LOUISVILLE, Ky. — City officials gathered Tuesday to discuss the $55 million budget investment for paving and sidewalk repair in Louisville this fiscal year.
The approved budget for the 2022 fiscal year includes $20 million to pave 200 lane miles of roadway and $2 million to repair more than 30,000 feet of sidewalks.
About $30 million has been allocated for capital projects like the widening of River Road, improvements to Westport Road and the Dixie Highway streetscape project.
Metro Public Works Director Vanessa Burns said prior to 2015, the annual paving budget was only around $3 million. Crews paved around 32 miles a year, compared to the planned 200 lane miles paved this year.
"We have come a long way," Burns said. "Our annual paving budget has greatly increased, which has consistently allowed us to deliver a much higher number of paved roadways to our taxpayers; improving roadway safety and quality of life."
Directly following the press conference, Public Works crews began paving the intersection of Commerce Crossings Drive and Interchange Way, an infrastructure project scheduled to improve a key spot in a business park in southern Jefferson County.
Additional funds for construction and maintenance projects were a result of better-than-expected revenues and funds from the American Rescue Plan. Metro Council was able to add about $17 million back into the budget for projects including:
- Ohio River Levee Trail Phase III ($937,500)
- AB Sawyer Greenway ($600,000)
- Dixie Highway Streetscape – Wilson Avenue to Maple Street ($350,000)
- Olmsted Parkways Algonquin Parkway ($260,000)
- Olmsted Parkways Southern Parkway ($90,000)
- Ohio River Valley Northeast (ORVNE) segment of the Louisville Loop ($50,000)
- Westport Road Improvements ($1,000,000)
- Hikes Lane Repair ($850,000)
- St. Anthony Church Road Sidewalk Project ($187,000)
- Taylor Boulevard Crosswalk Improvements ($100,000)
- Urton Lane Sidewalk Connection to Shelbyville Road ($50,000)
- Brentlinger Lane Continuation ($350,000)
Funds for the demolition of LMPD headquarters and the fiscal court building were also included in maintenance project plans.
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