City Receives AARP Grant To Begin Improvements On The Ninth Street Corridor

Mayor Greg Fischer announced that Louisville Metro Government has been awarded a $10,550 AARP Community Challenge grant to begin making tactical improvements on Ninth Street, specifically at Muhammad Ali Boulevard.

The grant is part of the AARP Livable Communities Initiative, which supports the efforts of neighborhoods, towns, cities and rural areas to be livable and safe places for residents of all ages. The grant funds quick action projects that build momentum for change in communities to improve livability.

Announcement of the grant comes on the same day as a march for equity and justice designed to acknowledge the impact that racial segregation in the past has had on communities all over the nation. The march, which runs from downtown to Ninth Street, is planned as part of the Presbyterian Women’s triennial national gathering in Louisville.

Mayor Fischer, who is speaking at the march, welcomed the AARP grant.

“My administration is committed to breaking down the 9th Street divide by bringing more city and private sector investment than west Louisville has seen in decades,” he said. “This grant is a wonderful boost to our plan to make Ninth Street safer, more accessible and more attractive for residents on both sides of Ninth Street to travel and cross. I am very excited to receive this grant and get started on implementation.”

Louisville Metro Government will use the grant to improve the intersection of Ninth Street & Muhammad Ali Boulevard in three ways:

• Improving crosswalks—Crosswalks will be upgraded from current conditions to crosswalks with greater visibility. According to the Federal Highway Administration, these types of crosswalks can reduce vehicle-pedestrian collisions by nearly 50%.
• Adding street furniture—Plaza space and benches will be added to the median in front of an existing public art piece. The “Reimagine 9th Street” plan calls for places for residents to sit along Ninth Street.
• Enhancing Public Art—A plaque will be added to accompany the public art piece for telling its story and brining a historical perspective.

All grant funded projects will be completed by December 2018.

In addition to this grant, a “Reimagine 9th Street” plan, to permanently transform Ninth Street from River Road to Broadway, is underway. Mayor Fischer’s FY19 budget includes $180,000 for its formal design. For more information on “Reimagine 9th Street,” please visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/advanced-planning/reimagine-9th-street