Transportation
GOAL 3
TRANSPORTATION
According to Kentucky State Data Center projections, by the year 2030, the population in the KIPDA ADD region is expected to grow to 1,077,435. With growth comes the need to invest in the region’s infrastructure systems and this is a challenge due to the high financial cost of these resources. Infrastructure investment was rated by communities in the region as the top strategy that would benefit their economic development efforts, and included utilities, technology, and transportation needs. Investment in transportation infrastructure is needed to properly serve the mobility needs of residents and to create a thriving economy with an efficient and effective transport system. The goal of long term transportation planning is to develop strategies and actions whose cumulative impact benefits the region, leading to safer, more affordable, and efficient movement of people and goods.
Regional transportation planning considers how vehicular traffic, public transportation, bicyclists and pedestrians operate and interact with one another, as well as with other modes of transportation in both urban and rural areas. It also identifies current and possible future problems and develops alternative ways to address them. Those alternatives need to be considered by community leaders, technical advisors, and residents to choose the most appropriate solutions as the region grows. Specifically, counties within the region should consider concentrating planning efforts on infrastructure development in high density and high growth areas that include public transit improvements, the expansion and safety of bicycling and pedestrian networks, and improving mobility and access for the elderly, disabled and economically disadvantaged population.
Regional transportation planning in the KIPDA region is conducted in a variety of ways, due to the relative roles and responsibilities of the KIPDA Area Development District (ADD) and the Louisville/Jefferson County KY-IN Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Each entity prepares a vision, goals, and objectives for the respective jurisdictions. Many of these concepts are overarching, and the following strategies represent the commonalities between the intent of the two processes.
STRATEGIES
- Reduce congestion in the region.
- Improve public transit connectivity to retail centers, job centers, and educational facilities.
- Reduce the number bridges rated Poor.
- Maintain the existing transportation network in a state of good repair.
- Provide appropriate transportation options, particularly related to access to jobs.
- Identify and seek improvement of high-crash locations.
- Ensure timely and efficient movement of freight.
- Improve the connectivity of the pedestrian and bicycle network.
- Encourage land use policies to develop alternative modes of travel.
- Increase system-wide transit ridership.
- Maintain transit assets in a state of good repair.
1. Continue to seek funding for the transportation of elderly and disabled populations.
2. Expand transportation options that enhance employment and educational opportunities, particularly for economically disadvantaged populations.
3. Develop and implement a public involvement plan for all the citizens of the region.
FUTURE MILESTONES
- Identify areas of high-density housing, employment, and future growth
- Identify congested roadways
- Maintain and improve the public involvement plans for transportation planning
- Reduce fatalities and serious injuries resulting from crashes
- Prioritize roadways, bridges, sidewalks, curbs, and transit fleet that need repair or replacement
METRICS
- Number of fatalities and serious injuries
- Miles of congested roadways
- Miles of pedestrian facilities
- Miles of bikeways
- Miles of roadway and sidewalk in a state of good repair
- Number of transit riders
SUCCESS STORIES
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) recently created a data driven process for transportation project prioritization called the Strategic Highway Investment Formula for Tomorrow or SHIFT Process.
While this new data driven approach is a fantastic way to prioritize projects throughout the whole state of Kentucky, we wanted to highlight the benefits that the KIPDA ADD has already seen from the SHIFT process. One project that was identified as a top priority through the SHIFT process stands out above the rest; the I-MOVE KY project.
I-MOVE KY is one of the most important projects to come out of this process. The project is a four-year $180 million construction project that has improvements to I-71, I-64, and I-265, also known as Gene Snyder Freeway. This is a very heavily traveled corridor for the region that provides a vital link for trade and commerce, access to retailers, and tens of thousands of jobs. After this project was prioritized through the SHIFT process, it essentially combined 4 projects into one to significantly accelerate construction, reduce the amount of time that travelers will be impacted, and result in cost savings by using a design-build approach to have one team do the whole project(s).
Per KYTC4, the projects that became part of I-MOVE KY include:
- I-265 Widening: Ranked as the No. 1 SHIFT priority, this project will widen I-265 to the center and add a 12-foot lane of traffic in each direction, creating a total of six lanes between KY 155 (Taylorsville Road) and I-71.
- I-71/I-265 Interchange Improvements: This project will create a collector-distributor lane on southbound I-71 to improve safety and ease ramp movements to and from I-265.
- I-71 Widening: This project will widen I-71 and add a 12-foot lane of traffic in each direction to create a total of six lanes between I-265 and KY 329 (Crestwood/Pewee Valley exit).
- I-64/I-265 Interchange Improvements: This project will reconstruct the I-64/I-265 interchange to improve safety and ease the flow of traffic through the interchange and includes areas on I-64 from Blankenbaker Parkway to English Station Road, and on I-265 from Pope Lick Road to the U.S. 60 interchange.
By using this innovative four projects in one approach to address some of Kentucky’s highest priority transportation needs4, KYTC and the SHIFT process were able to put them all together into I-MOVE Kentucky, to improve safety, ease of travel, and quality of life for all travelers and businesses that use I-265, I-71, and I-64. Instead of having to choose one project to prioritize, all four were combined and prioritized together which is much more efficient.
For the shift process, a project overview and other details may be found at https://transportation.ky.gov/SHIFT.
For the I-MOVE KY project, a project overview and other details may be found at https://i-moveky.com/.