Louisville Loop

More access & less unsustainable, farm-destroying development

Louisville Loop21st Century Parks, Metro Parks and their partners have done a marvelous job in bringing the Louisville Loop to this point. The Loop can be a treasure rivaling Louisville’s original Olmsted parks. As we move forward with the Loop, there are two mistakes that we must avoid. Those mistakes concern unsustainable development and access.

The Floyd’s Fork section of the Loop must not be permitted to become a magnet for unsustainable development. Private investment, public infrastructure and metro services are needed in our existing neighborhoods. Louisville has brownfields, abandoned commercial and industrial sites, and blighted neighborhoods that need redeveloped. We must focus on in-fill development rather than continue the pattern of unsustainable development begun in 1950. Before proceeding with the development of the Floyd’s Fork area, we must institute the controls that limit infrastructure (roads, sewer, electric, gas and other utilities) that results in the destruction of farms. There are already new roads being planned along Floyd’s Fork that, if realized, will open up new areas to more unsustainable development.

All sections of the Loop must be accessable to all of Louisville’s citizens. The lack of public transit service to portions of the park create a park that might as well be walled and gated to those who depend on public transit. In the past two years TARC has had to raise rates twice and cut services twice. Louisville's public transit is getting worse, not better. Acquire the park land, protect the land, but before proceeding with further development of the Floyd’s Fork section of Loop, all our citizens must have greater public transit access to this wonderful park system.

Other issues raised by development of the Loop concern: 1) the recent closing of urban park facilities (Breslin Park pool) and 2) the future of Otter Creek. There are relationships between these established parks and the Loop.