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Wednesday, February 2, 2011
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Rob Holtzman, left, and Camp Taylor Neighborhood Association President
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By
Courier-Journal Reporter
Charlie White. He can be reached at (502) 582-4653. |
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The
formerly rusty train
trestle between the Camp
Zachary Taylor and
Belmar neighborhoods has
been transformed into
what residents call a
safer and more inviting
gateway for those
passing under it. A new walkway, handrail, stone retaining wall and handicap-accessible ramps recently were completed under the Norfolk Southern trestle, replacing a steeper walkway with stairs. Workers also replaced a broken sidewalk and added eight parking spaces just northeast of the trestle along the winding 1300 block of Belmar Drive, which passes under the trestle near Audubon Country Club. The changes are part of a project that began five years ago and has cost about $48,000 so far. It has been funded with district money from Metro Council President Jim King. Other changes have included new curbs and drainage work, painting the trestle yellow and adding “Welcome to” signs on either side that call attention to the boundary between the two neighborhoods. Phillip Kavanaugh, the president of the Camp Taylor Neighborhood Association, who also owns auto repair and towing businesses in the 1300 block of Belmar, is among those who urged King to help fix up the area near the trestle. The project creates a signature, parklike entrance for the neighborhood, Kavanaugh said. “The hope is for folks from Camp Taylor to eventually be able to walk (on Belmar Drive) all the way to Preston Highway,” Kavanaugh said. There are about 1,200 houses in Camp Taylor, and roughly another 600 in the Belmar neighborhood just south of Audubon Park. Liz Martin, president of the Belmar Neighborhood Association, said the changes made so far have greatly improved safety for walkers and those in wheelchairs. “I'm really impressed with the improvements,” Martin said. Martin and Kavanaugh said they're hoping the elevated walkway next can be connected to an existing sidewalk a couple of blocks away on the Belmar side of the trestle. “It would be a great connector,” Martin said. “We use it now, but in a risky way — jogging across the street.” Members of the two neighborhood groups will discuss the sidewalk project with Councilman King during a joint meeting Thursday. The groups previously have gathered to pick up trash and other debris near the viaduct, and neighborhood leaders say they're hoping to work together on other projects where there are shared interests. Rob Holtzman, King's legislative aide, said plans are being developed to connect the elevated walkway with the sidewalk in Belmar and to add more trees and landscaping near the trestle. The city project has been delayed a couple of times, Holtzmann said, to get necessary approvals from Norfolk Southern. The original sidewalk and elevated walkway under the viaduct were built during the mid-1980s under the tenure of Cyril Allgeier, who represented the 4th Ward on the old Louisville Board of Aldermen from 1981 through 2002 and as District 10 Metro Councilman from 2003 until he retired in early 2005. Allgeier died in October at age 74. Reporter Charlie White can be reached at (502) 582-4653. |
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