It's no secret that the Kentucky legislature was none too keen on granting tolling authority as a means of financing the Ohio River Bridges Project. In fact, the legislature's adjournment without action on the toll bill (H.R. 102) certainly delayed the tolling authority, if not killing it.
This delay could allow time for General Tyler Allen's guerilla forces to build more support for the 8664 plan and, with luck, kill the two-bridge plan.
It is now possible to reveal the nexus of the killing of H.R. 102 and the New Albany City Council.
While I have not been a very active or vocal opponent of the Ohio River Bridges Project I do, in fact, oppose the plan and support in its stead the 8664 concept. I was especially pleased to contribute to the delay and possible death of the tolling authority through the Council's action at the last meeting.
For those not familiar, the Council, through a tie vote, killed the most recent incarnation of the so-called Freddy Krueger development, across Chalestown Road from Kroger's, named after the psycho-who-will-not-die from the seemingly endless "Friday the 13th" movie series. This development shares some of Krueger's DNA and shows the family resemblance through endless looping of appearances before one body or another in city government. This time it appeared as a means of delivering unto the populace of New Albany's neglected east side neighborhoods, a new Wendy's to replace the old Wendy's in the tony mid-range of Charlestown Road, across from the vibrant Colonial Manor Shopping Center. Tour buses have been causing traffic problems as out-of-town shoppers crowd the Colonial Manor's many upscale shops and restaurants. This was but one reason the plan was seen as a cinch for passage.
Timing was critical in the passage of this plan and its coincidence with the Kentucky legislature's passage of H.R.102. Both things had to happen for the deal to go down. And both were ultimately undercut by another fast food giant trumping highly creative capitalism with simply creative capitalism.
Yet again my effectiveness as a blogger is diminished by my mid-century technical limitations. I tried to post a link to the story which would have shown the simply creative capitalism in action, but the telltale blue letters of an active link eluded me. So, I'll just have to recount the fact that Kentucky Fried Chicken, now in sanitized form known as KFC, is fixing potholes in Louisville. Its consideration for this altruism is the opportunity to paint a stencil on city streets,with the words "Re-freshed by KFC". Google "KFC potholes", see what you get.
This master stroke was sniffed out during the debate on the tolling authority to fund the two-bridge project. Its imminent rollout left the highly creative toll plan looking like tired me-tooism.
It is a given that no one likes to pay tolls. It is a further given that times are tight and tolling will be required to make the Bridges project a reality. That distaste, and the $4.2 billion dollar price tag for the Ohio River Bridges Project led Wendy's International to come forward with a most creative solution to the bridge dilemma. Wendy's International offered to pay the entire $4.2 billion for the Two-Bridge plan under the condition that they could set up reverse toll booths in the Northbound and Southbound lanes of I-65.
These reverse toll booths would have the requisite signage directing motorists to "STOP and PAY TOLL". The marketing gurus felt that motorists would be ecstatic when, instead of collecting tolls, the tollbooth attendant would hand out coupons for local Wendy's restaurants. Relieved of the obligation to pay tolls, motorists it was believed, would be motivated to drive directly to the nearest Wendy's out of gratitude if not hunger.
This plan was dealt a serious blow as the new Wendy's on Charlestown Road was iced. It is common knowledge that no one will drive the extra mile and a half to go to the existing Wendy's. Robbed of this most integral post on the Metro area's northern boundary (some saw it as the jewel in the crown) Wendy's International's plans collapsed and it ceded the innovative marketing turf to the Colonel.
So until Freddy brings forth another plan... The people of Lafayette Drive can breathe easier, but they'll have to travel farther for that great Wendy's taste.
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Excellent.
I'll second that. Now, if we could just get our representatives In Indianapolis to pay attention...
Mitch's plans to lease the bridges to a consortium of "new" European countries, and including Turkey, are on hold pending construction of the spans.
Great article John.
Mitch's plans to lease the bridges to a consortium of "new" European countries, and including Turkey, are on hold pending construction of the spans.
Ha! That would be pretty interesting since Kentucky will own the bridges if they're built. We just get to pay for them, over and over again if the current crop of officials get their way.
It's what Kerry Stemler calls looking out for Hoosier interests.
Happy April, John.
Happy April to one and all, even those who say no, because Spring says yes.
I would hope that, as a NEW ALBANY city councilman, you will seriously rethink your support of 8664. To terminate what is now I-64 at 9th street will have potentially tremendous negative consequences on New Albany. I have not seen the 8664 group address this issue.
It would also entail a significant rebuilding of the I-64/I-265 interchange and likely a widening of I-265 to six to eight lanes.
These issues are barely addressed by 8664.
Since a great bulk of the 8664 support comes from Louisville's east end, I suggest that we terminate west bound I-64 at Cannons Lane and then see how much support there is.
(On the other hand, I see no reason not to build the east end bridge first!)
8664 is the only plan that budgets for beefing up the I-64/1-265 interchange. The Bridges Project does not address it at all at twice the cost.
It would also be helpful if you could specify what you mean by "potentially tremendous negative consequences".
I'd also be interested in knowing what data you're using to conclude that "...a great bulk of the 8664 support comes from Louisville's east end...", especially since it's the east end that has historically impeded progress on the East End Bridge and supported an additional one downtown, the exact opposite of what 8664 proposes.
RR:
Judging by the capital letters you used when typing NEW ALBANY, I surmise that you see 8664 as a project with either appeal or impact of consequence only to the LOUISVILLE side of the river.
New Albany cannot ignore what happens on the Louisville side of the river. We are inextricably linked to that city and its overall health, economic, cultural, and any number of other measures one can suggest as depicting the condition of a city and a region. Many of us work there, have family who live there and otherwise enjoy the fruits of Louisville's big city amenities while living in New Albany.
Any plan which cuts through the barriers placed between people and the river, which is the defining geographical feature of our area, is worthy of consideration.
8664 does this. And it lays out a convincing case, which is evident to anyone who looks at the neighborhoods along I-64, that the surface development is degraded by the plopping down of the expressway onto established neighborhoods.
Drive along the entirety of I-64 and you will see extreme wealth and extreme poverty, with much in between. The more prosperous ones are those who sprawled out to where the expressway was or is. They planned, after a fashion, their relationship to the behemoth. They chose to take advantage of its capacity to deliver people, customers, to their doorsteps as they devoured prime farm land for big box stores and chain restaurants.
On the other hand, our neighbors in Louisville's west end had the concrete monstrosity imposed on them. Where they lived, business was destroyed to make way for the road. They were forced to adapt to the road, and the plan didn't succeed. As services disappeared property values declined, "white flight" set in and today New Albany sits across from the poorest, most hope-deprived part of Louisville.
Why would we not want to change that? How could the rising tide in Louisville's west end not benefit New Albany? And the reclaiming of Louisville's riverfront would be a major boon to the entire region as it would truly invigorate "Possibility City".
A further reason to applaud 8664, and perhaps even the major reason as a Hoosier, is to consider what is the fate awaiting our pals in Jeffersonville as the new downtown bridge rolls into town like Sherman on his way to Atlanta. My advice to Jeff would be, "if the downtown bridge is opportunity knocking, don't open the door."
Issues related to 8664:
1. Access to downtown NA and the adjacent residential areas from many sections of Louisville will be hindered, thus negating a major selling point in attracting homeowners and businesses. I don't believe this point can be taken lightly. New Albany could be
a backwater that "you can't get to from here."
2. Many Louisvillians, who already find it difficult to find anything in Indiana, will never find downtown New Albany. (Example: Please describe how someone living off Cannons Lane will get to downtown New Albany.)
3. The plan appears to assume that traffic on east bound I-64 either exits at 9th street or is through traffic to the far east end of Louisville. In fact, much of the traffic takes I-65 south, or exits at places like Cannons Lane, Grinstead, Zorn, etc. This traffic will likely find its way across the Kennedy Bridge, thus making that bridge even busier.
4. People from the west end of Louisville who work in the Bluegrass Industrial Park area will need to either wind their way through downtown streets or take I-264 all the way around the city. (oh, Mr. Gondor, the decline of the west end of Louisville started long before I-64 was even started.)
5. People working in downtown NA will find their drive times to sections of Louisville significantly increased.
1. Access to downtown NA and the adjacent residential areas from many sections of Louisville will be hindered, thus negating a major selling point in attracting homeowners and businesses.
Access between downtown NA, west Louisville, downtown Louisville, and East End Louisville will be improved. The entire area along the river including downtown NA, downtown Jeffersonville, near West Louisville, downtown Louisville, Butchertown, and Nulu/Phoenix Hill will be more attractive, thus making it more feasible to live in those areas rather than use them as a cut through and we'll be better connected to all of them.
Our Greenway and future waterfront investments will be enhanced, including connections to Louisville via the K&I Bridge. The same is true on the other side of the river.
I'm not sure it makes sense to sacrifice all that and the message it sends to potential businesses and residents to cut what's literally a few minutes off of the drive time of a very specific trip.
It will still be possible to access near east Louisville via the Sherman Minton/Downtown path as now, with approximately 1.8 miles of the trip occurring at ground level or via Brown's Station Way to the Kennedy Bridge to I-64 (renamed I-364), the same as now.
2. Many Louisvillians, who already find it difficult to find anything in Indiana, will never find downtown New Albany. (Example: Please describe how someone living off Cannons Lane will get to downtown New Albany.)
Cannons Lane to NA: Same path as now, with 1.8 miles at ground level or via Kennedy Bridge to Browns Station, just like now.
Louisvillians get lost in Southern Indiana because they rarely come over here, not because anything is particularly confusing. Making the river areas more attractive will provide more impetus for them to come here, not less.
3. The plan appears to assume that traffic on east bound I-64 either exits at 9th street or is through traffic to the far east end of Louisville. In fact, much of the traffic takes I-65 south, or exits at places like Cannons Lane, Grinstead, Zorn, etc. This traffic will likely find its way across the Kennedy Bridge, thus making that bridge even busier.
Same deal as before: still entirely possible to access 65 South by cutting through downtown Louisville, or by taking I-264 around Louisville's West End to 65, depending on how far south they're going, or by taking Kennedy as some already do. One could also (gasp) exit the interstate in west Louisville and drive east on numerous underutilized streets to their destination.
The idea that the Kennedy will be "even busier" because of a relatively small increase in the number of Floyd Countians using it to go to near east Louisville is a misnomer.
Completing the by-pass will divert 32,00 semis who want to go east per day from the Kennedy to the new East End Bridge. There are less than 13,000 commuters total from all of Floyd County to all of Kentucky. Obviously, not all of them are going to near east Louisville. Those that do via the Kennedy will find significantly reduced long distance traffic to contend with.
4. People from the west end of Louisville who work in the Bluegrass Industrial Park area will need to either wind their way through downtown streets or take I-264 all the way around the city. (oh, Mr. Gondor, the decline of the west end of Louisville started long before I-64 was even started.)
I think you might be misunderstanding the 8664 proposal as it relates to that area. The major access points currently used by West Louisville residents to New Albany are the 22nd Street ramps and a couple of ramps along 1-264. 8664 will not change that at all. Their paths will be exactly the same.
In fact, because 8664 will create more access points to a river front parkway (you can only access the current 64 path in one place now) and the parkway will lead directly to the 22nd Street ramps, there will more direct access to New Albany rather than less.
5. People working in downtown NA will find their drive times to sections of Louisville significantly increased.
Relatively few NA drive times may increase slightly, while others will decrease depending on destination. A recent study by Kentucky's transportation department found that overall system wide performance between 8664 and the Bridges Project are within 1% of being identical.
You seem to be looking at our downtowns as cut-throughs rather than destinations in and of themselves. The question isn't "How fast can I get through downtown NA, and downtown Louisville?" It's "What's there when I get to those areas that will make me want to stay?" The idea is to make our river front areas the most attractive areas in the region. 8664 pushes us a long way toward that goal.
Besides, the Bridges Project will cost twice as much and inflict tolls on us. If you think a few extra minutes on a few selecte but not most cross-river trips will be a deterrent, think what paying five or six dollars for each round trip will do.
Based on commuting patterns, Clark and Floyd County residents will pay 15 times more in tolls than their Jefferson County, Kentucky, counterparts. How's that for dissuading people that connectivity to Louisville is a selling point?
A correction to the above:
32,000 = Current daily Spaghetti Junction truck traffic
30,000 = number of cars diverted from Kennedy by new East End Bridge according to Bridges Project projections
The point is still the same.
And an addition:
39% = percentage decline in Louisville congestion in 2008
Thanks, bluegill.
RR: remember a couple years ago when the "Restore 64" project began.
Copious salivation was experienced by the opponents of 8664 prior to the closing of I-64. They rejoiced in the tough love which was destined to come down upon the heads of the 8664 proponents who would see the utter stupidity of their Quixotic plan.
Apparently the opponents suffered from premature salivation because none of the dire consequences came to pass. In fact the community adapted surprisingly easily to the temporary closure. That was a real world test which validated the concept of 8664. And that was without the permanent upgrades to the surface road system which would make the long term parkway plan even more attractive and efficient.
I won't dispute your point that Louisville's west end was in decline even before the addition of I-64 into the equation. I would say, however, that if that part of Louisville were going to stage a comeback, its road to recovery was made that much more difficult by the destruction of so much commercial infrastructure in accommodation of the highway. This, in turn, led to a (continued?) devaluation of property which fed into "white flight".
In many respects, Louisville's west end is, structurally speaking, capable of being the most desirable part of that city. I don't believe that will likely happen as long as the scar of I-64 remains unremedied. A major disappointment regarding Louisville's current mayor is that he shows few signs of thinking creatively unless those thoughts flow through or from his Baltimore cronies.
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