Butchertown Neighborhood Association

Butchertown's Comments on the Bridge Project

Feb 28, 2002

Butchertown Neighborhood Association
Comments on the Ohio River Bridges Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement
February 25, 2002


The Butchertown Neighborhood Association feels that the impacts of the proposed relocation of Spaghetti Junction and the new interchanges and lane additions of I-64 and I-71 will cause irreversible damage to the quality of life of Butchertown.

We are a neighborhood, a neighborhood made up of young and old, singles and families, churches and community centers, and of responsible businesses both big and small. We want our streets to be pedestrian and child friendly, our residents to feel comfortable and safe in their homes and our neighborhood environment to be free of noise, air, light and visual pollution. We are fighting for preservation of a neighborhood. Our neighborhood loses several historic structures per year and is still considered by some to be an industrial hub and used materials storage site.

As stated in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, ?“Butchertown?’s architectural diversity is one of its unique characteristics?”(Ch. 6, 6-29). We, the residents of Butchertown making up approximately 300 homes in a 200-acre historic district, feel that this is but one of the many distinct characteristics we possess. Butchertown is unique in that it is a thriving downtown neighborhood, a neighborhood that has weathered many setbacks (industrial zoning in the 1930?’s and the construction of the present Spaghetti Junction, I-71 and I-64, for example) and proved many critics wrong as to its success. But still, Butchertown, as well as many other historic downtown neighborhoods, continually struggles against efforts made to dismantle its integrity.

The neighborhood of Butchertown has serious concerns about the details of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), particularly with respect to all Downtown Alignments C-1, C-2, and C-3. The DEIS leaves many questions unanswered, particularly those regarding construction impacts, contaminated sites, relocations of businesses and residences and methods of determining all adverse impacts, including noise, visual, light etc. In regard to areas affected by the project, particularly the visual APE and the noise APE, we feel that these impacts are underestimated and minimized severely. We feel that the impacts stated in chapter 6, 6-29 are severely minimized for the relocation and reconstruction scenario. Increasing noise levels, we feel, will reach intolerable levels and that those noise impacts spread well beyond the determined APE boundaries. It is not defensible for FHWA to conclude that increased noise levels will not result in an adverse effect because of the existing urban quality of our environment.

We do not accept increased levels of impact of any kind. At present, Butchertown experiences moderate levels of noise, heavy commercial and industrial traffic, visual pollution of billboards and expressways, to name a few. Increasing any existing levels will most assuredly decrease the quality of life for all residents of the neighborhood.


Observations and Questions Concerning the DEIS:


(1) There is no construction impact study. This is very important! We need to know about staging areas, construction worker parking and transport (will they park on our streets?). What will the affects on our roads be? What are the expected noise levels and construction times?

(2) An appendix to the separate Socioeconomic Impact Analysis states that the CSX railroad tracks are proposed to be relocated. Where will they go and how will that affect the neighborhood?

(3) How was the vibration impact report information gathered? How many sites in Butchertown are identified that will experience ?“annoying vibration impacts?” during construction?

(4) The Area of Potential Effect that is shown on maps is not accurate; we think that the impacts (visual and noise) are far greater than depicted on the map provided. The entire National Historic District should be included in the APE and is not according to the DEIS. We feel that since the Spaghetti Junction structures are to be elevated, the noise, lights and pollution will travel to lower locations within the Butchertown neighborhood. It is confusing to see such a large area of effect in Southern Indiana, and such a significantly smaller one in Downtown Louisville particularly in Butchertown. It should also be noted that residents have experienced the floodwall to have an amplifying effect for any noises created within and outside the neighborhood. So, the APE should take this factor into consideration.

(5) There is no recognition of the potential human health risks associated with motor vehicle air emissions that the southern relocation of Spaghetti Junction would bring to Butchertown.

(6) There is no recognition of the potential human health risks associated with moving contaminated soils and/or groundwater from contaminated properties such as the old ARCO terminals and tanks, the I-71 landfill, and junkyards within the Butchertown neighborhood.

(7) Why is the I-71 (Frankfort Ave.) interchange needed? Has the potential induced negative growth to this area been considered? How does this affect the already troublesome intersection at Story and Frankfort?

(8) The Witherspoon extension seems to be a duplicate of what River Rd. already offers. We don?’t see a need for a new and extended Witherspoon, the new Witherspoon will be closer to residents and will negatively impact (visual, noise, air) their quality of life. Additionally, the extended Witherspoon and Frankfort Ave. interchange will bring unwanted and incompatible commercial and industrial land use (food mart/ gas stations, more heavy industrial). At this time Butchertown does not have protection from unwanted and incompatible land use.

(9) In chapter 5 of the DEIS under Social and Economic Environmental Consequences (p. 5-15) it is stated that ?“divisive or disruptive?” impacts will be minimal to the neighborhoods impacted by the C-1/C-3 alignments. It also states that changes to the community character are minimal. We do not agree with these statements, we are at risk of losing characteristics that hold our neighborhood together. Our streets are in danger of becoming busy thruways, and noise will be raised to unacceptable levels, to name only a few.

(10) How long are we to endure so-called ?“temporary?” impacts stated in chapter 5, p.1? Are we looking at 5, 10, 15 years?

(11) Chapter 6 p. 29 states that Butchertown has an ?“Architectural Review Board?”. This is a false statement. We do not have that kind of protection. Furthermore, with the absence of such board we cannot review proposed modifications to structures in our neighborhood. Without such power we cannot control the unwanted land use in our neighborhood that the proposed reconstruction and relocation of construction of Spaghetti Junction would bring.


Objections, Requests and Mitigation


(1) No billboards, new or old. These signs are not consistent with the historic neighborhood.

(2) A best-case scenario for Butchertown would be the reconstruction of Spaghetti Junction on its existing site that is a comparable or better design than what presently exists. A design that presents fewer negative impacts (noise, air pollution, visual) to the neighborhood and that does not have further lane intrusion into the neighborhood.

(3) A green belt should replace present brownfields

(4) A minimum of a double row of evergreen landscaping to shield Butchertown from expressway impacts (visual, noise, dust, vibrations, light). Landscaping, berms and other natural barriers should be considered not only to shield the neighborhood from the finished project but also during the first phases of construction to shield the neighborhood from construction dirt, noise and light.

(5) Specific work hours, during the construction phase, should be implemented so that work does not take place at night or on weekends. Construction truck traffic should be forbidden during construction and heavy fines be imposed if it occurs. All construction lights should be directional and specific to the construction area only and not spill over into the neighborhood. We feel that residents will be exposed to years of construction noise, dust, traffic, visuals, vibrations and light pollution; these negative impacts should not affect the quality of life and sleep of our residents.

(6) An extensive study should be done to determine potential human health and environment risks mentioned in 5 and 6 of the previous section ?“Observation and Questions?”.

(7) The Butchertown Strategic Neighborhood Plan should not be compromised by the design and construction any outside projects. The final designs should comply with the neighborhood plan.

(8) A Butchertown Advisory Committee should be allowed to comment on and approve designs and construction and be satisfied that noise and air pollution, as well as light and visual pollution are being shielded from the neighborhood. This committee should have available to them a clear and defined working partnership/relationship with the City of Louisville, the FHWA, the KYTA and any other entity involved in the Spaghetti Junction and Downtown Bridge Project.

(9) A representative or liaison from the City of Louisville, KYTC, FHWA, appointed design firms and construction companies should participate at all Butchertown Neighborhood monthly meetings.

(10) An ombudsperson should be made available with 24-hr phone access when problems occur with construction or problems initiated by construction. We want constant contact and representation during this process.

(11) Noise barriers should be constructed of substantial materials and be visually attractive. The most effective ?“quiet pavement?” materials should be used for the roadways, regardless of cost.

(12) A best-case scenario would be to eliminate the proposed Frankfort Avenue interchange, this interchange will add to the already heavily traveled intersection at Story Ave. The adverse visual, noise, air and vibration impacts will further deteriorate this area and worsen an already hostile environment for pedestrians.

(13) We request an additional study specifically addressing the existing problems with U.S. Hwy 42 (Brownsboro Rd.) connection to Story Ave as well as problems with the existing route of Story Ave. A BNA study of the corner of Story and Brownsboro Rd. (U.S. 42) indicates that this is a traffic raceway that is dangerous to life and property. As it stands vehicles have hit seventeen houses in the last twenty years. An expanded Spaghetti Junction can only feed more traffic through this corner. One house has boulders piled up in front of it for protection from vehicles; one has a guardrail in front for protection. A good portion of these houses have been hit multiple times; a few positions are hit more than a half dozen times per year; some houses have problems getting insurance because of being hit; trees cannot be planted on the sidewalk because they are constantly being knocked down; telephone poles are constantly being hit. Pedestrians that walk at or near this corner are risking injury or their life when vehicular traffic approaches. These vehicle crashes occur day or night, road wet or dry, driver drunk or sober. The Spaghetti Junction designers can take this opportunity to address the ills of prior (Federal) construction.

The following should be considered:

a) Rerouting U.S. Hwy. 42 to the northeast of the Metropolitan Sewer District Pumping Station and the City of Louisville towing lot, then connecting to River Road.
b) Story Ave. is the last mile of a 350 mile U.S. Highway (U.S.42) from Louisville to Cleveland, can this last mile be decommissioned as a federal highway and efforts be made to install traffic calming devices or restore it to a 2-way street.
c) Reroute U.S. 60 (Frankfort Ave.) straight to River Road (via Ohio Street, instead of turning left on Story Avenue, in order to allow traffic calming designs to be applied to Story Ave or in order to allow Story Ave. to be returned to a two way street.

(14) Butchertown does not want streets connecting to new Witherspoon to become streets for thru traffic. There is already enough of a connection to this street and to the Waterfront Park, we do not want more connections. ?“Feeder?” streets bring more unwanted commercial, industrial and thru traffic into the neighborhood and create unsafe environments for children and pedestrians and turn the neighborhood into a cut-through. Heavy industrial and large (tractor-trailer) commercial trucks should be rerouted around neighborhood. We suggest that Clay Street and Frankfort Ave. be the only two streets in Butchertown that carry thru-traffic through the neighborhood, these two roads would carry traffic to and from River Road. All other streets in the neighborhood should be used for local (destination) traffic only. We do not necessarily recommend that any streets be dead-ended, but have traffic calming devices and design to discourage thru-traffic.


(15) As a consolation to the neighborhood overhead wiring should be buried as much as possible on existing streets and any streets affected in any way by the construction. Examples of underground utilities are found on the new Witherspoon and Riverfront Park. No new overhead wiring!





(16) The elevated portion of the new Spaghetti Junction should be constructed on fill
with architecturally appropriate structure facings or sloped sides. Trees and
shrubs should be used at every opportunity to reduce noise, visual and dust impacts. Again, the neighborhood should be consulted on all final design issues.


(17) The Butchertown Neighborhood Association requests that grants be awarded to BNA to fund a full time position and to identify and implement mitigation projects that will be needed during the design and construction phases of the Spaghetti Junction and Downtown Bridge Project. The nature of our executive board and members is purely volunteer based and is subject to natural turnover and limited amount of volunteer time. A paid position is needed to supply the neighborhood with a constant and dedicated representation during all phases of construction and design, to be on call when problems occur and available to mitigate those problems with acceptable solutions. We feel that person should be selected from the Butchertown neighborhood and have prior experience with the board of directors and/or involvement with the community so that they are familiar with the course of events leading up to the proposed project. It would be difficult and dangerous for the neighborhood to not have a compensated, dedicated person during this project. We feel that without this position there is the possibility for details related to this project to become misdirected and cause serious irreversible negative impacts to the neighborhood. A volunteer based workforce can only be stretched so far and give only so much time for proper representation, funding for the position and projects is crucial.






















Thomas Edison House Museum
Resolution in support of the Butchertown Neighborhood Association Comments on the Ohio River Bridges Project Impact Statement, January 17, 2002



As we are an integral part of the Butchertown Historic District and will be directly effected by the building of a new bridge in this area, the Board of Regents of the Thomas Edison House

?· expresses its concern over the impact of environmental changes that will inevitably occur in the building of said bridge and
?· supports the Butchertown Neighborhood Association in its efforts to secure answers to its concerns regarding environmental impact.

We recognize the integrity of the Butchertown Neighborhood Association as the long-time voice for this area?’s growth and development, and we hope its concerns will be fully recognized and attended.


This resolution was unanimously passed by the Board of Regents of the Thomas Edison House on Thursday, February 14, 2002, at their regular monthly meeting.