 The long awaited plan to bring Dixie Highway into the 21st Century kicked off on Wednesday with an official update on how the project will proceed in improving driving lanes, biking lanes, public transit and a new look for enhanced economic development.
“This is long overdue for our community and the countless drivers that use Dixie Highway every day,” said President David Yates (D-25). “Dixie is the largest economic corridor of Metro Louisville. Now we will begin to modernize this road to save lives and promote private reinvestment along every section of Dixie Highway.”
On Wednesday, Yates and Metro Council Members Rick Blackwell (D-12), Cindi Fowler (D-14), and Vicki Aubrey Welch (D-13) joined Mayor Greg Fischer and Congressman John Yarmuth to announce the timetable in moving forward with this $50 million project.
“This unique vision for the re-branding and re-thinking of Dixie Highway is vital for our constituents and communities,” says Councilman Blackwell. “It is truly a collaborative and multi-faceted effort, which started with a small Metro Council investment of $70,000 for a simple study to attract developers and improve infrastructure, has turned into more than $50 million in local, state and federal funding. These combined funds will lead to a safer, efficient, and appealing Dixie Corridor which is already signaling to businesses and residents that the Southwest is open for business.”
The key goals of the “New Dixie Highway” will focus on converting the 14 mile corridor into a safer, more mobile and economically enhanced roadway in Southwest Louisville.
"The Dixie Highway corridor is already the most highly used public transit line in Louisville, moving thousands of people every day," said Fowler. "The investments in Rapid Transit that this grant provides will do nothing but help bolster our development efforts along the corridor by cutting travel time and making it more accessible to more people.”
"I am proud that the teamwork approach of our Southwest Metro Council members has culminated into the phenomenal rebirth of Dixie Highway. I applaud CM Rick Blackwell for his vision and leadership which spearheaded the "Dixie Do-Over" working with Rep. Joni Jenkins and the Southwest Dream Team,” said Welch. “The future is very bright for this Dixie Highway Corridor and our constituents."
Metro Louisville qualified for a $16.9 million TIGER Grant in 2015 as part of the key funding needed from the federal government to match state and local funds to get the project rolling.
In September public meetings are planned for more input on key design features. Citizens and business along this corridor will also have a chance to use social media and a new public website to comment on how the process will move forward.
Citizens will get a chance to learn more about the planned improvements and provide input on preliminary designs through several public engagement options, including two upcoming open house meetings:
The New Dixie Highway Open House Meeting - Wednesday, September 14th
Southwest Regional Library, 7219 Dixie Highway
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
The New Dixie Dixie Highway Open House Meeting - Thursday, September 15th
Wheatley Elementary School, 1107 South 17th Street
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.Citizens can also get more information, ask questions and make comments through a project website (TheNewDixieHighway.com) and social media channels, including Facebook and Twitter. Metro government, TARC and the project design team will use feedback from the public and an advisory team of community leaders to help finalize design and gain the required federal approvals.
 Wednesday, President David Yates and Councilman Rick Blackwell spoke at the kick off of "The New Dixie Highway" website. Checkout the new website for more information on the project and details on upcoming Public Meetings and more! https://louisvilleky.gov/government/new-dixie-highway
See President David Yates and Councilman Rick Blackwell's Speeches here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME9dr8rZTro
 People who live and work near Dixie Highway are happy to see changes finally coming. And with that change comes economic opportunity. The Dixie Do-over is far from being done, but it is already bringing in new businesses like a new $23 million Kroger Marketplace, the first in our area. People who live and work around Dixie Highway are ready for the new Dixie Highway through west and southwest Louisville. The city wants input at two public meetings. The first meeting will be Sept. 14 at the Southwest Regional airport, and the second meeting is set for Sept. 15 at Wheatley Elementary. Both meetings will be held from 5-7 p.m.
http://www.wdrb.com/story/32962007/dixie-do-over-expected-to-bring-in-more-businesses
 Mayor Greg Fischer and President David Yates co-author Courier Journal Piece
"One of the most important roles of government is to ensure the dependable infrastructure that people need to get safely to work, to shop, to study, to worship, to play and back home again. A community’s roads and bridges are the literal pathways to success for individuals and businesses.
That’s why we are excited this week to launch thelargest concentrated investment of transportation dollars in Louisville since the Ohio River Bridges Project.
Over the next two years, Louisville, partnering with the state of Kentucky and federal government, will invest more than $50 million in transportation improvements along Dixie Highway. This exciting work is the first initiative under our bold MOVE Louisville plan, a long-range vision to modernize transportation across our city."
Read the full article on Courier Journal!
http://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/contributors/2016/08/31/comment-new-dixie-highway-important-first-step/89674270/
 Wednesday, President David Yates spoke at the International Overdose Awareness Rally, sponsored by Fed Up! Calling for Federal action on the Opioid Epidemic. President Yates has sponsored Naloxone trainings in his District and has encouraged other Councilmemebers to promote these events to save lives so they receive the assistance needed to overcome addiction.
Hear President Yates' speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a0Yw2ccvmo&feature=youtu.be
 Metro Council President David Yates told the crowd that the council resisted “negative political pushback” when it created the syringe exchange program last year to prevent the spread of disease caused by shared needles and educate users about treatment options. Referring to the health department’s many trainings over the past year on naloxone — through which the family of addicts can obtain kits to use in case of an overdose — he noted that a mother told him she was able to save her son shortly after one of those trainings.
“We tell people to say no to drugs, we tell people to get clean, but it’s up to us as a community to demand that they have the ability to do that,” said Yates. “That when someone wants to get better that we support that effort, that we shed the stigma of being an addict and we add hope. Because that’s what we miss a lot of times in this community. When someone loses hope, there’s little chance of recovery.”
Read the full Insider Louisville article:
http://insiderlouisville.com/metro/government/government-leaders-address-opioid-epidemic-and-treatment-funding-day-after-overdose-spike-in-louisville/
 WHERE: 10104 Mitchell Hill Rd, Louisville, KY 40118-9409, United States
WHEN:
Ride Night ONLY Thursday, Sept. 8; 5:00 pm-11:00 pm
Booths and entertainment Friday 5:00pm-11:00pm
Saturday 12:00pm-11:00am Parade NOON Saturday, Sept 10
 Come out and join us for our 4th annual Shirley's Way Family 5k at Iroqouis Park. Bring the family and friends. This year you will be able to do a "Virtual Walk" and also create a team to honor a loved one who is battling or has battled cancer. I can think of a few teams that need to be created to honor some amazing people.
WHEN: Sun, Sep 18 at 2:00pm - 5:00pm
WHERE: Iroquois Park , 5216 New Cut Rd.
Click on the link below to register now!
https://www.universe.com/events/shirleys-way-family-5k-tickets-C2DF6X
 On August 1, the regulations for short term rentals approved by Metro Council went into effect. Please use the Frequently Asked Questions, Metro Council Ordinances or other links below as a guide and a starting point to have your questions answered if you are interested in using a home as a short term rental.
A few things to know:
- All short term rental hosts must submit an annual registration form, register with the Revenue Commission, post an evacuation plan and meet smoke detector requirements. All short term rentals are prohibited from serving or providing food and alcohol and from posting outdoor signage.
- The term short term rental does not apply to hotel or motel rooms, extended stay lodging facilities, bed and breakfast inn or boarding and lodging hotel rooms. Therefore, these exact regulations do not apply to those facilities.
- At no time shall more persons reside in the short term rental than two times the number of bedrooms plus four individuals. For example if a short term rental has 3 bedrooms, than 10 people may reside in that short term rental.
- Short term rentals regulations do not supersede lease agreements, homeowner's association bylaws, covenants, deed restrictions, or any other agreement, law or regulation that prohibits subletting or use of your dwelling as a short term rental.
- Short term rentals are currently not permitted in Anchorage, Douglass Hills, Graymoor-Devondale, Hurstbourne, Indian Hills, Jeffersontown, Lyndon, Middletown, Prospect, Shively, St. Matthews and St. Regis Park. All these places have their own zoning authority and have not yet adopted the short term rental ordinance that Metro Council adopted. Metro Council has zoning authority over all of Metro Louisville except the aforementioned places.
- Failure to register a short term rental is equivalent to operating without a permit and will result in enforcement action
- Based on where you live and if you live in the home you are using as a short term rental, your application process could vary from someone else. Those scenarios are spelled out below.
If you are allowed to have a short term rental by right, you still need to take note of and follow the Metro Council short term rental ordinance. Highlights from the ordinance are in the bullet points above.
Residential zoning: R-R, R-E, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, U-N, R-5A, R-5B, R-6, R-7, R-8A
Commercial zoning: OR, OR-1, OR-2, OR-3, OTF, C-N, C-R, C-1, C-2, C-3, C-M, W-1, W-2, PVD, PTD PRD
TNZD: TNZD zoned properties are located in Old Louisville and Limerick.
If the short term rental is YOUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE and your property is zoned RESIDENTIAL…
You are allowed to operate a short term rental by right.
If the short term rental is YOUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE and your property is zoned COMMERCIAL…
You are allowed to operate a short term rental by right.
If the short term rental is YOUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE and your property is zoned TNZD…
You are allowed to operate a short term rental with an approved Conditional Use Permit.
If the short term rental is NOT YOUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE and your property is zoned RESIDENTIAL…
You are allowed to operate a short term rental with an approved Conditional Use Permit.
If the short term rental is NOT YOUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE and your property is zoned COMMERCIAL…
You are allowed to operate a short term rental by right.
If the short term rental is NOT YOUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE and your property is zoned TNZD…
You are allowed to operate a short term rental with an approved Conditional Use Permit.
The Short Term Rental Annual Application Form is attached to this email. There is a $25 annual fee to register your primary residence.
Please visit: https://louisvilleky.gov/government/planning-design/short-term-rental-information and scroll to the bottom of the page for links to the Short Term Rental CUP Pre-Application and CUP Formal Application forms.
Additional Links
LOJIC map to find your property's zoning
Frequently Asked Questions
Metro Council Short Term Rental Ordinance (Title XI, Chapter 115.515--115.521)
Smoke Detector Requirements (Title IX, Chapter 94.02)
Map of Metro Council Zoning Authority Area
Process for Conditional Use Permit approval
Louisville Metro Revenue Commission
For questions about planning and zoning requirements, such as the registration and conditional use permit processes, contact Louisville Metro’s Office of Planning & Design Services at (502) 574-6230.
For questions about tax requirements, contact Louisville Metro’s Revenue Commission at (502) 574-4860.
For questions about building permit requirements, such as those pertaining to building and life safety codes, contact Louisville Metro’s Office of Construction Review at (502) 574-3321.
 FREE
9/11 Salute To Our Heroes Tribute Concert at Fourth
Street Live! on Sunday, September 11th (4-8 pm).
We want the community to
come out to a fun night of music and to honor our heroes who serve us every
day!
We will be honoring all First
Responders including LMPD, LFD, JCSO. Metro Corrections, EMS and all five
branches of our military on stage at 4:30 pm and the country music concert will
be from 5-8 pm.
Local Country Bands and Alison Bray-from the THE
VOICE will perform.
The 9/11 concert kicks off the Global Unity
Games-Compassion Games (Sept 11-21) where we will have over 5,000
volunteers do 10+ community service projects as we compete with other cities
around the world in doing acts of service and compassion
 The Valley Woman’s Club will be hosting a Membership Reception on Monday, September 26, 2016, 6:00 pm, at the Jewish Hospital Medical Center Southwest in the Community Room on the first floor.
Please come and learn about the Valley Woman’s Club and their services to the community. The Club was incorporated 60 years ago and has been a major part of the community. Please come and join us and learn about the many services the Valley Woman’s Club has contributed to our Community. Speakers and light refreshments will be provided.
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 Please take the Louisvilleky.gov Website Survey so Metro can get a broad range of thoughts on what folks like and don’t like about our city site.
https://louisvilleky.gov/government/information-technology-services/help-us-improve-your-city-government-website
We are ramping up our efforts to
make some improvements to the site layout and our mobile view. We will
also be conducting user testing and many other tools to make some smart
changes.
Thank you for helping us make your experience better!
 Register here NOW!
Louisville Metro has changed from Code Red to LENS Alerts for
Emergency Service Reporting. If you would like to start or continue to receive
alerts regarding Emergency situations in Louisville you will need to subscribe
to LENS Alerts (Louisville Emergency Notification System).
Register here: www.smart911.com
Public safety officials from the city of Louisville, Bullitt
County, Oldham County and Washington County announced today new enhancements to
the region’s emergency notification system and encouraged all residents to sign
up for the free service.
The new service allows individuals and families to sign up online
to receive emergency notifications and to provide key information to 9-1-1 call
takers during an emergency. Residents should visit their local jurisdiction’s
website in order to sign up for the new service.
Register here NOW!
 Update as of 8/25/16
Hall contracting is
indeed beginning work in the area from Bethany lane to Stonestreet road. Before
traffic can be shifted in this section to the north bound side of the roadway,
a storm sewer pipe must first be installed across Dixie highway at Fazoli's.
After
this shoulder is safe for traffic, lanes will be shifted from Bethany to
Stonestreet so storm sewer work can begin in the area in front of Valley High
School.
It is important that most of the storm sewer work be completed before
much of the asphalt can be placed. The contractor currently does not have
any utility or tree delays. Crews are actively working under night time lane
closures. Some lane closures are kept in place during the day to protect the
construction work that is underway.
Update as of 8/11/16
Our contractor will begin moving
materials (storm sewer pipes, equipment, traffic control) from Section 3 on
Monday, August 15. They will be setting up traffic control in Section 2 next
week. This section of the work zone has been lengthened and will extend from
Bethany Lane to Stonestreet Road. The contractor has some storm sewer work to
finish in front of Valley High School before asphalt pavement work commences.
The reason the contractor did
not begin work the week of August 1 is that they were waiting on a change order
to be processed by KYTC to cover the additional costs for removing the striping
and other traffic control in Section 3 and setting it all up again in Section
2. Change orders on our construction projects must be reviewed by
district staff and our central office in Frankfort as well, then signed by
upper management. This contractor chose to wait until all
signatures were obtained before proceeding with the change in traffic control
in the work zone.
Update as of 7/29/16:
The contractor began working in Section 3 this spring while utility issues were being resolved in Section 2. They have storm sewer pipe to be placed as part of the project and there are some small trees in the way that have to be removed. Due to an environmental restriction involving potential habitat of the Indiana Bat, trees over four inches in diameter cannot be cleared between June 1 and August 15. So that has prevented the contractor from making progress in Section 3. All of the storm sewer work must be done before the asphalt paving can begin.
The Louisville Water Company completed water line relocation in Section 2 last week. This morning we met with our contractor and requested that they move back to Section 2 as soon as possible. Because our contract only allows traffic impacts in one section at a time, the contractor will have to move all traffic control items from Section 3 to Section 2. This includes pavement striping, cones, delineators, etc. The pavement in Section 3 will have to be restriped to the normal lane markings present prior to construction. We anticipate the contractor starting work in Section 2 sometime next week.
Once the tree clearing restriction ends on August 15, the contractor will also have crews working in Section 3 to clear trees and install storm sewer pipes in advance of the asphalt work.
Completion of the entire project will not happen in 2016 due to the delays described above and weather limitations for asphalt paving associated with cooler temperatures. When work ceases late this year, all lane closures and traffic control devices (cones, barrels, delineators) will be removed until construction can resume in the spring.
Update as of 7/28/16:
The Louisville Water Company has completed their work relocating the water main.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has notified President Yates' office that they are awaiting return communication from the contractor in the near future.
President Yates' office will continue to provide updates as provided by the Transportation Cabinet regarding the paving of Dixie Highway.
Update as of 7/21/16:
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) awarded a
contract in the summer of 2015 for pavement replacement on a five mile section
of US 31W (Dixie Highway) in Jefferson County. The project involves removal and
replacement of the asphalt pavement between Stonegate Manor Drive and Greenwood
Road (mile points 6.6 to 11.7). The old asphalt is to be removed down to the
original concrete pavement. An intermediate material is being installed as a
means to prevent reflective cracking between the concrete and asphalt layers.
Base and surface layers of asphalt will be paved to complete the roadway.
There were horizontal bumps in the pavement on Dixie Highway about every twenty
feet. This is due to reflective cracking from the concrete joints below. The
intent with this project is to not just resurface the roadway, but solve
recurring problems coming from the base.
Work began in August of 2015 proceeding from the south end of the project to
the north. The project is divided into four sections of work:
- Section
1 - Stonegate Manor Drive to Bethany Lane (mile points 6.6 to 7.7)
- Section
2 - Bethany Lane to Valley Station Road (mile points 7.7 to 8.6)
- Section
3 - Valley Station Road to West Pages Lane (mile points 8.6 to 10.5)
- Section
4 - West Pages Lane to Greenwood Road (mile points 10.5 to 11.7)
Contract crews had planned to remove the asphalt, install the intermediate
layer and repave the roadway in each section before moving to the next one.
Section 1 was completed last year. When work began on Section 2 last fall, the
contractors began running into utility issues. The utility companies could not
indicate the exact locations of all the lines, particularly the depth of the
water and gas lines. Many of the underground utilities have been crammed into a
small section underneath the shoulder of the roadway. These lines were not
buried very deep and when our contractor began digging up the old pavement,
they hit these lines. The contractor also uncovered some abandoned utility
lines.
So, work on Section 2 was halted last fall due to water line relocation.
The original project plans had called for work to be halted on Dixie
Highway from November 15 through April 1 due to the Thanksgiving and Christmas
holiday season and the winter months when asphalt paving cannot be performed.
Work resumed this spring on Section 3. Storm sewer work is underway and will
last for a few weeks. Then the asphalt paving will begin for that section.
This section of Dixie Highway continues to have two thru lanes of traffic
in each direction. Lane closures can occur on weeknights in the northbound
direction from 9:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. Closure times for the southbound
direction are from 9:00 p.m. until 8:00 a.m. Weekend lane closures are
permitted from 9:00 p.m. until 10:00 a.m. the following morning on Fridays and
Saturdays.
Crews are currently working in the existing northbound lanes and all traffic is
shifted to the southbound lanes. During this construction, motorists do not
have access to a continuous center turn lane along US 31W. This turning lane as
well as the shoulders on both sides of the road are being used to accommodate
traffic shifts. Left turning lanes are provided at the signalized
intersections.
Our contractor has currently skipped Section 2 because they are waiting on the
Louisville Water Company to perform water line relocation in that area.
All of the traffic signal upgrades have been completed. New poles and signal
heads have been installed. Motorists may see some signal heads that are
covered. These will be activated when the traffic is moved to its permanent
configuration.
Hall Contracting of Kentucky, Inc. was awarded this contract in the amount of
$14.5 million. The original contract completion date was June 30, 2016,
but due to these delays work is currently expected to last into November,
barring any other major utility delays.
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The 3rd Division LMPD will host a weekly “Peace Walk” each week. Major Hardison will be joined by a lieutenant and resource officer from the 3rd Division and they will be walking to promote unity and compassionate inclusion of all members of our community. Please see the schedule below and join the LMPD officers for a positive community event.
Tuesday
September 6th - 6pm
to 7pm- Dixie Garden Area (Starting at the corner of Dixie Garden and Fashion
Way)
Tuesday
September 13th - 6pm to 7pm- Iroquois Park
(Starting in the parking lot of the park off of New Cut Rd near Frisbee Way)
Tuesday
September 20th - 6pm to 7pm- Grafton
Hall/Haney Area (Starting at the corner of Grafton Hall Road and Haney Way)
Tuesday
September 27th - 6pm to 7pm- Fordhaven Area
(Starting at the corner of St. Anthony Church Rd and Fordhaven )
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