LOUISVILLE, Ky. — More changes are on the way to the streets of Louisville. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet announced a contract awarded for two-way conversion of the one-way Logan and Shelby streets. 

The changes are part of the city’s Vision Zero initiative to eliminate traffic deaths in the city by the year 2050. Jackson Baltes owns 502 Thrifts in Logan Street Market and he moved his business there last September. He says one of the main issues he and his customers have is parking.  

 “All the one-ways and everything, you know, you might have to drive around the block once or twice to park. And, you know, we all experienced firsthand how much that deters someone from coming here,” said Baltes.

Baltes says as a local business owner he believes turning these one-ways into two-ways will increase foot traffic. Another issue the one-way street change will target is vehicle and pedestrian safety.

“I think it’ll be safer. One time I was doing a flea market out here before we moved in permanently, and there was, like, a huge crash right in front of everybody because someone like, you know, was super fast, pulled out right in front of someone. My mom works around here, too, and she says she’s seen a lot of that stuff happen. So I think it’ll be really good for preventing collision and stuff like that. Traffic problems,” said Baltes.

Louisville Metro Council member Phillip Baker, D-District 6, says one-way streets at one point served a purpose. But now he says they no longer serve the Logan and Shelby Street businesses or residents.

 “In District 6 from end to end, from an equity standpoint, we want to make sure that it’s a thriving environment for not only our businesses but our residents, and also that everybody feels safe. We’re looking at the amount of traffic that is flowing through both of these areas. And we just want to we know these are high traffic, high-density areas that we want to make sure we have intentional change to,” said Baker.

Baker also says converting several one-way streets along signalized intersections into two-way streets and replaced with all-way stops is a realistic way that we can address public safety.

 “I hope they start considering this, you know, just to Logan street market is the place to go once that becomes a two way, you know, I hope they I hope they, you know, prioritize this over some other places in Louisville.” Said Baltes

Both Baker and Baltes can’t wait to see how having these two-way streets is going to impact local businesses and safety this summer. Construction on Logan and Shelby Street starts Jan. 15, so expect some traffic changes soon. Construction is expected to be completed this summer.