Via Appia Corridor Safety Improvement Project

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Start Date Estimated Completion Location Project Status
June 10, 2024 Mid-July Via Appia Complete

Project Overview

A pilot project for safety enhancements on Via Appia was approved by City Council at the May 21 City Council meeting. This project includes restriping on Via Appia to reduce the corridor to one lane in each direction, adding a buffer around the bike lanes.

Status & Next Steps  

The City’s pavement marking contractor has completed the lane reduction for Via Appia. Additional markings (crosswalk, bike symbols, turn arrows, etc.) are all installed. Minor additions to the pavement markings to complete this project will be installed by the end of July.

The City of Louisville has implemented changes to Via Appia to improve safety for all users. These changes are based on a Safe System Approach, which is a shift from a conventional safety approach because it focuses on both human mistakes and human vulnerability to design a system with many redundancies in place to protect all users. This method of design allows for a proactive approach to design instead of reacting after an incident occurs.

The City hosted pop-up meetings and a community meeting in March of 2024 to get input from the community on this project. For additional information on Via Appia, click to view the Community Meeting presentation.

To review the latest version of proposed changes to Via Appia, view the project plan.

Pilot Project

A condition of the May 21, 2024 approval of the Via Appia Safety Project by City Council is that this project is a pilot project, with Engineering staff monitoring the effects of the changes over the next years. This includes speed and volume data collection quarterly for the first year to compare to the data collected before implementation. After the first year, data collection will occur every six months. This collected speed and volume data will be posted on this page for review by the public. Staff will also continue to work with the Louisville Police Department to review any crashes that occur during the pilot project period.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the City considering this project? Why now?
How did the City come to recommend the proposed improvements? What data and standards were used to develop the proposed changes?
What are the concerns at pedestrian crossings? What solutions has the City looked at to improve the existing pedestrian crossings?
What solutions has the City looked at to improve major intersections?
Why does the City not install a traffic signal at the major intersections, particularly Pine Street? Why not an all-way stop at the intersection with Pine Street?
Why is the City modifying the bike lanes; aren’t they fine as they are today?
Why is the City recommending the elimination of a through lane in each direction?
If you eliminate a through lane, I can’t get around slow vehicles. Why is that good?
Why is the City not doing ADA Ramp or pedestrian island improvements?
We frequently use the Recreation and Senior Center. How will you be addressing the challenging left turn onto Via Appia?
How will reducing the number of through lanes affect Via Appia as an evacuation route? How will emergency vehicles pass slower vehicles on Via Appia if it's one lane in each direction?
Why is there an interim and ultimate project?

Drone footage was taken at the intersection with Pine Street between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. on Friday, November 17, 2023 when traffic control was set up for the median project, reducing Via Appia to one lane in each direction. Additional footage was taken at the same location during the same time period on Monday, December 4, 2023 when Via Appia had both lanes open in each direction. Engineering staff reviewed effects of the lane reduction on the operations at this intersection and impacts were negligible.

 

Please contact Public Works at PWorks@LouisvilleCO.gov with any additional questions, concerns, or comments.

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