LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - A major Kentuckiana road will see some changes to ease traffic congestion. With one bridge out and everyone's traffic stress level already on high, not everyone's happy. A planned slip ramp will help move traffic exiting the eastbound Watterson Expressway at U.S. 42 and avoid drivers going through two lanes of traffic. But we found out that change could be just the beginning.
"I've been going through that intersection for 50 years and it's been a bad situation," said Alan Blinco.
Just like the traffic, concern is growing about the intersection of the Watterson and U.S. 42 or Brownsboro Road.
"I've been coming through it for 35 years and I'm used to it but the whole Brownsboro interchange needs to be widened, new ramps but it and the whole thing figured out," said Bill Stiglitz.
A public meeting Thursday night offered a look at a possible solution.
"We feel the slip ramp that we're going to start building next year is one to litigate that congestion," said Matt Bullock of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
It's a ramp that'll feed to another ramp, cutting out two stop lights. Construction is expected to start next summer at a price tag of up to $3 million.
"There's about 23,000 cars that use U.S. 42 currently," Bullock said. "We have a few more businesses that have come online and of course there's the potential for the midlands development or the VA hospital."
That's part two of the concern: will the VA Hospital move in the area, jamming more traffic through a small space?
"I'm a vet. I go there," said Blinco, "and I tell you what they're talking about is wrong."
Blinco is concerned about the future of healthcare, but more specifically, where he'll be going for it.
"The traffic that's going to be generated by that is going to exasperate a situation that's already just can't hardly handle it," Blinco said.
If the hospital relocates, another traffic study will have to be done which could prompt even more changes.
"They're crazy," said Peggy English, a concerned resident and Brownsboro shop owner. "I'm sorry but the traffic situation here is so terrible now that to put a hospital there would endanger lives."
English feared for her life this week as a fire truck was forced to go down the road. She can't imagine if an ambulance has to do the same.
"The people tried to scatter," English said. "We pulled to the right. Some pulled to the left. Some actually pulled over into oncoming traffic to let this fire truck go by. Someone could be dead."
It isn't clear if the Brownsboro site will in fact be the new location of the VA Hospital.
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Map of the interchange showing the path of the planned slip ramp
Alan Blinco
Bill Stiglitz
Matt Bullock
Peggy English
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