The City of Owensboro has received a $468,000 grant to reduce carbon emissions in the community, and officials are looking for ways to utilize the funds.
Tom Lovett, Director of the Owensboro-Daviess County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), told MPO and TAC members he had contacted the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for ideas on how to best allocate the money.
Lovett said it could be used in any capacity that results in carbon reduction from vehicle emissions. Some of the early conversations included pop-up bikes and trails, but he did not get the impression that the funds could be used to extend the Adkisson Greenbelt, which currently stretches 16.5 miles.
“We can’t use that for the Greenbelt because that doesn’t get people out of cars,” Lovett said. “…(KYTC sees) the Greenbelt as strictly recreational and exercise. You don’t get on the Greenbelt to walk to Kroger to do your grocery shopping or to walk to work.”
City officials adamantly disagreed, saying KYTC may not have the proper idea of how the community utilizes the Greenbelt. Multiple officials said they feel if they state their case correctly, the City may be able to use the funds to extend the Greenbelt.
“They see it incorrectly,” City Manager Nate Pagan said of KYTC. “I run it every morning, as do others in the community, as do others with bikes in the community.”
Mayor Tom Watson said that because users of the Greenbelt drive to the Greenbelt, they are, in a way, “getting cars off the street.”
Daviess County Judge/Executive Charlie Castlen mentioned that the initial idea of the Greenbelt was to connect points of interest — so if people were going to work or any place of interest, they could do so by walking or riding their bike instead of being on the road.
Another idea Lovett proposed was buying another electric bus for the City. Likewise, the ideas of an electric vehicle charging station along with bike and pedestrian infrastructure were discussed.
“Because the money we’re getting is not huge money on a large scale, they’re suggesting that the City and County get together to talk about and find a project that may be a little bit larger cost, and put all the money into one thing instead of spreading it around,” Lovett said.
The funding will be split in two installments, with $237,000 coming in the first and $231,000 in the second. The money must by used and allocated within 5 years. Lovett said it is likely that more funds could come for this same mission in the future.
