Public Works Department
Definition
The government agency responsible for maintaining and building public infrastructure including roads, bridges, sidewalks, traffic signals, storm sewers, street lighting, and right-of-way maintenance. Louisville Metro Public Works & Assets has a budget of about $68.8 million (Louisville Metro adopted budget FY2026-27). Public Works responds to potholes, maintains traffic signals, plows snow, sweeps streets, and manages infrastructure construction projects.
Louisville Context
Metro Public Works faces chronic challenges: insufficient staffing for Louisville’s road network, aging equipment, deferred maintenance backlogs, and uneven service distribution across neighborhoods. Response times for pothole repairs, street sweeping frequency, and sidewalk maintenance vary significantly by neighborhood, with West Louisville typically receiving slower, less frequent service than East End. Public Works also manages capital projects often behind schedule and over budget.
Why It Matters
Public Works maintains infrastructure affecting daily life: smooth streets, working traffic signals, cleared snow, and safe sidewalks. When Public Works is underfunded or provides unequal service, some neighborhoods deteriorate while others are well-maintained. Geographic service disparities reflect and reinforce inequality—signaling government’s different valuations of different communities.
My Proposal
I will increase Public Works staffing and equipment funding within my $1.13 billion budget to improve service delivery across all neighborhoods. I’ll implement service equity standards ensuring all neighborhoods receive equal pothole response times, street sweeping frequency, and sidewalk maintenance. I’ll publish service delivery data by neighborhood showing response times and maintenance frequency to ensure accountability.