By Elanor Luken
Any dutiful reader of The Courier-Journal has probably caught wind of the discussion surrounding the design of two new bridges crossing the Ohio River between Louisville and Indiana. These bridges, one in downtown Louisville and one in Prospect, will likely become a trademark of the Louisville skyline, along with providing needed traffic relief.
The downtown structure will run one-way, and be placed next to the existing Kennedy Bridge, which also will be converted to accommodate one-way traffic only. A wide bike and pedestrian path will be added to connect the parks on both sides of the river. The bridge in the east end of Louisville will also improve traffic flow by providing semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles with an alternate route around the city and an opportunity to avoid the sharp turns of downtown Louisville’s expressways.
Though the bridges are almost sure to simplify vehicular movement in busy areas of the city, not all residents support the idea. Another transportation project that was under consideration for some time was a light rail system, which some Louisvillians prefer over the additional bridges. Research has been performed to explore the feasibility of such a system, but city officials have been investigating new bridges for almost two decades.
The bridges would be reliable, well-considered, and estimated by countless experts to simplify the traffic problems that citizens living or working in Louisville face; they are our best and safest bet. Furthermore, completing the long-awaited bridges does not preclude our city from soon adopting an alternative transportation strategy such as a light rail system.
Whatever one’s opinion of this issue, all Louisvillians can support the Metro government’s pursuit of the advice and consent of residents. On Sept. 22, the city hosted a public forum for citizens regarding the bridge construction. While possible designs, such as suspended and cabled bridges, were presented, the primary purpose of this event was to glean public sentiments, apprehensions and desires for change surrounding the bridge project. It was apparent at this meeting that the design team is intent on creating new local fixtures that the citizens of Louisville and Southern Indiana can use often and be proud of.
Almost everyone in Louisville has had some experience with the existing bridges, and likely has opinions about the next two. There will be more public forums from now through December, and the design team welcomes thoughts, comments and concerns.
Ultimately, we should be pleased that our local leaders so diligently and successfully secure money for various projects pertaining to city beautification and urban development. The multi-million-dollar bridge project is still in its early stages, and is hopefully just the beginning. For more information, a schedule of upcoming events and a contact form, visit http://www.kyinbridges.com.
