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Olmsted Parks Conservancy and Louisville Parks & Recreation have begun a $1,100,000 restoration project in the Bonnycastle Hill/Hogan Fountain area, one of the most active areas in Cherokee Park. To improve the area and provide a better park user experience, a picnic pavilion will be added in the southern area, the basketball court will be relocated, and other improvements include walking paths, and an upgraded parking area. The McCall shelter will remain in the area.
This popular area of Cherokee Park is named in honor of Mrs. Hattie Bonnycastle who donated the land to the city in the late 1800s. The Bonnycastle Hill area was included in the original plan for Cherokee Park by Frederick Law Olmsted. Sharing this area is the popular Hogan Fountain landmark, designed by Enid Yandell.
The Project is made possible by financial support from donors of Olmsted Parks Conservancy’s Campaign for Extraordinary Parks including the Stegner Family, along with support from the City of Louisville, Mayor Greg Fischer, Councilman Brandon Coan and Louisville Parks and Recreation.
Estimated completion will be Fall 2018.
Mayor Greg Fischer today helped launch the 2018 Pothole Blitz being conducted by Louisville Metro’s Department of Public Works. Department crews work across the city in a grid pattern in a concentrated effort each year to patch potholes created by the repeated freeze-thaw cycles of winter.
The end of winter blitz is in addition to year round patching of potholes reported by citizens. Mayor Fischer helped demonstrate a new piece of equipment that is helping crews do a better job of patching larger road depressions while using minimal amounts of new asphalt.
An asphalt recycling machine uses infrared light to heat the damaged asphalt of the pothole. Heating softens the old asphalt so it can be reworked, blended with new asphalt and smoothed out. The result is a smoother patch than traditional pothole repair methods.
“Pothole repair is government service to citizens literally where the rubber meets the road,” Fischer said. “The new infrared equipment shows that we’re constantly looking for ways to improve the daily commute in our city.”
Fischer urged citizens to continue reporting potholes to MetroCall in one of three easy ways. Those using the social network Twitter can use the hashtag 502pothole. Include the hashtag along with the address or nearest intersection of the pothole location in any tweet and MetroCall will get the message.
There’s also a pothole reporting form at the top of the city website, Louisvilleky.gov. Click on the “Report a pothole” link, put in the location information and press send. Of course, citizens may also call MetroCall at 311 or 574-5000. The 502pothole hashtag and the online form offer the advantage of avoiding the potential for having to wait on hold on the telephone.
The number of potholes in 2018 is expected to decline for a third consecutive year thanks to a combination of increased investment in paving, equipment, and mild winters. Potholes peaked at 171,000 in 2015 following years of deferred road maintenance and a rough winter. They decreased to 46,510 in calendar 2017.
The Mayor and Metro Council boosted spending on paving from just $2.8 million in 2014 up to approximately $21 million in each of the last two fiscal years. As a result, the number of miles paved increased from 26 in 2014 to about 130 miles yearly in 2016 and 2017. Newly repaved roads are less susceptible to the formation of potholes.
Public Works patches potholes on Metro Government maintained roads. Potholes on interstate highways should be reported to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet at 1-800-Patchit.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
Councilman Vitalis Lanshima is encouraging people all over District 21 to come together and help with neighborhood cleanups on Saturday March 10th.
“This is a great opportunity for everyone to show their civic and neighborhood pride and engage other residents in the community,” says Lanshima. “We all want to make our neighborhoods great places to live and it begins when we all work together.”
The cleanups are in collaboration with Brightside neighborhood cleanups and provide a way for community members to help keep neighborhoods lean and green.
Sign up your family, church group, school, sports team, business, community group, neighborhood association, etc.
The District 21 Office will coordinate with Brightside to provide gloves, trash bags, brooms, rakes, shovels, and t-shirts.
SIGN UP HERE: https://goo.gl/p2RSfM
Register a team of 3 or more individuals or sign yourself up
Indicate which location you plan to target your cleanup efforts at the following sites:
- I-264 Ramp & 3rd Street
- 3rd Street – South
- Taylor Blvd-South
- I-264 Ramp & Southern Parkway
- Taylor Blvd-Palatka
- Southern Parkway-South
- 3rd Street by Rutherford
- Elementary & Value Market
- I-264 Ramp & Taylor Boulevard
- Preston Hwy by Wesley House
For more information, contact Councilman Lanshima’s office at 574-1121.
Construction will soon get underway on a $330,000 project for new restrooms and other utility services for the people who use Waverly Park in Southwestern Metro Louisville.
“This is a great day for the families and neighbors who use Waverly Park for fun, exercise and recreation,” says Councilman David Yates (D-25). “Waverly Park attracts people from all over the city and state to traverse our spectacular mountain biking trails but I hope today’s investment will show them this park has much more to offer.”
Councilman Yates, along with other Council members and Louisville Parks and Recreation, officially broke ground on the project on Wednesday. The Councilman secured the funding to move this phase of the project forward.
“Waverly Park is one of the true destination parks within our collection, and we’re pleased that this work is under way,” said Parks and Recreation Director Seve Ghose. “These added amenities should help make the experience, whether it be fishing, biking, hiking or relaxing, more enjoyable.”
The $330,000 project includes civil/architectural designs and new utility services to bring both water and electrical service into the park. A new water fountain for both man and his best friend in front of the Waverly Dog Park is now operational and the new restroom will also feature two water fountains. Work includes walking paths and parking spaces.
Over the years, working with Louisville Parks and Recreation, Councilman Yates has managed to secure funding for a dog park and better parking. A water line was installed in 2017. It was funded in the budget and is fully operational. The next project will be to replace the rotted dock that was removed from Waverly Lake with a new fishing dock in the future. The Councilman is working to ensure there is funding in the upcoming budget for that project.
“I want to thank all those who have supported our efforts in Waverly Park. Like so many of the parks in our system, this is one more reason why the Southend is a wonderful place to live,” said Yates.
For more information about the improvements at Waverly Park, contact Councilman Yates office at 574-1125.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
As a way to help Louisville expand its tree canopy, Councilman Brandon Coan (D-8) has announced the second annual Planting O’ the Green, an initiative that will plant 90 trees in the weeks surrounding the St. Patrick’s Parade.
“In honor of this year’s 45th St. Patrick’s Parade, we’re planting 45 trees in District 8 and 45 trees in District 6,” said Coan. “I believe this pay-it-forward approach is the only way to solve our citywide tree problem, and I hope Planting O’ the Green remains a tradition for many years to come.”
The Councilman and President James (D-6) made the announcement with representatives of TreesLouisville, MSD, Brightside, Olmsted Parks Conservancy and the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
“I’m thrilled to work with Trees Louisville and Councilman Brandon Coan to bring more trees to our neighborhoods. Paying it Forward with Trees in our community is a great way to help replenish our tree canopy, which makes us all healthier and our city more vibrant,” said President James.
In District 6, 45 trees will be planted on E. St. Catherine between 2nd and Preston. In District 8, the trees will be planted in the green space along Gardiner Lane in the Hawthorne neighborhood abutting I-264.
“TreesLouisville is thrilled to be a primary sponsor of the Planting O’ the Green,” TreesLouisville Executive Director Cindi Sullivan said. “Our vision is a healthier community for current and future generations through a more robust tree canopy, and collaborations like this one are an excellent way to make progress.”
“Brightside is very happy to be a part of another Planting O’ The Green,” Brightside Director Gina O’Brien said. “Trees are a terrific investment in our communities that will positively affect the health of Louisville’s residents, environment and economy. Districts 6 and 8 will reap the benefits of these trees for years to come.”
John O’Dwyer, President of the Father Abram J. Ryan Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, reflected on the meaning of the St. Patrick’s Parade and the impact of Planting O’ The Green.
“The Hibernians strive to open the spring season each year with the St. Patrick’s Parade, often called the People’s Parade, and it is a time for fun and community. Now we are making the Greenest Parade even greener as the next evolution of this charity event to give back to our fine city,” O’Dwyer said.
The 45th Annual St. Patrick’s Parade is Saturday, March 10th. For more information about Planting O’ the Green, contact Councilman Coan’s office at 574-1108.
This month, people who travel Dixie Highway had the chance to see detailed plans for the $35 million New Dixie Highway Project and offer their feedback.
Dozens attended an open house at Shively Community Center on Feb. 15, 2018, to talk with project leaders about construction plans, bus design, ramp improvements and more. In addition to the open house, project leaders continue to gather input with an online feedback form.
New Dixie Highway Project is designed to create transportation and safety improvements along the busy roadway. The project will concentrate on three major areas of improvement:
- Roadway safety and design improvements, including raised medians and left-hand-only turn lanes, along the most congested and dangerous section (Crums Lane to Greenwood Road). Project Map (PDF)
- The region’s first bus rapid transit route, with eight priority buses and three dozen highly visible stations that will improve travel times for both transit riders and motorists. Bus Route Details (PDF)
- A new Intelligent Transportation System that will improve and coordinate traffic signal timing along the entire corridor.
Construction on the project began in December, and is expected to conclude in December 2019. It’s the first major project under Mayor Greg Fischer’s MOVE Louisville initiative, which seeks to modernize and improve transportation across the metro area. The project is fueled by a combination of federal, state and local funds.
For more information:
With flood waters receding across Louisville, attention turns now to the cleanup effort. Metro Public Works today announced the following services are available for disposing of flood-damaged household items.
Jefferson County residents may drop off residential flood debris at any of seven sites Thursday March 1 through Saturday March 24. Six of the drop-off locations will be open Thursday through Saturday, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Waste Reduction Center will be open for debris drop-off Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The free service is available for residents of Jefferson County only and it does not include commercial haulers. No yard waste or construction debris other than flood-damaged drywall and insulation will be accepted. Electronics must be separated from other items. To qualify for the free drop-off residents must present the attendant with two forms of identification verifying Louisville residency.
If a citizen hires an individual or business to remove debris, the citizen must accompany the hauler to the drop-off center or provide the hauler with the same two forms of identification to present at the facility.
Drop-off sites Thursday March 1 thru Saturday March 24 as follows:
- Thursday – Saturday 1 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- 10500 Lower River Road at Bethany Lane
- Newburg Community Center 4810 Exeter Ave 40218
- Outer Loop Recycling Center 7201 Outer Loop 40228
- Dixie Recycling Center 7219 Dixie Hwy 40258
- Charlie Vettiner Park 5550 Charlie Vettiner Park Rd 40299
- Hubbards Lane Recycling Center 595 Hubbards Ln. 40207
- Monday – Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Waste Reduction Center 636 Meriwether Avenue
Pickup service in Metro Council districts
Residents who cannot drop off debris may request pickup service. Pickup requests must be made by telephone or email no later than 5 p.m. on March 9 to 574-3571 ext. 0 or swmd@louisvilleky.gov.
This service is for flood-damaged items only. Any other items set out will not be collected. Electronics must be separated from other items set out for collection. Requested pickups will be performed according to the following Metro Council district based schedule:
