LEXINGTON, Ky. — Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council approved two major initiatives during a work session Tuesday, including $375,000 in funding for an expanded ride-sharing pilot program and a broadband infrastructure agreement for a growing business park. The council voted to authorize a Mem orandum of Understanding with United Way of the Bluegrass to operate the Rides United program, a subsidized Lyft service that provides free or reduced-cost rides to Lexington residents. The two-year pilot project will focus on helping residents access essential services including healthcare, employment opportunities, food banks, and social services. United Way projects the service will provide approximately 12,500 rides over the funding period. The program uses a blended rate model of up to $23 per ride for transportation services and $7 per ride for administrative costs. Funds are allocated in two phases, with $125,000 for Phase 1 and $250,000 for Phase 2, allowing for program adjustments based on initial results. The agreement extends through June 30, 2028, and may be terminated by either party with 30 days notice. Separately, the council authorized a Utility Access Agreement with Metro Fibernet, LLC for the installation and maintenance of broadband infrastructure at Legacy Business Park. The agreement comes at no cost to the city for a three-year initial term, with provisions for continuation beyond that period. Legacy Business Park is a 200-acre development project expected to attract nearly 1,700 jobs to Lexington with an estimated annual payroll of $100 million. The park features research and development, advanced manufacturing and office uses across 19 lots totaling 147 acres, along with greenspace and pedestrian trails. The broadband agreement supports the park’s infrastructure buildout, which includes a $22.6 million development project currently underway to make the park shovel-ready for businesses. The project is expected to generate $6.8 million annually in local tax revenue and $4.1 million in state tax revenue once operational. This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from LFUCG Meeting Agendas, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://lfucg.granicus.com/AgendaViewer.php?view_id=4clip_id=6763. The post Council OKs $375K transportation, broadband deals appeared first on The Lexington Times. ...read more read less