March 28, 2024

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61º | 0% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:33 a.m. | Sunset 8:02 p.m.
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🏙️ Down on Main Street

A overhead view of a busy downtown street. Cars are on the road, with buildings standing on either side.

Phase one of the project would transform this stretch of Main in front of historic Whiskey Row. | Image from Main Remade, via Kentucky Transportation Cabinet

If you find yourself down on Main Street like Bob Seger in a few years, things might not still (be) the same.

Last week, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet unveiled the details of Main Remade, a project that will significantly change traffic patterns along Main Street in downtown Louisville.

It’s set to be completed in three phases, with the first to begin later this year. Here’s a look at what the first phase will do:

Convert Main from one-way to two-way traffic from 2nd Street to Wenzel Street in NuLu — that’s 10 blocks
Install a protected bike lane — aka cycle track — along Main, giving a safe place for bikes and scooters to operate. The lane will run westbound along that same 10-block stretch.
Upgrade the crosswalks of Main by adding striping, marking, and lighting, improving the visibility of pedestrians
Add dedicated left-hand turning lanes at intersections
Upgrade traffic lights

A rendering of a street procect that would add two-way traffic, dedicated turning lanes, and a cycle path. — Renderings for the project show what Main Street will look like once its completed, including a westbound cycle track.
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Image via the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet

The project’s two other phases will the same improvements to two other sections of Main, but construction dates are TBD. The second phase will convert West Main — from 10th to 22nd Streets — while the third phase will convert Main from 2nd to 10th Streets.

Construction will not interrupt traffic, according to officials, with Main remaining open throughout the project.

The aim is to improve safety. From 2018 to 2023, there were over 460 crashes along Main, with 89 resulting in injury. The changes will discourage high vehicle speeds, reducing the severity of crashes when they do occur.

Officials are accepting public comments through Tuesday, April 16.

Bonus: This kind of project is happening on several major roadways in Louisville, including 9th street + 2nd and 3rd Streets in Old Louisville.

Events

Thursday, March 28

March Book Club | Thursday, March 28 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Foxing Books, 1314 Bluegrass Ave., Louisville | $15 | Join a discussion about “There Goes the Neighborhood,” a 2023 novel by Jade Adia.
Comedy Night | Thursday, March 28 | 7-8:30 p.m. | The Next Door at 3rd Turn, 10410 Watterson Trail, Louisville | $25 | Get some giggles while you gulp down beer — tickets include one drink ticket.

Friday, March 29

Let’s Glow Crazy | Friday, March 29 | 6-8:30 p.m. | Logan Street Market, 1001 Logan St., Louisville | $7-$10 | Sample sips from 721 Mint It Herb & Juice Bar while you dance the night away.

Saturday, March 30

Goin’ To Market: Win, Place & Artisan Show | Saturday, March 30 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | CityPlace, 112 South 1st Ave., La Grange | Free | Shop local artisans, small businesses, boutiques, crafters, and food trucks at this Kentucky Derby-themed market.
Connect the Dots | Saturday, March 30 | 10 a.m.-1 p.m. | Highlands-Shelby Park Branch Library, 1250 Bardstown Rd., Louisville | Free | Children will learn how to make the world more inclusive in this educational series focusing on blindness and low vision.
Coffee Cupping and Palate Building: Sources of Sweet | Saturday, March 30 | 12-1:30 p.m. | Switchboard at the Myriad Hotel, 900 Baxter Ave., Louisville | $19 | Learn how to discern sweet flavors in coffee, like honey, molasses, and maple from Switchboard’s lead barista.
LouCity vs Birmingham Legion FC | Saturday, March 30 | 4 p.m. | Lynn Family Stadium, 350 Adams St., Louisville | $19-$166 | It’s Family Day: This afternoon kickoff will include an enhanced pregame Fan Zone with kids activities and a halftime Easter egg hunt.*

Sunday, March 31

Louisville Arcade Expo 2024 | Sunday, March 31 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Triple Crown Pavilion, 1780 Plantside Dr. , Louisville | $20-$65 | Take in over 40,000 sqft of arcade games, VR, pinball, and real life Mario Kart on the final day of this expo.

Monday, April 1

Wine Education: Australia | Monday, April 1 | 7-9 p.m. | Nouvelle, 214 S. Clay St., Louisville | $55 | Learn about the history of Australia’s wine growing culture and taste four wine pairings with master Sommelier Rebbeca Loewy.

Events calendar here

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News Notes

Festival

Single-day tickets for Gazebo Festival, Jack Harlow’s inaugural music festival at Waterfront Park, go on sale tomorrow at 10 a.m. SZA will headline on Saturday, May 25, with Harlow following on Sunday, May 26. Single-day tickets will be $155, and you can attend both days for $255.

Development

A mixed-use development is in the works for a former West End strip mall. The property at 18th + Jefferson Streets burned down in December 2022. Now, the owner has plans for a two-story structure with 8,100-sqft of retail space on the first floor and apartments on the second. (Courier Journal)

Biz

The Plant Kingdom is putting down new roots in NuLu. The garden center is uprooting from Westport Road in St. Matthews, where it’s been since 1998, and moving to 1000 E. Market St. near Climb NuLu. The new location will open on Monday, April 1.

Open

502thrift, a vintage clothing store, has moved to its first permanent storefront at 1900 Eastern Pkwy. at the intersection with Bardstown Road. The thrift shop was started by a group of high school students. You can buy or sell retro ‘fits there daily.

Eat

Sweet treat seekers in the Norton Commons area have a new option — Drick’s Treat Boutique is now open at 10616 Meeting St. The bakery and cafe offers coffees, teas, and hot chocolate, as well as cupcakes + breakfast items, like a fried egg sandwich. It’s open at 7 a.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

Arts

Speaking of Jackman... The Louisville Ballet will be dancing to a different beat in an upcoming production. Dancers are preparing for “502,” which will feature music from Harlow. The production will take place at the Brown Theatre, Nov. 1-3. Last year, Harlow’s foundation donated $50,000 to the Louisville Ballet. (WDRB)

Plan Ahead

Celebrate horse racing Kentucky Derby-style for a good cause on Saturday, April 27 at the 2024 Kentucky Bourby, an event raising money to battle Parkinson’s disease. Sip free whiskey samples from local distilleries while enjoying live music, raffles, and a silent auction. Tickets are $100, benefiting TKO Fight Club.

Louisvillian

A Christian Academy + UofL grad will compete for the title of Miss USA this summer. Anne Summer Baldridge was recently crowned Miss USA Maine after moving there from Derby City. She’ll travel to California for the pageant on Aug. 4. (WHAS11)

Sports

Who’s going to lead the Cards basketball team in 2024? Learn more about the Louisville men’s basketball coaching search from local experts of the Cards with Locked On’s daily podcasts.

Holiday

Easter is nearly here. Celebrate the flavors of the spring season with these 43 Easter recipe ideas — plus get tips for cooking the perfect Easter ham.*

Health

Did you know? Patients with limited damage to bone and cartilage might be eligible for a partial knee replacement. Talk with the experts from the UofL Health – Orthopedics team to see if you or a loved one could benefit from the procedure. Learn more.*

Wellness

Therapy isn’t a luxury — it’s an essential tool for navigating life’s complexities. Invest in your wellbeing with 25% off your first month of BetterHelp.*

Plan Ahead

🍻 A summer brew near you

Summer Beer Fest at Frazier brings craft beer to Museum Row. | Photo by Frazier History Museum

Good news is brewing, LOU — the fourth annual Summer Beer Fest at Frazier is on tap for July 27. The event will feature 200 specialty beers, food, retail, live music, and a fun zone with games and activities for kids.

It won’t just be local Louisville beer flowing — breweries from Fayette, Madison, Meade, Shelby, Woodford, and other Kentucky counties will all be represented, along with out-of-state beer makers. And that’s not ale — a selection of gluten-free + gluten-reduced beers, low-calorie IPAs, hard ciders, and spiked seltzers will also be available.

Early bird tickets are on sale through Monday, April 1 — so hop to it. General admission tickets are $40, while VIP tickets — which get you in one hour earlier + access to the Frazier History museum, including its indoor restrooms — are $75. Prices will jump to $50 and $90 after the early bird period flies away.

The Buy

Jenni Earle Bandanas. Try a new trend this spring with these bandanas – perfect to tie around your neck, hair, or handbag.

Answered

Where do you think the name of the Chicken Steps in Clifton came from?

A green street sign on a wooden post, pointing in the direction of a staircase. The sign calls the staircase, "the Chicken Steps." — Neighborhood residents think the name of the steps refer to the fact that people are “too chicken” to climb them at night.
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Photo by LOUtoday

Last week, we told you about the Chicken Steps, a Clifton neighborhood landmark with a mysterious name. Turns out, most of you were as unfamiliar with the steps as we were, but a few of you had ideas where the name came from:

“Chickens roosted in the original wooden steps which were replaced by the city with concrete in 1976.” — Kristin G.
“As a child for some reason I just associated the steps with spindly chicken legs.” — Cassandra O.
“People are chicken to climb because there are a lot of steps and they are very steep.” — Cathy D.

Don't be chicken and tell us what you think

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Jeff

From the editor

We just completed out coffee shop bracket, where our readers voted Heine Brothers as Louisville’s best coffee shop. Maybe we should do one for chicken tenders in the future. My wife and I took our son and stopped by Hauck’s Corner earlier this week, and the tenders there would have my vote.

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