8664.org
Encyclopedia
8664 is a grassroots
campaign located in Louisville, Kentucky
. Its stated mission is "to advocate for the revitalization of Louisville through the removal of Interstate 64
along the riverfront and the adoption of a transportation plan that will provide long-term benefits to the region's citizens, neighborhoods, environment and economy."
The movement wishes to alter future plans for Louisville's interstates, formally referred to as the Ohio River Bridges Project
, with three major components:
8664 proponents hope that the implementation of their plan will expand interest in Louisville's waterfront and reduce the need for a new downtown bridge, which would negatively impact Butchertown and the Old Jeffersonville Historic District
in Jeffersonville, Indiana
. 8664's plan would also involve extending the city's flagship Waterfront Park
to the west side of downtown Louisville
.
The number of supporters signed up on the 8664 website continues to grow (now over 11,000).
, Doug Cobb, proposed it. However, it gained little attention at the time.
Louisville businessmen Tyler Allen and J.C. Stites co-founded the campaign in 2005. Tyler Allen has talked to several government agencies to support the movement, including communities which wouldn't be immediately affected by new bridges. The campaign has also presented several annual public meetings with presentations from various transportation officials and activists.
On October 31, 2007, a committee of the Louisville Metro Council
announced that they would be holding public hearings on the 8664 plan.
In 2009, Tyler Allen left the campaign to run for Mayor of Louisville in 2010
.
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
campaign located in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. Its stated mission is "to advocate for the revitalization of Louisville through the removal of Interstate 64
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...
along the riverfront and the adoption of a transportation plan that will provide long-term benefits to the region's citizens, neighborhoods, environment and economy."
The movement wishes to alter future plans for Louisville's interstates, formally referred to as the Ohio River Bridges Project
Ohio River Bridges Project
The Ohio River Bridges Project is a controversial Louisville metropolitan area transportation project involving the reconstruction of the Kennedy Interchange , the completion of two new Ohio River bridges and the reconstruction of ramps on Interstate 65 between I-264 and downtown.One bridge will be...
, with three major components:
- Build the East End bridge as currently set forth in the ORBP
- Realign I-64 onto I-265Interstate 265Interstate 265 is an Interstate Highway ringing the Louisville, Kentucky metropolitan area, which includes southern Indiana, although the Indiana and Kentucky segments remain separate at the present time. In Kentucky it only runs through Jefferson County, from Interstate 71 in northeastern...
using the new bridge - Replace the Riverside Expressway from I-65Interstate 65Interstate 65 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States. The southern terminus is located at an intersection with Interstate 10 in Mobile, Alabama, and its northern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 90 , U.S. Route 12, and U.S...
to 22nd Street with an OlmstedFrederick Law OlmstedFrederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
-styled parkway, similar to already existing roads like Eastern Parkway in Louisville.
8664 proponents hope that the implementation of their plan will expand interest in Louisville's waterfront and reduce the need for a new downtown bridge, which would negatively impact Butchertown and the Old Jeffersonville Historic District
Old Jeffersonville Historic District
The Old Jeffersonville Historic District is located in Jeffersonville, Indiana. It marks the original boundaries of Jeffersonville, and is the heart of modern day downtown Jeffersonville It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983...
in Jeffersonville, Indiana
Jeffersonville, Indiana
Jeffersonville is a city in Clark County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. Locally, the city is often referred to by the abbreviated name Jeff. It is directly across the Ohio River to the north of Louisville, Kentucky along I-65. The population was 44,953 at the 2010 census...
. 8664's plan would also involve extending the city's flagship Waterfront Park
Louisville Waterfront Park
Louisville Waterfront Park is a municipal park adjacent to the downtown area of Louisville, Kentucky and the Ohio River. Specifically, it is adjacent to Louisville's wharf and Riverfront Plaza/Belvedere, which are situated to the west of the park....
to the west side of downtown Louisville
Downtown Louisville
Downtown Louisville is the largest central business district in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the urban hub of the Louisville, Kentucky Metropolitan Area. Its boundaries are the Ohio River to the north, Hancock Street to the east, York and Jacob Streets to the south, and 9th Street to the west...
.
The number of supporters signed up on the 8664 website continues to grow (now over 11,000).
History
The first serious talk about eliminating the I-64 section was in 1999, when the president and CEO of Greater Louisville Inc.Greater Louisville Inc.
Greater Louisville Inc. is an organization the promotes the growth of businesses in Louisville, Kentucky. It began as the Louisville Area Development Association , established in 1943 by mayor Wilson Wyatt. By 1950 LADA had absorbed the Board of Trade , the Retail Merchants Association and the...
, Doug Cobb, proposed it. However, it gained little attention at the time.
Louisville businessmen Tyler Allen and J.C. Stites co-founded the campaign in 2005. Tyler Allen has talked to several government agencies to support the movement, including communities which wouldn't be immediately affected by new bridges. The campaign has also presented several annual public meetings with presentations from various transportation officials and activists.
On October 31, 2007, a committee of the Louisville Metro Council
Louisville Metro Council
The Louisville Metro Council is the city legislature of Louisville, Kentucky . It was formally established in January 2003 upon the merger of the former City of Louisville with Jefferson County and replaced the city's Board of Aldermen and the county's Fiscal Court .The Metro Council consists of...
announced that they would be holding public hearings on the 8664 plan.
In 2009, Tyler Allen left the campaign to run for Mayor of Louisville in 2010
Louisville mayoral election, 2010
The 2010 mayoral election in Louisville Metro took place on November 2, 2010 alongside other federal, state and local elections.Incumbent Mayor Jerry Abramson was re-elected with 67% of the vote in 2006, after being elected to his first term with 74% of the vote in 2002...
.
Criticism
Critics believe that it would create endless red tape through the federal government. Other critics believe it is "too little, too late". Louisville mayor Jerry Abramson referred to proponents of the 8664 plan as "young idealists". Even the 1999 proponent, Doug Cobb, now dismisses it as a "paper dream".External links
- Official website (contains FlashAdobe FlashAdobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
) - 8664 Feasibility Study by Walter Kulash
- Removing Freeways - Restoring Cities
- Revitalizing downtown or creating commuter chaos? by Elizabeth Post, Louisville Patriot April 19, 2006, Accessed May 16, 2007
- Opinions vary on interstate fixes in Floyd and Clark counties by David Mann, December 29, 2006