City, a gift from MainSource Bank and powered by LG&E, provides family-friendly fun with a pop-up ice skating rink at Holiday Square at Fourth and Jefferson streets.
Light Up Louisville, always held the Friday after Thanksgiving, begins at 4 p.m. that day, as children are encouraged to visit Santa’s Workshop on the first floor of Metro Hall, and create holiday crafts. The first 250 people will receive a discount coupon to be used at the nearby Holiday in the City ice skating rink.
There will be a vendor village at Sixth and Jefferson streets, with holiday crafts, treats and gifts for sale. And the Louisville Visitor Center located near the ice skating rink will be open during Light Up Louisville, offering giveaways, treats and activities.
The main Light Up Louisville stage on the west lawn of Metro Hall will feature live entertainment beginning at 4 p.m. until the start of the Lots of Lights parade at 6:30 p.m. The parade will start at Seventh and Jefferson streets and proceed east on Jefferson to Fourth, where it will travel through Fourth Street Live! before dispersing at Muhammad Ali.
The parade, featuring floats, bands, carolers, car clubs, children’s groups and civic organizations, will end with the arrival of Santa Claus, as he and Mayor Fischer illuminate the city Christmas tree in Jefferson Square, along with much of the rest of downtown Louisville, as the sky is lit by Zambelli fireworks.
Following the Light Up moment, from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m., entertainment on the main stage will resume and children are invited to go back inside Metro Hall and get a free picture with Santa Claus.
At Holiday Square, located at Fourth and Jefferson streets, visitors can enjoy the full-size ice skating rink, featuring real ice. A 60-minute skating session with skate rentals is $12 per person; it’s $9 if you bring your own skates. The rink will be open November 23 – January 1.
Holiday in the City visitors are reminded that Fourth Street Live! plans a Winter Wonderland experience, including free pictures with Santa, Friday through Sunday until December 23.
Mike Gleeson, Regional President for MainSource Bank, says, “We are honored to be part of such a great event. Our commitment to the Louisville area and all the local communities we serve is a top priority at MainSource Bank. We’re excited for a great Holiday season, with the hope that many residents and visitors enjoy this incredible event.”
“It’s great to be back again this year, helping our community sparkle throughout the holiday season, as we continue our long-standing partnership with the city,” said Victor A. Staffieri, Chairman and CEO of LG&E and KU Energy. “Bringing Light Up Louisville festivities back to Metro Hall while maintaining the ice skating venue is a great opportunity for people to get out, walk around downtown and enjoy everything it has to offer.”
Besides MainSource Bank and LG&E, the holiday festivities’ sponsors include: Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau, Fourth Street Live!, Ford/UAW, Hines Management, MetroPCS, 106.9 Play!, Louisville Magazine, Outfront Media, and WLKY.
Mayor Fischer urges people to share their photos from Light Up Louisville and Holiday in the City on social media using the hashtag #AroundLou.
For more information, go to: www.specialeventslouisville.com
Brightside will hold its fall planting event Saturday, November 4 at the intersection of the Parkland, California and Park Hill neighborhoods. Volunteers will join Brightside, who has partnered with the Division of Community Forestry, The Nature Conservancy, Brown-Forman, and UPS to plant approximately 160 trees on Virginia Avenue and 25th Street.
“Trees are a terrific investment because they have been shown to positively impact the health of our residents, environment and economy,” Mayor Greg Fischer said. “I am glad to see Brightside add to the impact they made with last’s year planting so that once these trees mature, they will see a significant increase in green.”
In addition to improving the overall aesthetics of the surrounding neighborhoods, planting trees improves storm water management, increases property value, reduces urban heat island effect, improves air quality, and lowers energy costs.
“By going out into the community and planting trees, Brightside hopes to start a ripple effect amongst residents,” Brightside Director Gina O’Brien said. “Brightside encourages community members to join in on beautifying their own neighborhood.”
Brightside’s recent plantings, as well as those of other Metro and non-profits partners, have been focused in west Louisville, where an increase in tree canopy is needed. This year’s 160 trees will be planted adjacent to last year’s planting of 120 trees. Brightside also planted 150 trees on West Broadway in 2015 and 80 trees near Chickasaw Park in 2014.
On Saturday, November 4 at 10 a.m., Brightside will meet volunteers at the corner of 26th & Virginia in front of Pleasant View Missionary Baptist Church. A limited supply of shovels and other tools will be provided by Brightside, but volunteers are encouraged to bring their own tools. All ages are invited to attend the event.
There is still time for volunteers to register. To register, volunteers can fill out a form at Brightside’s website here: https://louisvilleky.gov/government/brightside/community-wide-planting-day
