City, transportation leaders say there are no immediate plans to make safety changes to Fern Valley Road

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – People who live and work along Fern Valley Road say it doesn’t surprise them that two pedestrians were struck and killed by cars within three days.

“This is a very busy road and there are a lot of cars,” said Cara Robinson, who has worked on Fern Valley Road for about three years. “People drive fast and, you know, don’t always pay attention.”

Through its Vision Zero Louisville traffic safety initiative, the city aims to reduce the number of traffic deaths to zero by 2050. WAVE News asked Mayor Craig Greenberg’s office if there were any plans for adjustments along Fern Valley Road. A spokesman did not comment at this time.

The spokesman said Mayor Greenberg would like to see changes like those recently made to Bardstown Road elsewhere in Louisville. This project reduced the number of traffic lanes and expanded sidewalks.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is partnering with Metro on its safety initiative. In a statement to WAVE News, a spokesperson said that, among other things, KYTC will review crash reports to review contributing factors and determine whether infrastructure improvements may be warranted.

However, people like Robinson have ideas in their heads.

“Maybe traffic lights or maybe even police presence or something patrolling the area would help slow some people down,” she said.

A section of Fern Valley Road is part of the Louisville Metro Police Department’s (LMPD) new crime-fighting plan. LMPD has said this could also include more patrols in the area.

WAVE News reached out to LMPD to see if they hope this could make the roads safer for people traveling through. We have not received any response.

Copyright 2024 WAVE. All rights reserved.