Public expresses concerns over safety issues along Westport Road
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Louisville Metro Public Works is looking at ways to improve congestion and safety along Westport Road. At a public meeting on Tuesday night, the second meeting held to discuss the issue, neighbors looked over several proposals the city is considering.
Louisville Metro said they have reviewed “available crash data and studied traffic operations to identify six potential short-term spot improvements along the corridor.”
Six potential short-term improvements include:
- Eliminating left turns onto Westport Road from at Dove Creek Boulevard/Bayberry Place
- Adding a new signal and crosswalks at Langdon Drive and consolidating driveways at the adjacent shopping center
- Extending eastbound turning lanes approaching Hurstbourne Parkway
- Adding sidewalk and crosswalks along Westport Road through the I‐265 interchange area
- Installing bollards to prevent illegal turns from Westport Road onto the I‐265 southbound off-ramp to Chamberlain Avenue
- Adding an eastbound right turn lane onto Chamberlain Avenue
“[The study looked at ways] to try to ease some of the congestion that exists along the corridor but predominately we’re trying to reduce the number of crashes, in particular, the serious crashes and the fatal crashes,” Dirk Gowin, the transportation division manager within Louisville Metro Public Works, said.
Gowin acknowledged he knows there are a lot of people impacted by the thousands of wrecks along Westport Road.
“We’re trying to do some low-cost countermeasures to make improvements that will make this road safer,” Gowin said. “Westport Road has many areas we would like to address but many of those are very expensive and with the amount of resources we have it’s going to take some substantial time to knock the entire list out.”
At the meeting on Tuesday, residents were able to write down their suggestions on post-it notes and place them on maps for Public Works to look over.
Greg Estes lives off Dove Creek Boulevard and said he sees major traffic issues daily.
“You’ll find debris on the street all the time from wrecks that just happened,” Estes said. “A lot of times you have to go right [from Dove Creek Boulevard on to Westport Road], go down to the light and turn around.”
Estes said he would like to see a light installed there to help with the traffic, especially with the curve there.
“I want something done,” he said. “Anything that prevents people from getting killed.”
A timeline for the implementation of the changes is unclear. Gowin said he’s hopeful to have the final study done within six months and see changes within the next year or two.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet must approve whatever plans the city comes up with because it’s a state road.
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