Comments on: Louisville Gets the Most Improved Trophy

By: Joel

Joel — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:19:14 +0000

thanks for the details. I’m not sure what I think about the Louisville Loop, considering how far most of it is from the actual downtown core of the city. I can’t see myself ever actually riding out there unless I get a lift from somebody’s car, which kinda defeats the purpose. In the meantime, much more of the inner city and neighborhoods of Louisville need not just paint demarking a bike lane, but actual, dedicated lanes with curbs or barriers — at least on major thoroughfares.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:54:55 +0000

I won’t argue that there is still a ton of work to be done (you know how fearful I am riding sometimes) but in terms of improvement there have been significant ones. According to the magazine the before part:
“Prior to 2005, the Gateway to the south, with its half-million residents, was marginal, at best, from a city biker’s perspective: It had no bike lanes, a measly two shared-use paths and a number of halfhearted-but-never-implemented plans for bike-friendly facilities.”
And after:
“since then, Louisville has hired a bike and pedestrian coordinator, completed a quarter of the Louisville Loop and created plans for a weblike bike network to connect the city core to outlying parks and, eventually, to the Louisville Loop. Thirty miles of bike lanes have been striped. And Humana has developed Freewheelin, a bike-share program similar to D.C.’s SmartBike, for its employees to use to ride between the company’s buildings in town, though it could eventually expand to the entire city.”

By: Joel

Joel — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:47:33 +0000

Most improved from what, may I ask? What’s Bicycling Magazine’s criteria?
Coming on the heels of Kenneth Chandler’s death, I’d say Louisville still has a TON of work to do.