LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After years of discussions, meetings and proposals, community members got a first look at how Ninth Street could transform through the Louisville’s Reimagine 9th Street project.

What You Need To Know

  • The Reimagine 9th Street project unveiled two design proposals for a redesing of the Ninth Street corrider

  • Option A  reuses much of the existing Ninth Street and Option B involves rebuilding on the corridor. Both include local art, entertainment areas, bike lanes, bus stops, parks, gardens and more

  • In 2022, the city received a federal grant to help fund the project

  • The plan is to have the project completely done by 2028 or sooner

Russell neighborhood resident Delores Butler came to the open house to get a look at two proposed design options for the project. 

Butler says she has lived in the Russell neighborhood all her life and would love to see Ninth Street go back to what it used to be — a neighborhood street with a district of thriving Black businesses.

“We can have these luxuries that will attract others to come in our community, to beautify, to let them know that we are important here and we stand for something,” said Butler.

Louisville’s Ninth Street corridor connects downtown to west Louisville.  

Bethany Balcarcel and Raquel Barbosa are both students at Central High School and say they have experienced firsthand the difficulty and dangers of navigating the busy street.

“There’s been so many accidents near here, shootings, things like that. It’s just like that brings bad memories. We don’t want that for this community at all. So I hope this brings happy moments,” said Balcarcel.   

Senior Strategic Communications Lead from HDR Ameerah Palacios says the Reimagine 9th Street project is not only working to unify downtown Louisville and the Russell community, but to make the city safer for everyone using the roads.

“Whether you are walking, biking, walking a dog, taking the TARC or driving, it slows down the traffic so that when you’re on Ninth Street, you feel safer. You want to stay there a little bit longer and be able to cross it. So I think there’s a lot of positive things we have to look forward to for Ninth Street,” said Palacios.

The Reimagine 9th Street project has developed two design options. Option A reuses much of the existing Ninth Street and Option B involves rebuilding on the corridor. Both plans include local art, entertainment areas, bike lanes, bus stops, parks, gardens and more.

“Building playgrounds, recreational areas just plain grass, gazebos, and I honestly think that it’s so beneficial to this community because that brings us all together as well,” said Balcarcel.   

Butler says the modification has been a long time coming but believes this could bring more families and diversity to the Russell community. 

“Right now, we just seeing street, we’re just seeing buildings and even seeing buildings built. You know, where we can have some beautiful scenery — that’s how I reimagine it,” said Butler.

In 2022, the city received a federal grant to help fund the project. The plan is to have the modification completely done by 2028 or sooner. People have until the end of November to send in their opinions for the Reimagine 9th Street final design.

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