LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Over 600 people have died on Louisville streets, excluding interstates since 2016 according to Vision Zero Louisville, the city’s transportation safety initiative. Metro Louisville is getting a grant to help the city get that number down to zero and the work will start in Old Louisville.

What You Need To Know

  • Louisville Metro Government is investing $12.5 million to convert Second and Third Street into two-way streets

  • The investment is part of the Vision Zero Louisville Safety Initiative, a plan to reduce traffic fatalities to zero by the year 2050

  • The conversion will run through Old Louisville between Cardinal Boulevard to Broadway 

  • Construction is scheduled to start by the end of 2026 and be complete by the end of 2027

Victoria Hagan is the social media manager and event coordinator at Noble Funk located on Second Street. She tells me she was warned about the dangers of this one-way road when she started working at the brewery.

    “One of my first days here, my bosses warned me that people tend to kind of run through the red lights that are down here or especially at night. People aren't as aware or as cautious.” Said Hagan

Louisville Metro Public Works Transportation Planning Supervisor Amanda Deatherage says one-way streets can sometimes function like highways that’s why this 7.5 million dollar grant from the Federal Government will benefit Vision Zero Louisville Safety Initiative. an initiative to reduce traffic fatalities to zero by the year 2050. and to match that, both Louisville Metro and The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet are putting in $2.5 million each totaling the investment at 12.5 million dollars.

    “We acknowledge that there are needs through all throughout Louisville. And we are working really hard to improve safety in every neighborhood.” Said Deatherage

This project will convert Second and Third Streets from one way to two way through Old Louisville between Cardinal Boulevard to Broadway. Even though the name says two-way reconstruction, there's going to be a lot more to it than just that.

    “We are installing curb extensions to shorten those pedestrian crossing distances. We're going to rebuild traffic signals and even consider removing traffic signals and converting them to all the way stops. That will improve safety for all modes of transportation.” Said Deatherage

Hagan believes this will increase safety but also accessibility.

    “Making these improvements to the area is not necessarily about, I guess, gentrification or any of these kind of big fears that people have in the community. I think that you can improve things while still making them attainable to the community in it and a lot of the community here does travel on foot and I think that'd be really important to have safer ways for them to do that.” Said Hagan

Victoria can’t wait to see how this two-way road will help businesses and the community. This grant will also fund the actual construction of the project. Construction is scheduled to start by the end of 2026 and be complete by the end of 2027.

 

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