RAISE Narrative 2021

Table of Contents I. Project Description ................................................................................................................................ 1 Challenges and Solutions .......................................................................................................................... 1 Broader Context of Project ....................................................................................................................... 4 II. Project Location .................................................................................................................................... 7 Connections to Existing Transportation Infrastructure ............................................................................ 9 III. Grant Funds, Sources, and Uses of Project Funds .......................................................................... 10 IV. Selection Criteria ............................................................................................................................. 11 Safety ...................................................................................................................................................... 11 Environmental Sustainability .................................................................................................................. 16 Quality of Life .......................................................................................................................................... 18 Economic Competitiveness ..................................................................................................................... 19 State of Good Repair ............................................................................................................................... 21 Partnerships ............................................................................................................................................ 22 Innovation ............................................................................................................................................... 23 V. Environmental Risk Review ................................................................................................................. 24 Project Schedule ..................................................................................................................................... 24 Required Approvals ................................................................................................................................. 24 Assessment of Project Risks and Mitigation Strategies .......................................................................... 26 VI. Benefit Cost Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 27 VII. Additional Application Elements ..................................................................................................... 29 I. Project Description Reimagine 9th Street will transform 9th Street/Roy Wilkins Avenue between Main Street and Kentucky Street in downtown Louisville, Kentucky (hereinafter referred to as the “Corridor”). Highlights of this project include: ▪ Redesign the oversized right-of-way (up to 150 feet) as a human-scale corridor for pedestrians, bicyclists, micromobility vehicles, transit, greenspace, and active public spaces. ▪ Improve traffic safety for all modes by reducing the number of vehicle lanes from six to four and add adequately dimensioned turn bays. ▪ Improve traffic safety for pedestrians by raising intersection crossings and improving crosswalks. ▪ Create an urban trail within a linear park by narrowing the median and moving the primary greenspace from the median to the west side of the corridor. ▪ Promote human interaction and economic development by creating active public spaces. Figure 1: Aerial View of 9th Street, looking south from Jefferson Street Challenges and Solutions Traffic Safety Today’s oversized roadway configuration encourages high travel speeds that exceed the posted speed limit of 35 MPH. Additionally, high freight volumes on the Corridor create safety challenges for pedestrians. With pavement widths up to 150 ft, 9th Street has a six-lane cross section with 1 12-ft lanes, a 45-foot median, and underutilized on-street parking. The Corridor only carries approximately 17,400 to 22,500 vehicles per day, far below capacity. Other failures of the current design include poor sightlines caused by elevated berms (Figure 2) and traffic congestion caused by undersized left-turn lanes. These design flaws encourage dangerous driving behaviors, such as speeding, weaving, and running traffic lights. The compounding challenges of the Corridor require a transformative reimagining of 9th Street to prioritize the safety of all users. Existing sidewalks are narrow (5 feet or less), not ADA-compliant, and offer pedestrians little to no protection from vehicular traffic. The distance between safe, controlled pedestrian crossings is too far, leading many to cross mid-block (Figure 3). At controlled crossings, the pedestrian signal cycle is too short (approximately 20 seconds), with no leading pedestrian interval (LPI). This causes pedestrians to be stranded in the unprotected median during signal cycle changes. Additionally, there are no bicycle facilities on the Corridor to connect with existing facilities on several cross streets. Figure 2: Elevated berms and lack of crosswalks Figure 3: Pedestrian crossing mid-block Existing conditions lead to nearly 200 crashes annually on the Corridor. This project will reduce opportunities for dangerous driving behaviors, resulting in a complete street that calms traffic, improves safety, and provides robust pedestrian amenities. Legacy of Racial Segregation 9th Street is a physical, social, and psychological barrier. This barrier, colloquially referred to as the “9th Street divide,” is a symbol of racial segregation between Black neighborhoods to the west and white neighborhoods to the east. For most of its existence, 9th Street served as a local neighborhood street in the heart Louisville’s Black community, once renowned as the “Harlem of the South.” Throughout the early and mid- 1900s, Blacks suffered from discriminatory lending practices that resulted in disinvestment, segregation, and an increase in wealth disparity. In the mid-20th century, most of this area was demolished to accommodate automobile traffic with the construction of the Federal Interstate Highway System and facilitate large-scale Urban Renewal projects. This led to dramatic economic decline with the displacement of Black-owned businesses, cultural institutions, and residences. 2 Despite its intention to divide, 9th Street was a frequent setting for the civil rights movement of the mid-20th century. Marches for racial and social justice issues routinely began at the historic Quinn Chapel, located at 9th and Chestnut streets, including those led by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Like leaders of the past, 21st century civil rights leaders in Louisville recognize 9th Street as an important symbol of past injustices and advocate for an equitable and restorative transformation. The “9th Street divide” created by Urban Renewal separates Louisville along social, economic, and racial lines, and hinders access to opportunities and socio-economic mobility. Louisville Metro Government (LMG) will reimagine 9th Street and break down this barrier through innovative design. The project will reconnect communities with its linear parks, enhanced transit services, and expanded economic opportunities. History of the Roadway The current design of 9th Street exclusively serves the needs of automobiles, making it particularly unsafe for vulnerable road users. The Corridor was reconstructed in the early 1970s during Urban Renewal to prioritize fast vehicular movement between Interstate 64 and demand generators to the south, including an industrial park and the University of Louisville. Prior to Urban Renewal, 9th Street was a typical neighborhood street lined with homes, local businesses, schools, and churches. Reimagine 9th Street aims to restore the Corridor to a pedestrian- friendly urban parkway that balances the needs of both neighbors and businesses. In 1979, in anticipation of Louisville’s hosting of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s (NAACP) annual national convention, 9th Street between Main Street and Broadway was renamed in honor of Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP from 1964-1977. Figure 4: The Courier-Journal, July 28, 1979 Planning Efforts Reimagine 9th Street implements the 9th Street Master Plan (2018), first identified as a priority project in 2014. This plan strengthens connectivity and re-imagines the Corridor as a complete street. It identifies challenges, defines possible solutions, and recommends design options based on community input. LMG engaged neighborhood leaders, stakeholders, and residents through six community meetings and open houses between June 2017 and July 2018. The project is also supported by numerous planning initiatives, including Vision Louisville (2014), Move Louisville (2016), Vision Russell Transformation Plan (2017), Louisville Central Community Center’s (LCCC) Arts and Cultural Master Plan (2018), and the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) Legacy Project - East Portland Connectivity Project (2019). 3 In addition, Reimagine 9th Street supports LMG’s Complete Streets ordinance, Dockless Vehicle Policy,

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