8664 Response
8664 is a Louisville transportation advocacy organization.
Let us be clear, 8664 enthusiastically supports public transit.
And we support a pedestrian and bike-friendly city with better transportation planning.
But as Jackie Green noted in his April 4 letter to the editor, we do not support KTAP's effort to stop the Ohio River Bridges Project. Unlike River Fields, a founding member of KTAP, we feel the East End Bridge has been delayed for too long.
If we've learned anything from the 40-year debate about building a bridge, it should be that we need to prioritize. The "two bridges, one project" idea is flawed and will only delay the entire project. While the idea of doing nothing is appealing to those that oppose the East End bridge, it will only hurt Louisville in the long run.
It is a fact that the majority of citizens in this region support building a bridge across the Ohio River. Likewise, it is clear that the majority of people prefer an eastern bridge to complete the I-265 beltway. So our current priority is to complete this automotive connection so we can move on to other important community issues.
We want to fix Spaghetti Junction. We want to reconnect with the West End. We want to build the most spectacular waterfront park in the country. We want to unite the region around a vibrant downtown. And again, we want to invest in public transit.
But first, we need to build the East End Bridge.
TYLER ALLEN
J.C. STITES
8664