LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In the latest road "resizing" project to hit Louisville, businesses spanning Clifton Heights to St. Matthews are preparing for construction to hit this fall.
Much of the proposed rightsizing project takes place on Brownsboro Road, beginning at Mellwood Avenue and ending at Chenoweth Lane.
Rightsizing, often indicating a downsizing of the roadway, is a proven safety countermeasure according to the Federal Highway Administration.
According to Metro Government's Vision Zero Louisville page, rightsizing makes streets safer by reducing speeding and weaving between lanes.
One of Louisville's oldest roadways, Brownsboro Road, has become a rush hour favorite for hundreds -- if not thousands -- of drivers, looking to escape the interstates.
"It feels like you're playing Frogger in a way," Clifton Heights barber Brendan Johnson, said. "It can get pretty congested."
For the traffic it carries, it's not the widest state highway around, and now it's heading for a facelift.
Most of the stretch of road is four lanes. This project is set to downsize it to two lanes in most areas. Doing so will make room for turn lanes and bike lanes.
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"It does seem like [Brownsboro Road] is a little tough to maneuver," Rick Bartlett, owner of Ricky B's Café, said. "And I've seen several people get into accidents right on this road here."
The stretch of road outside Bartlett's Café will see the aforementioned changes.
He said it seems like it will enhance safety.
While Johnson said he sees it too, he understands why others can only see congestion.
"I think it's mainly just because it's a thoroughfare from downtown all the way to St. Matthew's. And vice versa," Johnson said. "It's pretty busy."
A small caveat for some stretches of the street is more parking.
"That's a huge relief. Not that there's not street parking around but having parking right out front is -- when you don't have a parking lot -- it's nice," Johnson said.
A public meeting to discuss those plans will take place at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, at Saint Joseph's Children's Home.
Similar plans are being implemented along Frankfort Avenue and Bardstown Road.
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