CSX engineering will begin work on the Washburn Lane crossing next week. This date coincides with other production work in the area.  The crossing and intersection will be shut down for 5 days as crews make safety improvements to the crossing and the roadway to comply with the safety features needed to meet quiet zone requirements. The project is being funded by a partnership with the City of Lyndon, the City of St. Matthews and Metro Louisville. Each of the three cities is contributing $70,000 to pay for the road improvements. 

Councilwoman Leet also secured $85,000 in this fiscal year budget to resurface Washburn Avenue from the crossing to New LaGrange Road. Metro Louisville road crews will come back through to finalize paving later this fall. 

Once the crossing improvements are made CSX has 30 days to come into compliance with the quiet zone rules. If you have any question regarding the construction, road resurfacing or quiet zone requirements please contact the District 7 office at (502) 574-1107.  

The Chef and Owner of Varanese Restaurant on Frankfort Avenue  announced the start of construction on a new major project. The opening of his new restaurant, River House, will fulfill John Varanese’s ultimate dream of opening a riverfront dining option in Louisville. His long awaited vision will finally come to fruition when River House opens in the first quarter of 2016 as Louisville’s premier riverfront dining destination.

Construction recently began on the 27,000 sq. ft. space located at 3015 River Road, which was formerly used for boat storage. 

The menu will feature regional cuisine with Southern flair and an emphasis on seafood with a raw bar. The restaurant will be open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner, and approximately 150 jobs will be created to staff the operation. The contractor for the project is Brasch Constructors, and the total project cost is approximately $4 million.  

While River House will encompass 12,000 sq. ft of the building, Chef Varanese has long-term plans to utilize all 27,000 sq. ft of the facility (11,000 sq. ft of which is located on the 2nd floor), and those plans will be announced as they are finalized in the future. 

For more information on the River House you can follow along at Facebook.com/RiverHouseLou and @RiverHouseLou on Twitter. Welcome to District 7, River House, we know you are going to love it here!

On August 19 students from Pitt Academy had their first day of school at their new location in District 7! Pitt Academy is located at 7515 Westport Road. 

Pitt Academy is a fully accredited Kindergarten through 12th grade school. There are many labels placed on special needs students.  At Pitt Academy, they understand students don’t come with a “one-size-fits-all” label. In fact, they see their students as individuals: with a unique pattern of strengths, learning styles and challenges. 

Pitt's individualized program, adapted curriculum, outstanding instructors and vibrant community are committed to helping thier students develop the skills and self-confidence necessary to lead independent and fulfilling lives.They focus on a child’s abilities, not his or her disabilities.

This is the school’s first home of its own, having rented space since its founding in 1949.  For information call 966-6979 or visit www.pitt.com. Welcome to District 7, Pitt Academy, we are so glad you are here!

Louisville Water implemented a new billing system in late March, which included new 10-digit account numbers for all services, a customer portal with enhanced payment features and the option to sign up for an e-bill. While the system sets the foundation for enhanced customer service, it has been a slow transition with longer-than-acceptable wait times for customers calling Louisville Water. Our operations are improving and while we’re pleased with the transition, we know it’s been rough and we appreciate our customers’ patience.

Next Step in the Billing System Transition – Collections Process

The next step in the transition is the collections process. When we launched the new system in March, we temporarily suspended turning off customers for non-payment. We have now reactivated this function.

Our collections process includes the customer first receiving his/her regular bill with the outstanding balance. Once the bill is past due, we send a reminder bill and then a few days later the customer receives a phone call from Louisville Water alerting them to the delinquency and the possibility of water service being turned off.

Customer Assistance Program

Customers who have an outstanding delinquent balance of more than $300 will receive a letter notifying them of the collections process and shut-off timeline. We are also communicating to organizations and churches who frequently work with customers.

Through the Louisville Water Foundation we, along with MSD, provide $200,000 annually for a Customer Assistance Program that helps customers who struggle to pay their bill. Three entities in our service area administer those funds. In Jefferson County, we distribute funds through the Community Ministry Association (502.778.2815 or www.louisvilleministries.org). The ministry associations receive funding from Louisville Water and then work directly with customers on applying the funds to an outstanding balance. 

If you have any questions regarding this update or the Louisville Water billing process you can email them at customercare@lwcky.com or you call 502.583.6610 with any questions.