LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville drivers, get ready. A well-known downtown street will soon welcome two-way traffic. 

There’s a sweet, floral fragrance in the air among the flowers at the Plant Kingdom. Management of the family-owned garden center said they're enjoying their new location on Baxter Avenue at Jefferson Street. 

“It’s great; we love it down here," said Rachel James, Plant Kingdom manager. "NuLu is a great, up-and-coming neighborhood. We have a lot more space to expand." 

There are some changes coming outside their property, as Jefferson Street will become a two-way street Sunday, Oct. 6.

Louisville Metro's Cabinet for Economic Development said via Facebook a mile-long stretch of Jefferson Street from Baxter Avenue to Brook Street will reopen to two-way traffic, with new traffic poles and signs.

“Well, if it’s for safety, I’m all for it," said Louisville resident Linda Spies before she walked down the newly converted street. 

Mayor Craig Greenberg, D-Louisville, said the E. Jefferson Street conversion is a $3.2 million project that started in March 2024 and is wrapping up now.

“Studies of traffic and pedestrian safety make it very clear that when we convert a one-way street into a two-way street, we improve safety," Greenberg said during an Oct. 1 media briefing. "That’s because moving to two-way streets decreases the number of crashes.”

James said she also applauds the changes. Crews recently completed work on removing existing traffic lights from intersections, and there are also several new lane directional markings. 

"It’s going to help with traffic flow a lot because a lot of people have trouble navigating the one-way streets down here, I think," James said. "Being so close to Market Street, that’s also two-way, I think it’ll just make it more manageable.”

Louisville’s Office of Public Works has a wealth of information about two-way street conversions, including more on current projects.