Kentucky County Judge/Executive Association
32nd Annual Winter Conference
February 6, 2014
Presentation by:
Juva Barber
Executive Director
Kentuckians for Better Transportation
Working for All Modes of Transportation
Air
Highways Public
Transit
Rail Waterways
K B T ’s Mission
Kentuckians for Better Transportation (KBT) is a
member association advocating for all modes
(aviation, highways/local roads/bridges, public
transit, railroads and waterways) of transportation
throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
We unite leaders and citizens to achieve a safe and
sustainable transportation system for improved
economic development and quality of life.
Aviation in Kentucky
53 General Aviation Airports
1 Part 139 Airport
6 Commercial Airports
Restore Funding to the Kentucky Aviation Economic
Development Fund
In order to be consistent with the current U.S. Department of
Transportation/FAA policy, KBT urges the Kentucky General
Assembly to follow KRS 183.525 and fully appropriate the
fees collected from the sale of aviation fuels to develop,
rehabilitate, and maintain airport facilities with these funds.
Highways, Bridges, Local Streets & Roads in
Kentucky
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10 Interstate
10 parkways
Over 14,000 bridges
79,320 miles of public roads and streets
Information Courtesy Kentucky Transportation Cabinet 2014
Preserve & Protect Kentucky Road Fund & Projects
Establish Symmetrical Balance in Kentucky's Motor
Fuel Excise Fee
KBT urges the 2014 Kentucky General Assembly to
statutorily raise the floor of the Average Wholesale
Price to FY 2013 levels and to further specify that
the motor fuels excise fee cannot fall by more than
10% in any fiscal year, preventing the catastrophic
effects of a sudden, drastic reduction in the fee.
With this change, both increases and decreases will
be limited to a maximum of 10% in any fiscal year.
Road Fund Policy
It is the position of KBT that all current sources
and formulas of revenue going into the Road
Fund be maintained in the Road Fund. Reducing
Road Fund revenue to offset other tax increases
and/or diverting Road Fund revenues to other
programs will weaken Kentucky's ability to build
and maintain the high quality highway network
today's businesses demand. Road Fund dollars go
to build and maintain infrastructure that benefits
all Kentuckians. Road Fund dollars create
Kentucky jobs, and jobs are the best way to fight
poverty.
Public Private Partnerships (P3s)
P3s have shown to be a viable option for
alternative financing for large infrastructure
projects worldwide. Currently, the Kentucky
General Assembly is thoughtfully studying the
application of P3s to infrastructure projects in
Kentucky. KBT supports these efforts and looks
forward to the findings. KBT urges the 2014
General Assembly to enact legislation for
innovative ways to address transportation
financing and delivering projects in our state.
Local Investments for Transformation (LIFT)
LIFT is a tool to allow communities to invest in
projects that will keep them competitive through a
local option sales tax of one additional penny on
current local sales taxes. The funding is dedicated
for transformational local projects, with a sunset.
The choice to participate is made by the citizens at
the local level where communities control their
own destiny with resources for community
projects. KBT urges the General Assembly to
support Local Investments for Transformation
(LIFT).
Public Transit in Kentucky
All Kentuckians have access public transit
regardless of their location
• Public Transportation provides 30 million
passengers trips a year in Kentucky.
• The three urban systems provide a total of 24
million trips a year, with 70-85 percent of those
trips for work or school.
• $1 billion of investment in public transit produces
47, 500 jobs and increases business activity by
$6.1 billion (federal highway administration)
K B T ’s Public Transit Legislative Policies
Funding (State)
Public Transit in Kentucky needs a dedicated,
reliable and consistent funding provide a source
for adequate matches of federal funds. Kentucky’s
major transit systems have left federal funds on
the table for the lack of a state and local match.
Predictable funding will provide systems with the
ability to proactively plan for projects and
compete for federal sources of funds that are
currently out of reach. KBT supports a dedicated,
reliable and consistent funding source for Public
Transit systems that takes into consideration
future needs.
Veterans Transportation and Community Living
Initiative (VTCLI) (Federal and State)
The Veterans Transportation and Community Living Initiative
(VTCLI) is an innovative, federally coordinated partnership that will
make it easier for U.S. veterans, active service members, military
families, and others to learn about and arrange for locally available
transportation services that connect them with work, education,
health care, and other vital services in their communities. Drawing
on existing federal resources, and in consultation with advocates
for veterans and people with disabilities, projects are being funded
in urban, suburban, and rural communities around the nation to
strengthen and promote "one-call" information centers and other
tools that conveniently "connect the dots" as never before. As a
result, these deserving men and women and their families may
quickly and conveniently turn to trusted sources that have been
specially trained to help them access local transportation options
and other support services, ranging from workforce training to food
pantry locations. The VTCLI grant program is structured to fund
projects that will potentially benefit anyone living within the
jurisdiction of a grant recipient, with or without veteran status.
KBT supports the VTCLI initiative that is currently being set forth by
the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Federal Government.
Railways in Kentucky
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5 Class I Railroads
1 Regional Railroad
7 Local Railroads
2,500 Freight Rail miles
Short Line Rehabilitation and Investment Act of 2013
(Federal)
This legislation would extend the Section 45G short
line railroad tax credit (50%) which is due to expire
on December 31, 2013. Originally enacted in 2004,
Section 45G creates a strong incentive for short line
railroads to invest private sector dollars on freight
railroad track rehabilitation. KBT supports keeping
the Section 45G tax credits and making them
permanent.
Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing
Loan Program (RRIMFLP) (Federal)
In recent years, the RRIFLP has proven to be a useful
tool for Short-Line Railroads. However,
administrative burdens have seemed to be growing
on railroads making application for these loans. KBT
urges modifications to RRIMFLP, so loans are issued
in a more-timely manner and, if possible, with less
administrative burden to the applicants.
Waterways in Kentucky
• Cover 1200 Miles of Navigable Waterways, One of the Most
Expansive in the Nation
• $26 Billion Manufactured Goods
• $10 Billion Basic Chemicals
• $6 Billion of Agricultural and Food Products
Funding and Expansion of Improvements for Public
Riverport Improvement (State)
The 2012 General Assembly in a special session
appropriated $500,000 in each fiscal year (2012-2014) to
improve public river ports within Kentucky. Improvements
were limited to dredging and maintenance of access. The
Secretary of the Transportation Cabinet, in conjunction
with the Kentucky Water Transportation Advisory Board,
was directed to determine how the funds are distributed.
During the past two years, this process has taken place
successfully. With experience in hand, a move to allow
improvements of docks, wharves, equipment, port
buildings, storage facilities, roads and railroads and an
increase in funding is expected in the 2014 Regular
Session of the Kentucky General Assembly. KBT supports
these efforts to facilitate the flow of commerce through
our public ports.
Transportation Safety in Kentucky
HB 199 - Child Booster Seats
Motor vehicle crashes continue to be the number
one cause of death for Kentucky children.
Kentucky’s current booster seat law states that
children who are under the age of seven and
between the heights of 40 inches and 50 inches
shall be properly restrained in a booster seat.
However, KBT urges the 2014 Kentucky General
Assembly to strengthen the current statute to
reflect recommended national standards, which
increases the age to eight years and increases the
height limit to 57 inches.
HB 33 - Cell Phone Ban in School and Construction
Zones
Reliable, independent highway safety studies
continue to demonstrate that hand-held devices
provide a significant distraction to all drivers,
regardless of age. For that reason, KBT urges the
2014 Kentucky General Assembly to enact a ban on
the use of cell phones while driving in school and
construction zones. More than a dozen states have
enacted this type of legislation that protects the
lives of our school children and highway
construction workers.
Thank you slide TBD…