Latest news with #Lextran
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lexington council approves $540 million city budget. Here's what's in it
The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council unanimously passed a $540.2 million spending plan Thursday that includes money to improve sidewalks, millions for sewer system renovations and raises for most city employees. The budget is for the fiscal year that begins July 1, and includes no tax increases. It is the largest budget in the city's history, up 7% from two years ago, which was the first time the budget surpassed $500 million. Mayor Linda Gorton's budget proposal included $28.2 million for improvements to the city sewer system; 3% raises for all non-union city employees; $19.2 million for street improvement projects, like connecting sidewalks and installing new traffic lights; and $3.4 million for new snow plows and street salt. The council added nearly $1 million in additional spending. It added five positions, including an additional social worker for Lexington's Community Paramedicine Program and a deputy director of accounting. The total cost to add that staff is $305,508.32. Most of that money comes from decreasing spending in other budgeted areas, like lowering the cost of allotted overtime for the fire department. Gorton's budget included funding for 16.5 new positions. With council changes, the new budget has money for 21.5 new positions. 'I am always concerned when positions are added because the cost of salaries and benefits will continue in future budgets,' Gorton told the Herald-Leader. Last year, Gorton vetoed personnel expenses added by the council, but that was ultimately overridden. Gorton doesn't plan to make any vetoes this year, spokeswoman Susan Straub said. City council also added $500,000 to the budget for Lextran, the city's bus service, to run two pilot programs. The downtown connector pilot program will run a bus on weekends from 4 p.m. through midnight connecting downtown to the distillery district. A second pilot program will test micro-transit, a government-funded rideshare service — like Uber or Lyft — for trips where Lextran buses don't go. The budget uses $18 million in bonding or borrowing, the smallest debt since the COVID pandemic. That includes $6.2 million for new city, police and road management vehicles, and $3 million to design a new training facility for the Lexington Fire Department. The budget includes $14 million for paving, the same amount as last year's budget.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Lexington street that runs through UK campus to be closed for a week
The Avenue of Champions, which cuts through the University of Kentucky's campus near downtown Lexington, will be closed for a week beginning Monday. Starting at 5 a.m. May 12, Avenue of Champions will be closed from Rose Street to South Limestone Street, the city of Lexington said Friday afternoon. The road is scheduled to reopen by May 19, as long as the weather permits the work to be completed. The closure comes as the UK semester ends, which may mean less congestion in that area. Friday marked the last day of the spring semester. The road closure will allow the base layer of the pavement to be repaired 'to prevent long-term damage to the road,' according to a news release. 'Drivers coming from Euclid Avenue should use Rose Street to East High Street to South Upper Street as a detour. Drivers coming from South Limestone should use East Maxwell Street and Rose Street to detour around the closure,' the city said. 'Lextran is currently using East High Street for loading and unloading. University of Kentucky facilities along Avenue of Champions will work with the contractor for needed access.' The city said Rose Street can be used to reach area businesses.
