LOUISVILLE, Ky. — New changes this year may make traveling to Churchill Downs smoother ahead of the most exciting two minutes in sports.
Louisville Police released their Derby safety and traffic plan Monday for the annual event. In recent years, as many as 150,000 people have come to Derby - twice the number of people who attended last year's Super Bowl. With numbers like that, a very detailed traffic plan is in place.
New this year, Southern Parkway will not be reversed as a one-way. Instead, it will allow two-way traffic so people who wish to park in those neighborhoods can get through.
Officials also said last year’s pedestrian bridge that helped with crossing to Central Avenue will not be implemented in this year’s Derby.
"We saw a lot of rain last year, we saw some lightning and every time there's lightning there you have to shut it down completely and then you have to come up with an alternative plan when that happens,” Lieutenant Micah Scheu said.
To help mitigate heavy foot traffic, a new plan includes adding an extra pedestrian crossing on 6th street. 9th and 3rd streets will have their original pedestrian crossing.
Police will restrict unlicensed vehicles, bicycles, golf carts and electric scooters on Churchill Downs.
►Contact reporter Senait Gebregiorgis at SGebregior@whas11.com and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.