bashford manor corridor

BASHFORD MANOR CORRIDOR
STREETSCAPE STUDY
Table of Contents
Introduction3
History4
Existing Conditions 5
Project Process
7
Community Engagement and Participation
Walkability Survey
Public Visioning Workshop
Student Concepts
Public Review Workshop
UK Student Proposal: Project 1
UK Student Proposal: Project 2
UK Student Proposal: Project 3
UK Student Proposal: Project 4
UK Student Proposal: Project 5
UK Student Proposal: Project 6
7
7
8
9
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
City Solutions Center Plan Development
16
Phasing Plan
20
Suggested Funding
23
City Solutions Center
Center For Neighborhoods
Formed in 2008, the University of Louisville’s City Solutions Center extends
U of L’s urban mission across Kentucky by providing hands-on consulting to help
communities engage citizens to define challenges, develop buy-in for solutions,
and create implementation plans for measurable results. The Center draws upon
existing faculty, staff, and student expertise throughout the University of Louisville
to provide resources to assist Kentucky’s communities. The City Solutions Center
offices are housed at U of L’s Urban Design Studio.
Center For Neighborhoods cultivates grassroots leadership, provides
leadership education, partners with neighborhoods in community planning
efforts, facilitates civic dialogue amongst stakeholders, and actively participates in neighborhood-based development and improvement projects.
Center For Neighborhoods, formerly the Louisville Community Design
Center, has pursued its mission since 1972.
For more information about the Center For Neighborhoods visit our website at: http://centerforneighborhoods.org
For more information about the City Solutions Center visit our website
at: http://citysolutions.louisville.edu or contact:
Steven C. Bourassa, Ph.D.
Director
426 W. Bloom Street
Louisville, KY 40208
Phone: (502) 852-5720
E-mail: steven.bourassa@louisville.edu
2 Table of Contents
Patrick Piuma, M.U.P.
Associate Director
507 S. Third Street
Louisville, KY 40202
Phone: (502) 587-7015
E-mail: patrick.piuma@louisville.edu
Introduction
In 2010, Louisville Councilmen Jim King (District 10) and Brent
Ackerson (District 26), with the assistance of Councilman Tom
Owen (District 8), commissioned Center For Neighborhoods (CFN)
and the University of Louisville’s City Solutions Center (CSC) to
develop a conceptual streetscape plan for the Bardstown Road
Corridor, an effort to be patterned after a successful earlier
effort focused on the Preston Highway corridor of Louisville.
Subsequently, the CFN and CSC engaged the assistance of the
landscape architecture department of the University of Kentucky
to develop a set of preliminary design studies for the corridor via
a fourth-year undergraduate studio conducted during the Spring
Semester 2011. To provide for broad-based involvement of area
residents and other key stakeholders, the CFN, CSC, and UK
convened a community design workshop in January 2011 at the
community meeting room of Brooklawn Child and Family Services
on Goldsmith Lane. Based upon the community’s input, twelve
students from the UK landscape architecture studio developed six
conceptual corridor plans, which were presented to the community
at an open critique, again at Brooklawn, in May. CSC’s Director
of Planning, Michael McCoy, employed the UK plans and the
corresponding record of community feedback to develop the plans
contained within this volume.
Aerial image of Bashford Manor Corridor study area
3 Introduction
The premise behind this effort is that improvements to the
streetscape – increasing the accessibility, walkability, and natural
attractiveness of the corridor to the surrounding neighborhoods –
will lead to a stronger interrelationship between corridor businesses
and their most immediate market and, therefore, to a more viable
and cohesive district. This plan reveals, to the best of the designers’
ability, the aspirations of the surrounding neighborhoods for the
automotive, bicycle, and pedestrian way that commonly serves its
transportation needs, as well as a standard of public landscape
well above what currently exists within the Bardstown Road
right-of-way between Gardiner and Hikes lanes. To accomplish
anything resembling the scope of this design will require the
substantial involvement and cooperation of local government, of
neighborhoods and – equally important – of property owners and
developers seeking to renew the vitality of this important suburban
corridor and district.
Given the extensive length of Bardstown Road and the various
characteristics and neighborhoods the roadway touches, during
the process of the study a group of stakeholders decided to give
the project a more distinctive name, that of the Bashford Manor
Corridor. From this point on the study area will be referred to as
the Bashford Manor Corridor while Bardstown Road will be used to
refer to the actual physical roadway when required for clarification.
History
In order to understand how any area can be improved it is
important to understand how the current built form came
to be.
In 1949, construction began on Louisville’s first “outer beltway,” connecting Breckinridge Lane to Bardstown Road in
the area between the historic Farmington plantation and
the open farmland located along Goldsmith Lane. Thus was
formed one of Louisville’s first postwar suburban commercial nodes – the area surrounding the junction of the new
beltway that would become the Watterson Expressway
(I-264) with the primary radial known as Bardstown Road
(US 31).
Photo of Watterson Expressway in 1957
Source: Royal Photo Company Collection,
Photographic Archives, University of Louisville,
http://digital.library.louisville.edu/u?/royal,11284
4 History
The first to recognize the commercial potential for the area
was prominent Louisville developer J. Graham Brown, who
would begin construction of the Brown Suburban Hotel
complex in 1955 at a site on the west side of Bardstown
Road between Goldsmith Lane and then-undeveloped
farmland to the south. Secondary commercial development would soon emerge along the east side of Bardstown
parallel to the Brown Suburban, including an automobile
service station at the southeast corner of Bardstown and
Goldsmith Lane and medical offices for downtown doctors
offering the convenience of once-a-week hours to patients
residing in the rapidly expanding suburbs. In 1964, this
Bardstown Road corridor south of the new Watterson
Expressway would witness the completion of Louisville’s
first modern suburban movie theaters, Cinemas 1 and 2,
on the 20-acre farm plot immediately to the south of the
Brown Suburban. One block to the south of the Cinemas
site, the former Bashford Manor thoroughbred horse farm
would become the site of Bashford Manor Mall, completing
by the early 1970’s the 20-year transformation of formerly
open farmland lying along Bardstown Road into Louisville’s
most recognizable suburban commercial, entertainment,
and motel district.
In concert with the emergence of the Bardstown Road
commercial corridor, postwar suburban neighborhoods of
single-family homes, apartments, and condominiums were
developed in the areas immediately adjacent to the corridor down to Hikes Lane, and along Hikes, Goldsmith and
Bashford Manor lanes to the east and west of Bardstown
Road. Over the years, the corridor would increasingly
provide the convenience of department stores, discount
stores, shops and restaurants to the immediate area, although the scale, site configuration, and regional draw of
the Cinemas and of the motels would always prove less
amenable to the surrounding neighborhoods. This relationship grew more uneasy in later years, as the former Brown
Suburban and Travelodge began to show their age and
their economic obsolescence relative to the contemporary
hotel market.
The greatest impact to the district occurred, however, in
the mid-2000’s, with the decision by the national owners of
the Showcase Cinemas to abandon their Bardstown Road
facility in favor of a newer complex of theaters located
along the next regional beltway to the south – a site, like
its predecessor, chosen to follow the outward expansion of
the population center of metropolitan Louisville. By 2011,
the 20-acre Cinema site stood vacant, its future altogether
uncertain. These recent transitions led public officials and
the adjacent neighborhoods – Bon Air, Bashford Manor,
Highgate Springs, Bon Air Estates – to begin urging greater
attention to the circumstances of the corridor.1
1Information related to the history of development along the
Bardstown Road corridor was from the authors’ observations
and recollections and from J. E. Kleber, ed., The Encyclopedia of Louisville, Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky,
2001.
This figure-ground rendering of the corridor gives a quick glimpse of
the scale of the old Showcase Cinemas site (in red) relative to that
of the built environment surrounding it
View of the cleared Showcase Cinemas site looking west from
Bardstown Road
Existing Conditions
General streetscape view along the study area of
Bardstown Road that illustrates the auto-centric nature of
the corridor
Streetscape view of a section of Bardstown Road in the
Highlands that illustrates the more pedestrian and compact
form of the built environment
As mentioned earlier, the study section of Bardstown Road
developed in large part due to the construction of the
Watterson Expressway in the early 1950s when the area
began to establish the configuration of its built form evident
today. This section of roadway lies in stark contrast to one
of the most celebrated stretches of roadway in Louisville
just a couple miles north along the same Bardstown Road,
where a walkable, intensely concentrated corridor of commercial and residential uses creates a vibrant pedestrian
environment for several miles. The streetcar was the dominant mode of transportation at the time that the stretch
of Bardstown Road in the Highlands developed and the
structure of the area reflects the constraints and opportunities of the era. Though the circumstances and temporal
differences that provided the bone structure of these two
areas are very different, there often is the inclination to
compare the two and this was done numerous times by
participants in the Bashford Manor Corridor study.
Though there are good reasons and useful insight that can
be gained from observations of the Highlands’ portion of
Bardstown Road, the comparison can often blur the realities and possibilities that the study area offers. This study
looks specifically at the area within the right-of-way along
the street and does not prescribe changes to land use or
form. However, the streetscape can serve as a starting
point to advance more significant change along the corridor and create a “complete street” that fosters more activity that can benefit everyone. In order to begin the process
of improving the streetscape, we must begin by examining
current conditions.
Beginning at the north end of the study area at the intersection of Gardiner Lane and Bardstown Road, a
great deal of attention has been invested in creating an
inviting streetscape for traffic exiting off of the Watterson
Expressway, as well as beautification of the entryways and
roadside landscaping of Sullivan College and the corner of
the shopping center parking lot. The sidewalks are wide,
relatively new and well maintained. This condition is con-
5 Existing Conditions
sistent on both sides of the road and continues under the
expressway. However, the maintenance of the walkway
deteriorates significantly once on the south side of the
Watterson Expressway. The exit ramps utilize a Single
Point Urban Interchange (SPUI) to control traffic. This interchange system compresses the two intersections created
by the on- and off-ramps into a single signalized intersection. This type of interchange has been found to be more
efficient in handling heavy to medium automobile traffic but
can pose more difficulties for bicycle and pedestrian crossing due to the wider crossing distances. Accommodating
the crossing speeds of cyclists and pedestrians typically
decreases the efficiency of this type of interchange.2
The roadway width and number of travel lanes fluctuates
along the length of the corridor, but generally consists of
six lanes of traffic with a turn lane in the middle. Moving
southbound along the corridor past the Watterson interchange, the roadway is actually eight lanes of traffic, including multiple turn lanes, and begins to choke down after
crossing Goldsmith Lane. The once continuously uninterrupted sidewalk begins to break up with multiple curb cuts
along the west side of the roadway to accommodate restaurants and other commercial entities, though the maintenance of the sidewalk and landscaping is in much better
condition near the commercial uses. The crossing width of
Bardstown Road at the intersection is quite expansive at
about 125 feet from curb to curb with no pedestrian refuge,
particularly on the north side of the intersection.
Landscaping on north side of Watterson Expressway near Sullivan
University
Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI) at Bardstown Road and the
Watterson Expressway
Once south of Goldsmith Lane continuing to Heather Lane
by the old Showcase Cinemas site, the western sidewalk
loses the verge, or green grassy strip between the roadway
and the sidewalk intermittently for a significant section of
the corridor. The lack of separation creates a sense of being unsafe and exposed to the automobiles racing by. It is
2M. Qureshi et al., Design of Single Point Urban Interchanges,
Jefferson City, MO: Missouri Department of Transportation,
2004.
Photo offers a good example of a number of serious accessibility and
safety issues along the corridor all in one corner.
One example of how the abundance of signage along
certain sections of the corridor creates visual clutter
Footprints in the sand serve as an indication that, even
without a sidewalk in front of the Showcase Cinemas site,
a great deal of foot traffic still exists
also along this section that we begin to see some serious
accessibility issues. A number of curb cuts do not have
ramps, leaving wheelchair bound travelers to their own
devices. To add insult to injury, even if someone in a wheelchair were to manage to get onto the sidewalk again, there
are multiple instances where utility poles obstruct the sidewalk, in some cases right in the middle, forcing people out
into the street. There are also some seriously deteriorated
sections of the sidewalk. Curb cuts and other breaks in
the sidewalk along the west side of this section of road are
minimal given the auto-centric nature of the commercial
uses; however, the east side does not fare nearly as well.
Along the same quarter-mile stretch, the east side has 11
curb cuts and secondary roadway entrances to the five on
the west side. Though the sheer number is bad enough for
pedestrian connectivity and safety, a number of the curb
cuts along the east side are extremely large and ill-defined,
creating multiple unnecessary conflict points. There are no
trees remotely near the road along this entire section of
roadway, creating a very unattractive hardscape lacking
pedestrian shelter from the elements. There is, however,
an abundance of signage along this section of roadway
producing a particularly cluttered, distracting and “noisy”
visual environment.
From Heather Lane to Bashford Manor Lane the built form
continues with similar commercial uses on the east side of
the roadway while the expansive and oppressive grayfield
parking lot of the Showcase Cinemas site creates a visual
void to the west. The stretch ultimately begins to transition
to residential uses south of the Cinemas site on both sides
of the road approaching Bashford Manor Lane. Amazingly
again, there are 10 curb cuts along the east side to the four
on the west side, including the Glenworth Avenue break in
the sidewalk.
A distinct character change happens along the corridor
from Bashford Manor Lane to Hikes Lane. The roadway
itself widens with the addition of a planted median broken
by several turn lanes. The east side is primarily residential
for two thirds of the roadway until reaching the Bardstown
6 Existing Conditions
Road - Buechel Bypass split which creates a commercial
island with several businesses disconnected from the pedestrian infrastructure. The west side is dominated by fast
food restaurants, banks and other commercial uses related
to the vast shopping center complex that has replaced
the Bashford Manner Mall along Bashford Manor Lane as
well as the Kroger at the corner of Hikes Lane and Buechel
Bypass. Due to the recent development of the commercial
area on the east side, the sidewalk infrastructure is probably the best overall section along the entire corridor from
Bashford Manor Lane to the pedestrian bridge crossing the
stormwater channel about 1000 feet away. There is a great
amount of separation from the roadway, only one break
in the sidewalk for the roadway access into the shopping
center and well maintained landscaping. However, once a
pedestrian reaches the bridge, accessibility is thrown out
the window. The bridge is accessible only by climbing stairs
and, once on the other side, the pedestrian is dumped out
into a parking lot with no sidewalk, save for a short stint
near the entrance to the Kroger parking lot, the rest of the
way to Hikes Lane.
Crossing this section of the corridor by either foot or vehicle is no small task. The auto lanes appear to somewhat
haphazardly navigate the split of the roadway as well as
multiple turns across the median at varying distances and
configurations. The pedestrian experience is significantly
worse. There appears to be little if any thought put towards
pedestrian safety at the intersection with Hikes Lane. As
motorists prepare to enter or leave the bypass across
Hikes Lane, the vehicle speeds are much faster than along
the rest of the corridor. The absence of sidewalks may well
be a calculated decision to reduce the chances of people
actually trying to walk around this area, though during site
visits there were several people observed walking along
the side of the road.
Though the Bashford Manor Corridor may never be
Bardstown Road in the Highlands, there are significant
opportunities to greatly improve the function, mobility and
beauty of this stretch of roadway.
The only access for pedestrians across the drainage ditch on the west
side of Bardstown Road near the old Bashford Manor Mall site is across
a bridge that lacks ramp access
Sidewalk improvements along the Bashford Manor Mall site give
an example of adequate facilities that are wide enough and where
obstacles are accommodated by appropriate adjustments
There is no a sidewalk within 100 feet of this bus stop
Project Process
Community Engagement and Participation
Walkability Survey
The City Solutions Center and Center For Neighborhoods
utilized a “bottom-up” approach to developing the plan for
the Bashford Manor Corridor. Rather than the design team
creating a plan and presenting it to the community for feedback, the process included community involvement from
the beginning and the plan was derived from community
input and feedback to insure the participants’ ideas and
needs were the basis of the design. This feedback was used
throughout the process to make adjustments or changes
when participants were involved at each stage of the process, collecting data about the existing walkability and land
use conditions, engaging in creative problem-solving, and
ultimately resulting in the plan recommended in this report.
The process was divided into three phases: 1) inventory,
2) analysis, and 3) synthesis.
Walkable neighborhoods benefit all people who travel the
corridor by foot, stroller, bicycle (cyclists under the age
of 14), or wheelchair. Studies have found that residents in
walkable neighborhoods achieve higher levels of physical
activity through walking for utility purposes that cause a
significant decrease in obesity levels.3 Research has also
indicated that commercial establishments have increased
values in walkable neighborhoods.4 Residents and other
users benefit from an enhanced sense of connection and
safety due to greater interaction among neighbors.
The inventory phase identified the existing conditions within
the study area. The purpose of this step was to gather as
much useful information as possible about the study area
in a reasonable amount of time. It allowed participants to
investigate what “is” through a walkability survey and encouraged them to begin imagining what “could be.”
A walkability survey is designed to provide an opportunity
to raise awareness of conditions that affect the safety, accessibility and quality of life of an area. The basic approach
is to have resident participants and facilitators physically
walk the area they are studying armed with a survey listing several questions to consider. This walkability assessment tool helps to illuminate issues that are not typically
perceived while driving the corridor.
The second phase, analysis, involved an assessment of the
existing conditions to determine the needs and preferences
of the community for changing the corridor. This involved a
“visioning” process for the future of the area, which included
creative problem solving and the proposal of specific features participants would like to see in the corridor.
In September 2010 the Center For Neighborhoods and
residents from Bon Air, Bashford Manor, Bon Air Estates,
and Highgate Springs performed a walkability survey focused along the Bashford Manor Corridor of Bardstown
Road. The survey participants met at the Bon Air Library
and separated into teams to examine different sections of
Bardstown Road. Each group observed their section of the
corridor and assessed sidewalks, safety issues, amenities,
and barriers utilizing the walkability assessment tool.
In the final phase, synthesis, the CSC facilitation team integrated the information gathered from community input
during the two public meetings, developing a concept plan
that was presented to community participants for feedback.
3B.E Saelens, J.F. Sallis, J.B. Black, & D. Chen, Neighborhoodbased differences in physical activity: An environment scale
evaluation, American Journal of Public Health, 2003, 93 (9),
1552–1558.
4G. Pivo & J.D. Fisher, The Walkability Premium in Commercial Real Estate Investments, Responsible Property Investing
Center, University of Arizona & Benecki Center for Real Estate
Studies, Indiana University, 2010.
7 Process
Participants in the walkability survey identified several
primary issues along the corridor. There was general consensus that the lack of visual interest and amenities such
as benches, trash cans and bus shelters was one of the
main issues affecting walkability. This strikes at the heart
of walkable neighborhoods, for if the area does not offer a
rich visual environment and the amenities to accommodate
pedestrians it does not matter how great the sidewalks and
crosswalks are, as few people will use them. Although outside of the scope of this study, current land use patterns
are a major contributor to this problem. Land use changes
might relocate parking to the rear of buildings, allowing the
structures to be located closer to the street.
Even with low levels of pedestrian traffic, it is still important
that those who do travel the corridor, often out of necessity,
not be impeded by poor or non-existent infrastructure. To
that point, another major issue identified by the participants
was a need to complete the sidewalk infrastructure and
improve street crossings. In several locations utility poles
are right in the middle of the sidewalk making it impossible
for wheelchair access along these sections of sidewalk. In
other areas the sidewalks are narrow, in poor condition, or
do not exist at all. Poorly marked pedestrian crossings and
the considerable width of Bardstown Road not only reduce
the perceived, but also the real safety of the corridor.
Other issues that stood out among the participants were the
need for more tree plantings where possible, more lighting,
buffered sidewalks with more space between pedestrians
and automobile traffic, reduced signage clutter, and a general cleanup of the corridor including the removal of graffiti
and garbage specifically around the two waterways that go
under Bardstown Road. Many of these issues relate to a
need for a beautification of the corridor.
Public Visioning Workshop
The first public workshop of the Bashford Manor Corridor
project was held in January 2011, at the Brooklawn Child
and Family Services campus. Approximately 40 participants, 12 students from a University of Kentucky Landscape
Architecture studio led by Ryan Hargrove, and facilitating
staff attended the meeting. Several Metro Council sponsors
and public representatives were also in attendance. The
range of representatives provided valuable insight during
the visioning and breakout sessions of this workshop.
Michael McCoy of the City Solutions Center and Jack
Trawick of the Center For Neighborhoods facilitate a group
visioning session during the workshop
The workshop began with a review of the background on
the project and introduction of facilitation staff by Jack
Trawick of the Center For Neighborhoods. Trawick went
on to acknowledge the Councilmen who were instrumental
bringing this process to fruition: Brent Ackerson, Jim King,
and Tom Owen. Michael McCoy and Patrick Piuma of the
City Solutions Center gave an overview of the workshop.
After the workshop introduction, the attendees participated
in a group visioning process. Workshop attendees were
asked to visualize the future Bashford Manor Corridor in
15-20 years. What might the area look and sound like?
Taking turns and raising hands, participants were able to
call out their ideas and hopes as the facilitators wrote their
Participants break out into groups around maps of the
corridor to begin identifying assets and issues
8 Process
comments onto large posters on the walls to make sure
that they were capturing the true thoughts and views of the
participants.
Six breakout groups were then formed around tables with
maps, markers, and other materials to help them identify
the existing positives and negatives along the corridor. Due
to the size of the study area, the corridor was divided into
three segments with two groups exploring issues and positive aspects of each of the three sections for approximately
30 minutes. Those same breakout groups continued their
discussion of the areas by brainstorming potential physical improvements along their sections of the corridor for
another half hour. Once the exercises were complete, two
representatives from each breakout group explained their
ideas during a group report-out.
Student Concepts
Twelve University of Kentucky (UK) students in the
Department of Landscape Architecture Spring 2011 Design
Studio IV led by Ryan Hargrove attended the first public
workshop to work with participants on mapping and visioning exercises.
Following the workshop the students returned to Lexington
with the charge of creating six conceptual redevelopment
schemes for this segment of Bardstown Road from the
Watterson Expressway to Hikes Lane. Armed with base
maps and the collected information and input generated by
the corridor stakeholders, they spent the next four weeks of
their studio course concentrating on developing solutions
that addressed the concerns, questions and suggestions
that were offered by residents, public officials and business
owners.
overall, while a number of respondents thought that Project
Six (page 15) was probably the most feasible. There was a
great deal of interest and appreciation for the walkability of
project three, though walkability appeared to be a consistent focus of comment and concern voiced in the evaluation forms. Respondents often cited the area of Bardstown
Road in the Highlands as a model for what they would like
to see happen along the Bashford Manor Corridor, while
some pointed out that it would be unrealistic to expect that
built form to be replicated.
The collected responses were organized and used by the
CSC staff to inform their design considerations as they subsequently undertook the development of a final, composite
concept based on the students’ work and the stakeholders’
review comments.
Student work was guided and critiqued in-house at the
University of Kentucky by Professor Hargrove together with
Horst Schach and Michael McCoy, during normal MondayWednesday-Friday class sessions and at separate midproject and final project juries.
Public Review Workshop
In April 2011, the six two-student design concept proposals
were presented to a gathering of approximately 25 stakeholders at a public exhibit in the gymnasium at Brooklawn,
site of the first pubic design workshop in January. The
stakeholders spent an hour and a half examining each of the
six concepts that were each broken up into three sections:
North, Central and South. Participants filled out an evaluation form for each plan, recording their general opinions and
specific likes and dislikes.
Portions of each student proposal garnered positive responses. Out of all the student concepts presented, Project
Three (page 12) appears to have been the most preferred
9 Process
Participants reviewing the student concept proposals during the April
2011 public review workshop
UK Student Proposal: Project 1
10 Student Concepts
UK Student Proposal: Project 2
11 Student Concepts
UK Student Proposal: Project 3
12 Student Concepts
UK Student Proposal: Project 4
13 Student Concepts
UK Student Proposal: Project 5
14 Student Concepts
UK Student Proposal: Project 6
15 Student Concepts
City Solutions Center Plan Development
After reviewing the UK students’ design concepts and
stakeholder comments, the staff of the CSC developed a
final overall concept for the redevelopment of Bardstown
Road’s public right-of-way. This plan attempts to integrate
as many of the valuable suggestions from the UK projects
and public comments as possible while also considering the
practicalities of roadway design, public open space aesthetics, storm water management, environmental sustainability
and the Complete Streets initiatives of providing equal and
safe opportunities for a desirable multi-modality of walking,
biking and driving.
• Upgraded crosswalks, made of brick or colored
precast concrete pavers, at every currently signalized
intersection will improve walkability and safety of
local residents as they walk along the corridor for
exercise and to access retail establishments along
the corridor.
The main elements of the final concept plan are:
• Pullouts along the corridor at bus stops allow for
safer waiting areas with bus shelter, benches and
trash receptacles for bus riders’ use and allow for
smoother traffic flows along Bardstown Road with
the removal of stopped buses from the travel lane.
• A Bardstown Road “roadway diet” that provides
the same number of travel and turning lanes
as currently exist but with reduced widths. The
width reductions recommended are suitable for a
roadway with Bardstown Road’s current 35 m.p.h.
speed limit. It is recommended that this speed
limit be extended from its current termination at
approximately Bashford Manor Lane southward to
Hikes Lane.
Suggested street furniture family, Plainwell Benches &
Litter Receptacles by Landscape Forms, Inc.
Source: http://www.landscapeforms.com/
SiteCollectionImages/LFI%20Photo%20Gallery/
Plainwell/plainwell17_original.zip
• A consistent 6’ wide planting strip next to the curb
provides additional opportunities for the planting of
shade trees which improve walkability, provide shade
for pedestrians, calm traffic speeds and, when combined with the 5’ wide bike lanes, give walkers an 11’
wide buffer zone from vehicular traffic.
• Wider planted medians south of Bashford Manor
Lane provide additional aesthetic improvements and
potential storm water retention and infiltration areas
next to Beargrass Creek
• Upgraded planting schemes at both the Watterson
Expressway interchange areas and at the south end
of the corridor near Hikes Lane provide increased
visibility to the “gateways” to the newly-named
Bashford Manor Corridor
• Signage, pedestrian-scaled lighting fixtures and
benches along the route provide a general upgrade
and new continuity to the corridor making the walking experience safer and more pleasant.
• Two additional highway improvements that are
made possible by the lane width diet are:
o Center planted medians extending the entire
length of the corridor that are 16’ wide, except
at the locations of left-turn lanes where the median narrows to 7’ in width in order to accommodate a 9’ turning lane. The plantings in the
medians will contribute to the improved beauty
of the corridor and will act as traffic calmers in
the attempt to encourage observance of the 35
m.p.h. speed limit.
o Bike lanes, 5’ in width, next to the curbs on both
sides of Bardstown Road.
Proposed Typical Bashford Manor Corridor Section - 110’ Right-of-Way (varies)
16 Improvement Concept Plan
17 Improvement Concept Plan
18 Improvement Concept Plan
19 Improvement Concept Plan
Phasing Plan
The City Solutions Center suggests three alternative
phasing concepts for the installation of suggested elements along the Bashford Manor Corridor. Concept 1
phases group activity by type along the entire length
of the corridor. The types of activity are structural
streetscape improvements, addition of plant materials,
and installation of street furniture. In contrast, Concepts
2 and 3 break the corridor into smaller zones in which all
suggested types of changes are installed during the same
time period or process.
Phasing Concept 1:
Phasing Concept 1 breaks the installation into three main
areas of activity along the entire length of the Bashford
Manor corridor. Phase A begins with the main structural
streetscape changes. Phase B is the completion of all the
planting activity, while Phase C is the installation of street
furniture, pavers and structures at bus shelters. Phase
A would be most costly, but most effective if completed
first because of restructuring of road widths and planters,
which affects the installation of plant material and street
furniture in Phases B and C.
Phase A (Streets):
• Re-stripe Bardstown Road to reflect the
vehicle and bicycle lane suggestions
(roadway diet)
• Build center medians
• Provide curb alterations (where necessary)
• Construct precast paver crosswalks
20 Phasing Plan
Phase B (Plantings):
• Install plantings in center medians
• Plant rain gardens in center medians between
Bashford Manor Lane and Hikes Lane
• Plant shade and ornamental trees in center
medians and along street in tree lawns
Phase C (Street Furniture):
• Install street furniture along the corridor
• Install bus shelters, including benches and
trash receptacles at the suggested bus stops
Phasing Concept 2:
Phasing Concept 2 breaks the Bashford Manor corridor into three sections. Phase A includes the northern
gateway surrounding the Watterson Expressway, Phase
B includes the southern gateway, and Phase C is the connection between A and C. In this concept, Phase A is
most important to complete first because it is the primary
gateway and entrance into this corridor with its connection to the Watterson Expressway.
• Phase A (Northern Gateway)
• Phase B (Southern Gateway)
• Phase C (Interior of Corridor)
21 Phasing Plan
Each Phase consists of the following elements within
its zone:
• Streetscape improvements, which include
restriping lanes, building center medians,
providing curb alterations and constructing
crosswalks.
• Landscape improvements, which include
plantings in center medians, addition of rain
gardens, and shade and ornamental trees in
the center medians and tree lawns.
• Street furniture improvements, which include
installing benches, trans receptacles and bus
shelters.
Phasing Concept 3:
Phasing Concept 3 breaks the Bashford Manor corridor into five sections. This phasing concept would be
conducted in the same manner as Phasing Concept 2,
but instead breaks the sections into smaller segments to
tackle one at a time. The choice of Phasing Concept 2
or 3 could depend on funding availability and resources.
• Phase A (Northern Gateway)
• Phase B (Southern Gateway)
• Phase C (Interior of Corridor)
• Phase D (Interior of Corridor)
• Phase E (Interior of Corridor)
22 Phasing Plan
Each Phase consists of the following elements within its
zone or area:
• Streetscape improvements, which include
restriping lanes, building center medians,
providing curb alterations and constructing
crosswalks.
• Landscape improvements, which include
plantings in center medians, addition of rain
gardens, and shade and ornamental trees in
the center medians and tree lawns.
• Street furniture improvements, which include
installing benches, trans receptacles and bus
shelters.
Suggested Funding
United States Department of Transportation
Commonwealth of Kentucky
Corporate Grants
Transportation Enhancements (TE) Grant
Area Development Fund (ADF)
Community Grant Program
•
•
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A legacy for users
(SAFETEA-LU) 2005
State Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA) Office
Transportation Enhancements federally fund
community-based projects that expand travel choices
and enhance the transportation experience, paying
up to 80% of the project cost, with 20% non-federal
match. (http://www.enhancements.org/Te_basics.asp)
(http://www.enhancements.org/profile/KYprofile.php)
United States Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA)
Community Action for a Renewed Environment
(CARE) Grant
A competitive grant program offers an innovative
way for a community to organize, create partnerships
and implement solutions to reduce toxic pollution.
Cooperative Agreements amount to approximately
$90,000 to $275,000. (http://www.epa.gov/care/
•
Kentucky Office of State Grants
•
Governor’s Office for Local Development
(GOLD) and local area development districts
Approved ADF state-funded projects are based solely
on availability of funds.
(http://dlg.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/4A8A90F5795C-4010-9B5EAF4D07C4DE10/0/
OfficeofStateGrantsGuidelinesJune07.pdf)
City of Louisville
NatureScape Garden and Beautification Grants
•
Neighborhood Development Fund
Louisville Metro Council members have
$75,000/year discretionary funds for neighborhood development.
Capital Infrastructure Fund
•
23 Suggested Funding
Walmart and SAM’s CLUB Foundation
The Walmart and SAM’s CLUB Foundation strives
to provide opportunities that improve the lives of
individuals in our communities. Grants are focused
on enhancing opportunities in our four main focus
areas: Education, Workforce Development / Economic
Opportunity, Environmental Sustainability, and Health
and Wellness. The Community Grant Program is funded
by the Walmart and SAM’S CLUB Foundation and
provides matching and direct grants. The Matching
Grant program allows local nonprofit organizations to
hold fundraisers outside their local Walmart or SAM’S
CLUB, with possible match up to $1,000.
(http://walmartstores.com/CommunityGiving/8781.aspx)
Brightside of Louisville
NatureScape Grants help neighborhood groups keep
community public spaces looking their best. Awards are
$1,500 per cycle, allowing two cycles in a row for up
to $3,000 total. (http://www.louisvilleky.gov/Brightside/
Beautification/NatureScapeGrants.htm)
•
•
Louisville Metro Council members have
$100,000/year in discretionary funds for
capital infrastructure.
PNC Economic Development Grants
•
PNC Foundation, PNC Charitable Trusts,
and Charitable Sponsorships
•
10-year $100 million dollar initiative
Support is given to organizations that help stabilize
communities, eliminate blight, attract and retain
businesses and residents within the community.
(http://www.pncsites.com/pncfoundation/foundation_
grantProcess.html)
Bashford Manor Corridor Streetscape Study
November 2011
This report was written by J. Michael McCoy, Patrick Piuma, and Steven C.
Bourassa of the City Solutions Center at the University of Louisville and Jack
Trawick of the Center For Neighborhoods. Photographic contributions by Patrick Piuma and Jack Trawick. Site plan renderings and other graphics created
by Michael McCoy. Student concept plans were developed by University of Kentucky Landscape Architecture students Brandon Perry, Chris Deahl, Derek Triplett,
D’Wayne Parks, Jason Kulsveen, Chris Fielder, Jason Dabbikeh, Michael Kuryla,
Cameron Stone, Tyler Dixon, Spencer Heuke, and Moore Russell, under the direction of Ryan Hargrove. Additional contributions were made by University of Louisville Master of Urban Planning students Megan Enyeart and Abigail Free.
This project was made possible through a grant from the Neighborhood Development Fund of Louisville Metro Council, co-sponsored by District 26 Councilman
Brent Ackerson and District 10 Councilman Jim King, with support from District 8
Councilman Tom Owen.