Louisville Metro Government Sustainable Transportation��February 1, 2022

Julie Donna

Sustainability Coordinator

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Envisions, designs and implements

long-range planning solutions to create a vibrant, sustainable community where people want to live, work and innovate.

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Office of Advanced Planning and Sustainability

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Office of Advanced Planning & Sustainability

Sustainability Team

Michael King

Director

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Allison Smith

Assistant Director

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Julie Donna

Sustainability Coordinator

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Tony Mattingly

Sustainable Transportation Planner

Sumedha Rao

Sustainability Specialist

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Sustainability Team

Climate Change in Louisville:

Urgency of Action

Louisville Urban Heat Management Study

Warm season average daily

high temperature (2012)

Louisville Urban Heat Management Study

Louisville’s Changing Climate

Higher Temperatures

On average, Louisville gets 12 more days per year above 90°F than we did in 1960

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Heavier Rain Events

The 3 largest rain events in Louisville’s history happened in the last decade

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Louisville’s Changing Climate

Degrees (℉)

Montgomery, AL

By 2080,

Louisville will feel like

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6°F warmer, 10% drier

Business

as usual

Climate

Action

Louisville’s Climate Future

Louisville’s Changing Climate

Louisville Declares Climate Emergency

“This climate emergency requires that we respond with the same focus and urgency that our police, fire and EMS professionals respond to a 911 call.”

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- Mayor Greg Fischer, September 2019

Louisville Declares Climate Emergency

Climate Change in Louisville:

Plans for Action

Global Covenant of Mayors

Mayor Greg Fischer signed the Global Covenant of Mayors in April 2016.

Stopping climate change in its tracks by mitigating greenhouse gas emissions

Reducing the devastating effects of climate change by preparing for its impacts

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Louisville Metro’s Climate Plans

Louisville’s Climate Plans

GHG Emissions Reduction Plan

Prepare Louisville

Louisville’s GHG Emissions Reduction Plan

Louisville’s GHG Emissions Reduction Plan

Residential Buildings

• Building repairs for energy efficiency
• Solar energy on 50% of homes

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Commercial Buildings

• Renewable natural gas in 20% of buildings
• Solar energy on 25% of buildings

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Manufacturing Industries and Construction

• Deep energy retrofits
• Fuel switch to natural gas

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Transportation

• Enhance public transportation
• Walking and bicycling
• Promote dense development
• Switch to electric vehicles

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Waste

• Organic waste diversion programs
• Methane recovery at landfills and wastewater treatment plants

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Energy Industry

• 70% reduction in energy generation intensity factor
• LEDs in lighting fixtures and streetlights

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Transportation’s Emissions Impact

• 18.7% of total emissions from Louisville were from the transportation sector

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• On-road vehicles are the primary source for transportation emissions

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• Reducing transportation emissions will also improve local air quality

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Transportation’s

Non-Emissions Impact

• In 2020, 6,444 people were injured and 124 were killed by traffic violence in Louisville

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• Road widening and maintenance is expensive and carbon-intensive

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• Parking is one of the single largest land uses in our city—contributing to the heat island and flash flooding

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Sustainable Transportation Strategy:

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Increased Densification

Increased Densification

Louisville’s Climate Plans

Potential Strategies: 

• Prioritize further development in walkable, connected areas
• Rezone land along premium transit corridors
• Reduce or eliminate parking requirements in the Land Development Code (LDC).
• Adopt property tax policy that disincentivizes surface parking lots downtown & in urban areas
• See more in MOVE LOUISVILLE plan

Sustainable Transportation Strategy:

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Active Transportation & Ridesharing

Active Transportation & Ridesharing

Louisville’s Climate Plans

Potential Strategies: 

• Prioritize infrastructure improvements to sidewalks and bikeways
• Invest in LouVelo bikeshare system
• Adopt updated Complete Streets policy
• Tax downtown surface parking lots
• Introduce high-occupancy vehicle lanes

Sustainable Transportation Strategy:

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Improved Transportation Systems

Improved Transportation Systems

Louisville’s Climate Plans

Potential Strategies: 

• Implement Bus Rapid Transit routes
• Invest in the transit fleet and routes for more frequent and reliable service
• Implement passenger tools, signage, and payment/purchasing systems
• Improve transit stop infrastructure and amenities
• Investigate congestion pricing for single-occupancy vehicles
• Encourage businesses to adjust telecommuting policy

Improved Transportation Systems

Louisville’s Climate Plans

Premium Transit: 

• Bus Rapid Transit is faster and more convenient to riders
• Coordinates with traffic lights at intersections
• Parts of lanes are reserved for buses
• Dixie Highway BRT launched in 2020
• Broadway currently undergoing a Master Plan

Sustainable Transportation Strategy:

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Fuel Switching

(Electrifying Vehicles)

Mayor Fischer’s EV Executive Order

“All Louisville Metro Government agencies and departments shall prioritize the purchasing of electric and hybrid vehicles, green equipment and necessary infrastructure to support Metro Government’s transition to electric vehicles.”

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- Mayor Greg Fischer, May 2021

Louisville Metro Government Fleet

• Total vehicles in LMG Fleet: 2,400
• Current EVs in LMG fleet:
• 1 BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle)
• 2 PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle)
• 41 hybrid vehicles

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2021-2022 purchasing goals will more than double this!

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Electric Vehicle

Program

In joining the Green Fleet Challenge, your business or organization will: 

• Help the Louisville community transition to clean vehicles.
• Raise awareness how many EVs are already on our roads.
• Receive recognition for your efforts in city-wide announcements, social media, and events.
• Improve air quality and health for all Louisville residents!

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Electric Vehicle

Program

How will it work?

To participate, we ask that businesses and organizations:

• Commit to investing EVs to match Louisville Metro Government fleet’s at least one-to-one.
• Participate in outreach and engagement activities that promote the use of EVs.
• Provide information about the business’ overall vision to invest in a sustainable future and provide updates on fleet electrification.

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Currently, the best-selling EV is a bike

• The E-Bike market is rapidly growing
• Sales have increased 800% since 2014
• E-Bikes have significant potential to replace car trips.
• 59% of current auto trips are less than 6 miles
• E-Bike are willing to travel twice as far as conventional bike riders
• 62% of current e-bike trips replace car trips
• E-Bikes provide significant functional utility for a broader range of people.

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Hop on an E-Bike when you get the chance!

Join us!

Office of Advanced Planning and Sustainability: www.louisvilleky.gov/sustainability

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Metro’s 100% Clean Energy Website: www.100percentlou.com

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Facebook.com/SustainLou

@SustainLou

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Sustain Louisville E-newsletter: �LouisvilleKY.gov/Sustainability

Join us in the Journey!