Bardstown Road - Phase 2
Safety improvements to Bardstown Road by KYTC: Bonnycastle to Taylorsville
Our state transportation agency is redesigning parts of Bardstown Road from 2026-28 (webpage) along the HDNA neighborhood border to “enhance safety for vulnerable road users” as part of a highway safety grant and state funding. This project builds upon the Phase 1 safety improvements initiated in 2022 between Eastern Parkway and Broadway, as well-documented by Friends of Bardstown Road.
PUBLIC MEETING
- Tuesday, July 14, from 5 to 7 p.m.
- The DePaul School
- 1925 Duker Ave
- Louisville, KY 40205
Attendees may drop in at any time during the event to view preliminary design concepts, speak with project team members, and ask questions about the proposed improvements. There will be no formal presentation. All written comments will become part of the official meeting record.
As part of the HDNA approved neighborhood plan from 2006, the Board, community, Louisville Metro, and Metro Council recommended:
- forming “better connections to Bardstown Road by constructing transportation nodes“
- analyzing the “intersection at Bardstown Road and Taylorsville for pedestrian safety issues“
- “Reconfigure the intersection at Bardstown Road and Dorothy/Wrocklage Avenue“
- “Create a gateway (much like on Douglass Blvd.) to neighborhood at the aforementioned intersection“
- “ensure that adequate parking is appropriately placed and provided“
Bardstown Road is a busy, multi-lane urban roadway that serves as a key connection between downtown Louisville and the south. It runs through vibrant commercial, residential, and recreational areas in some of Louisville’s best historic neighborhoods.
The 2018 Bardstown Road Safety Study identified this corridor as having one of the highest concentrations of pedestrian crashes in the city. Work is progressing now to evaluate corridor performance, sStudy improvements, present alternatives, develop plans for construction, construct pedestrian access improvements, and perform traffic signal modernization.
Timeline
- Summer 2025 – public feedback and restriping
- Jan-Mar 2026 – public feedback on current issues
- July 2026 – public meeting
- 2026 – public feedback on designs
- 2027 – construction plan and vendor selection
- 2028 – work started and completed
HDNA Priorities
- Keep & add on street parking
- Improve, add & shorten road crosswalks
- Slow drivers to speed limit
HDNA Priorities
Keep & add on street parking
There are many places where on street parking has been removed from Bardstown Road to accommodate things like too many driving lanes, wide and long center turn lanes, and bus pull-offs that are not in-lane.
With sidewalks that are dangerous to walk on (fast cars nearby, no grass buffer, too many curb cuts), road crossings that are too long, or unsafe outdoor seating (with no buffer for cars), adding on street parking addresses all of these concerns, and helps local businesses and residents too.
Improve, add, & shorten crosswalks
As a vibrant walkable corridor, residents and visitors cross Bardstown Road and side streets in great numbers, whether they arrive by foot, bike, bus, or car.
Some crossings require navigating 6 lanes of fast car traffic coming from different directions, or side street crossings of 120 feet, or dealing with complex intersections.
Reducing travel lanes, adding on street parking, creating concrete curb bump outs and refuge islands, and adding new mid block crossings with flashing lights will make this road safer for everyone.
Slow drivers to the speed limit
Many parts of Bardstown Road are designed like a highway, with up to 6 lanes for cars which encourages speeding, jockeying for positions, and darting around turning drivers, which endangers everyone.
Reducing the number of travel lanes to 2 and adding lots of concrete bump outs, greenery, trees, and on street parking (like north of Bonnycastle from Phase 1) will help slow drivers to the speed limit and reduce road racing.
More creative, bold solutions like roundabouts, combining complex side roads, and large green curb areas can make our streets more pleasant and safer.