Reconnecting West Louisville to the Ohio Riverfront
Northwest Louisville Community Connectivity Study
Introduction
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is conducting the Northwest Louisville Community Connectivity Study (Item No. 5-587.00) to examine needs, and to identify potential improvement concepts, related to providing more robust and attractive community connections between the West Louisville neighborhoods south of the Riverside Expressway (I-64) and the areas adjacent to the Ohio River.
I-64 through West Louisville was completed in the mid-1970s. The highway added to the existing separation of the community from the riverfront created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) flood wall and levee system, designed to protect the community from flooding, and the railroad lines that run along and near the Ohio River.
This study is examining these and other barriers and identifying opportunities for improving community connectivity and mitigating the negative impact of the barriers. The study will result in a phased implementation plan for reconnecting the neighborhoods south of I-64 with the areas north of I-64 along the Ohio Riverfront. The project will address all modes of transportation (pedestrians, cyclists, auto, and truck), but the goal is community focused and is intended to address barriers that have limited people’s ability to access the riverfront and land-uses north of I-64. The project is being completed in accordance with the general principles outlined in the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program . A goal of that program is “Reconnecting communities by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating highways or other transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity, including to mobility, access, or economic development."
Study Area
The study area extends from 13th Street in the east to the Bank Street/Northwestern Parkway intersection in the west and from Bank Street in the south to the Ohio River in the north. This area includes most of Louisville’s Portland neighborhood as well as a portion of the Shawnee neighborhood in the vicinity of the Shawnee Golf Course and the I-264/Bank Street Interchange.
Study Areas
I-64, also known as the Riverside Expressway, was constructed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The highway added to the already existing separation of the community from the riverfront created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) flood wall and levee system designed to protect the community from flooding and the railroad lines that run along and near the Ohio River.
Goals of the Study
KYTC has developed four draft goals for the study. Objectives have also been outlined for each goal. KYTC welcomes your feedback.
Prior Studies and Plans
There have been many studies conducted, and plans developed, for improving the community over the last 40 years. Due to a lack of available resources, not all of the recommendations from these documents have been implemented in the study area. This current effort is considering the prior studies’ recommendations to help inform the initial study area investigations.
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Draft Study Area Needs and Challenges
- Safety (especially for vulnerable road users)
- Maintenance
- Traffic Control Device Signage
- Wayfinding Signage
- Improved River Connections
- River Views
- Sidewalks
- Pedestrian Accessibility & Hazard Prevention
- Park Access
- Speed
- Lighting
- Connections to the Louisville Loop and Waterfront
- Noise
Draft Study Area Opportunities
- Community Partners
- Partnerships are vital to the success of future projects coming from this study. There are many potential community partners in the area including the Kentuckiana Regional Planning & Development Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville Metro, the Parks Alliance of Louisville, as well as many others.
- Public and Institutional Land Ownership
- Partnership Incentives
- Funding Opportunities
- Reconnecting Communities Pilot Grant Program presents the opportunity to benefit communities that have been divided by transportation facilities such as highways or rail lines by increasing access.
- Trail and Public Space Framework
- Opportunity for public spaces to be kept maintained and clean with additional amenities such as improved landscaping and more pedestrian access along routes. Additional options to improve public spaces to increase safety and visibility.
- Sufficient Public Right of Way to Create Complete Streets
- Ongoing Public and Semi-Public Investment
- Opportunities for Growth and Enhancements to Businesses in the area
- Businesses in the area receive limited traction due to means of access for potential customers. Increasing access to routes will create more opportunities for business with customers who have been impacted by the transportation barriers between the south of Interstate 64 and the areas adjacent to the Ohio River.
- Unique Community Assets
- Unique community assets such as enhanced lighting, sidewalks, additional trails and more will create and improve community participation and way of life for residents.