Cities like Lexington and Louisville have comprehensive reports and task forces dedicated to housing needs. But statewide statistics suggest homelessness is rising at a higher rate outside of its cities, in growing areas like Ashland and Morehead.
The remaining $4.03 million fund balance can be revisited in the future for spending.
An existing serviced from United Way, called "Ride United," has caught Council's attention.
An existing serviced from United Way, called "Ride United," has caught Council's attention.
In October 21st's Council Work Session, Councilmembers delayed a vote to give Lextran an additional $475k for a microtransit pilot until November 20th.
During the Work Session, Lextran General Manager Fred Combs gave a presentation on the agency's work toward implementing a microtransit pilot program. While Council allocated money toward a pilot in the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget, At-Large Councilmember Chuck Ellinger proposed allocating an additional $475k from the city's FY25 fund balance toward the same pilot.
Microtransit is a broad term used to describe public transportation that typically provides door-to-door or curb-to-curb service using smaller vehicles like cars or vans. It often functions very similarly to Uber of Lyft, where a rider can book a ride on a public transit agency's app and a driver will pick them up and drop them off at or near their destination.
Some Councilmembers mentioned having recently learned about the Ride United program. Ride United is a microtransit service operated by United Way of the Bluegrass that provides free Lyft rides to Lexington residents who have no access to other transportation.
Councilmembers want to hear a presentation from United Way about the Ride United service before committing additional money to Lextran.
Council is also hoping to hear from a transit agency in another US city that has an existing microtransit service. Councilmember Ellinger had tried to schedule a meeting with a representative from Birmingham, he said in Work Session, but he never heard back after several attempts.
If neither of these meetings happens by November 20th, Council could either delay the vote for a second time or move ahead with a decision on whether to fund Lextran's pilot.
Lextran's microtransit pilot would cost roughly $1.17 million to operate over one year. If Council allocated $475k – in addition to the $250k allocated earlier this year – Lextran would have to find an additional $443k in funding to operate the pilot. The pilot would serve an area of Lexington between Versailles Road and Newtown Pike. You can learn more about the pilot's design and costs here.
The remaining $4.03 million fund balance can be revisited in the future for spending.
Ideas for how to spend the fund balance include a roundabout study, improvements to the Black and Williams Center, and more money to Lextran for a microtransit pilot.
Lextran could get an additional $475k form Council to fund a microtransit pilot.
The Office has hired an Encampment Coordinator and will soon be creating a new Strategic Plan.