Meeting the Public Transportation Needs in the REMPO Area

 Elizabethtown-Ft. Knox MSA Transformation Project: Measuring the Impact of the BlueOval SK Battery Park on the Elizabethtown Metro Area, August 2023, Hardin County Chamber of Commerce  - This is a summary of the briefing given to the members of the Hardin County Chamber of Commerce. The presentation was meant to inform those stakeholders of the anticipated impact the new facility would have on the surrounding community and among various demographics. Discussion topics included facility size, projected number of employees, construction obstacles and estimates, and potential economic impacts.

 Meade County Kentucky Comprehensive Plan, 2021, Meade County Planning Commission  - The primary purpose of the Comprehensive Plan was to account for the changes occurring in Meade County at the time as well as the expected changes over the next twenty years. The plan achieved this goal by evaluating existing community characteristics, engaging in extensive public participation, forming a communal vision, and administering an implementation plan for enacting the vision. Specific goals of the comprehensive plan included providing adequate infrastructure, enhancing community/public works related projects, encouraging education, and promoting lifelong learning. The implementation plan strived to achieve these goals by identifying and seeking potential funding sources for infrastructure improvement, pursuing financing for county-wide trail and park plans, diversifying educational opportunities, and promoting local business innovation.

 Glendale Area Transportation Study Update, February 2021, REMPO  - This study is an update to the previous 2008 Glendale Area Transportation Study and maintains the initial purpose of integrating the 1,551-acre parcel of land zoned for Heavy Industrial District use into the surrounding rural area with certain revisions. Short term revisions entail an entire I-65 interchange relocation and lane widening on KY 1136 along with the previous changes. Medium-range revisions were added including traffic control measures and an extension of the Glendale Bypass to connect with KY 222. Long-term plans now involve reconstruction of the CSX railroad crossing, along with complete bypass revisions on high traffic roadways and major roadway widening on high-traffic corridors. Overall, periodic revisions such as this study update are necessary in dynamic projects involving many alternative changes, various stakeholders, and large amounts of capital.

 East Elizabethtown Connectivity Study Final Report, September 2021, REMPO & Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC)  - The cooperative Connectivity Study sought to identify existing safety and congestion issues in transportation and pedestrian networks; the plan recognized and prioritized multiple recommended short-term and long-term projects. The methodology for developing these recommendations was to research existing planned projects in the area, review historic traffic and crash data, seek public and stakeholder input, complete an environmental, socioeconomic, and historical study, complete traffic forecasting, and run capacity analyses. Recommended areas for transportation and pedestrian network improvement included the US 62 Corridor, an undeveloped area along US 62 and Ring Road, and east of Interstate 65. Modifying these areas could improve transportation and pedestrian networks by extending existing roadways to form connections, lengthening existing trails and expanding recreational facilities, updating intersection alignment, adding pedestrian walkways, and various other measures. Ultimately, none of these improvements are discussed as separate from outside events or influences, instead all in cohesion with one another; this was a promising development as complete connectivity planning must pay equal attention to local and big-picture solutions.  

 Envision Elizabethtown 2040 Comprehensive Plan, October 2020, Elizabethtown Planning Commission, City Council, City Staff  - The 2040 Elizabethtown Comprehensive Plan was used to determine policies, programs, and projects regarding future development along with goals and objectives to strengthen transportation and utility infrastructure, economic development, tourism, quality of life, and other aspects of life within Elizabethtown. The plan also delved into Elizabethtown’s contemporary demographic and economic development, transportation, community facilities, utilities, infrastructure, parks and recreation, and more. Goals pertaining to daily life in Elizabethtown such as Land Use & Redevelopment, Community Facilities, Transportation, and more are conveniently categorized into action steps with priority classifications such as high, moderate, and ongoing. This foresight is particularly useful for such a long-term, multifaceted plan. Extensive stakeholder engagement via meetings and interviews were thoroughly outlined and completed the comprehensive scope of the plan.

 Title VI Implementation Plan, November 2018 – October 2019, LTADD  - The Title VI Implementation Plan outlined how the non-discrimination statute called Title VI from the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is implemented across all LTADD’s programs ranging from housing to public service and economic development. Procedures for filing a discrimination complaint are detailed, along with a timeline for complaint submission. Further implementation details described the training of LTADD employees on Title VI procedures and specified who can respond to Title VI complaints. One of the most pertinent applications of Title VI related to data collection and how existing and future projects must adhere to Title VI data collection guidelines. Limited English Proficiency Title VI reporting procedures are also included in the plan, creating a more inclusive option for filing complaints or suggestions. The environmental justice component of the plan is also a welcome addition that bridges the conscious approach between the human and natural spheres.

 Public Transportation Implementation Study, September 2013, REMPO  - The study was intended to develop a plan for a fixed-route public transportation system that would connect Elizabethtown, Radcliff, and Fort Knox. The system would also include routes that circulated within each city and refined the routes for the transit system, determined locations for stops along routes, established the cost of shelters, estimated the capital and operating costs for the system, and proposed the financial match required for local government. To formulate such comprehensive solutions, the study extensively examined demographics and population statistics. An advantageous inclusion in the study was a transit generator section which outlined the primary need for transit trips such as reaching locations of educational institutions, medical appointments, housing, public offices, and recreation/shopping. The existing transit modes such as demand response, vanpool, park-and-ride, and their unique funding needs are also examined. The document also gauged public opinion regarding the transit system, new funding sources, routes, service hours, and proposed stops.

 Bicycle Facilities Study Survey, 2012, REMPO  - The bicycle facilities study survey was comprised of fifteen questions for cyclists and non-cyclists within the study area. The purpose of this study worked well in sequence with the 2009 Walkability Study as they both prioritized alternative modes of transportation instead of the single occupancy vehicle. The questions raised regard cycling frequency, nature of trips, cyclist comfort, cycling location, and many more. Along with these tangible questions, the survey inquired about the qualitative aspects of cycling in the county such as deterrent factors of cyclist comfort, positive factors that encourage cycling, and prospective areas for new cycling corridors. The survey was a useful tool for gauging the opinion of a subgroup which is sometimes neglected by planners.

 MPO Walkability Study, December 2009, REMPO  - The walkability study was delved into the existing walkability, a measure of pedestrian suitability and safety, in both Elizabethtown and Radcliff. The study was straightforward and immediately examined some of the urban planning issues hindering walkability in the study area. These issues included a decentralized urban core, sustainability, and a lack of viable, sustainable transportation options. The study even delved into the context of suburbanization and historical factors which caused the sprawling predicament that REMPO must contend with contemporarily. The document detailed metrics for measuring walkability such as land use variation, safety, path quality, and path context. Ultimately the findings were that the Radcliff area received an average walkability grade of “C”, with various neighborhoods receiving higher or lower ratings. This grade left plenty of room for improvement within the recommendations section as the study suggested remedies such as Complete Streets Policy integration, guidelines for pedestrian crossing, neighborhood connectivity, and education programs for bike/ped awareness.

 Fort Knox Regional Highway Capacity Study, August 2009, Radcliff/Elizabethtown Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the Lincoln Trail Area Development District (LTADD)  - The study identified potential improvements to aid in traffic flow and provide better connections to major roadways on a regional level within the Fort Knox area. The study area included the counties of Breckinridge, Bullitt, Grayson, Hardin, Larue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, and Washington, but was primarily focused on Hardin, Meade, and Bullitt counties. Existing conditions, future conditions, community outreach, and recommendations were all thoroughly examined throughout the study. The recommendations section included solutions such as extensions existing corridors to accommodate for capacity growth, connector roads between high-capacity roadways, interchange redesigns, and combined/eliminated median openings. These solutions improved roadway efficiency and safety along with accounting for diverse modes of transportation by integrating a regional public transportation study. Further accommodations were made in collaboration with Smart Growth Patterns and input from members of the neighboring city, Radcliff.

 Glendale Area Transportation Study, November 2008, Lincoln Trail Area Development District  - The study proposed short, medium, and long-range projects to integrate a 1,551-acre parcel of land zoned for Heavy Industrial District use into the surrounding rural area without compromising area mobility. These plans were to be incrementally implemented to distribute costs, making the plan both fiscally responsible and scalable to grow as the development expands. The study contained a public involvement plan, existing conditions report, development analysis, and a recommended transportation plan. The recommended transportation plan outlined short-range improvements such as adding left-turn lanes at downtown Glendale intersections, improving bypasses on KY 222 and amending bypasses on KY 1136. Medium range improvements were specified as more intensive procedures such as roadway widening, roadway replacement, and signal revision. Long range improvements were the most labor and funding intense such as complete bypass revisions on high traffic roadways and major roadway widening on high-traffic corridors such as I-65. Overall, these highway and local roadway improvements streamlined the accommodation of a large manufacturing center, final point of assembly, or other facility via proposed steps for requisite roadway improvement.

 Fort Knox Highway Access Study, July 2007, REMPO  - The study was conducted to proactively identify and address anticipated traffic problems relating to the U.S. Department of Defense 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Report. This report detailed many changes that occurred on the Fort Knox Military Reservation that affected the surrounding region. The study accommodated these base relocation specific changes, along with attending to the general population and traffic growth experienced by the Radcliff-Fort Knox area in recent years. Proposed solutions for improving access to Fort Knox from the adjoining highway system such as US 31W included improving the adjacent North Wilson Road via widening the existing lanes, eliminating a slip ramp, and adding a turning lane. Other traffic reducing measures included reconstructing Brandenburg Station Road and the adjacent US 31 to accommodate new entrance and exit ramps along with lane widening. Diverse solutions such as an employee shuttle from Elizabethtown and Louisville to Fort Knox were also proposed as alternative solutions that could decrease roadway capacity without the need for extensive roadway reconstruction.

As seen in the graph, ridership on all TACK services peaked in 2019 at 195,860 annual trips. Ridership declined significantly from 2019-2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching a low of 74,825 trips in 2021. Ridership has since seen a 52.6% recovery in 2022, with 103,022 trips.

In 2022, TACK met 38% of its operating budget through directly generated funding, such as collecting fares and advertising. The remaining 62% was funded by Federal Government subsidies; the agency receives no funding from state or local sources.

• Purchase between six and nine 14-seater cutaway buses (see 5339 grant)
• Coordinate with stakeholder to identify annual operating funds
• Implement fare-free bus routes with new cutaway buses (Elizabethtown Circulator, Radcliff/Vine Grove Circulator, Fort Knox/Elizabethtown Connector)
• Extend TACK's paratransit service coverage to include evening and weekend hours for the 3/4-mile areas around fixed routes
• Install signs at all new bus stops
• Install bus shelters and benches at key bus stops