Louisville Loop Master Plan loopmasterplan_draft_041813sm_0 | Page 40

alignment of the Loop, lies the southern end of the Louisville Renais-
sance South Business Park, a part of the 3,000 acre commercial and
industrial zone managed by the Louisville Airport Authority. The Renais-
sance Zone will be a major feature of the regional economy and major
employment center. Direct access via the Louisville Loop coupled with
transit service will provide a transportation alternative for residents in
the area who choose to bike or walk to work or exercise using the Loop.
Limestone Belt South
Length: 10-12 miles (conceptual)
Physiographic Region: Limestone Belt South
Character: Rolling, Pastoral, Agricultural, low-density suburban resi-
dential
Highlights: McNeely Lake, Fairmount Falls
Description: The area east of Jefferson Memorial Forest and the
former “Wet Woods” region of southern Jefferson County transitions
into the Limestone Belt South area. This area is defined by the layer of
limestone bedrock combined with the gentle topography and multiple
creeks. These characteristics have historically made it ideal for farm-
ing and agriculture. In the modern era, residential subdivisions and
pastoral landscapes define the roadsides along this stretch of Louisville.
At the center of the area is one of Louisville’s largest public parks,
McNeely Lake Park. Defined by its scenic 46-acre fishing lake, the
Park provides a focal point for the future Loop. Within the region are
multiple waterfalls near Bardstown Road and Floyds Fork stream. Fair-
mount Falls, a part of the Louisville Metro Parks system, is a highlight of
this district, featuring a nearly 40-foot waterfall.
Destinations: The Limestone Belt South region lies central to the
southern part of Louisville and will provide direct connection between
the city’s two large natural areas: Jefferson Memorial Forest and The
Parklands of Floyds Fork. McNeely Lake Park will be the central fea-
ture between the two natural areas. The trail will be within proximity of
major employment centers, Commerce Crossings and the Renaissance
Zone south of the Louisville International Airport.
Community Facility Destinations w/in 1 Mile of Limestone Belt South
segment:
• Neighborhoods: Fairdale, Okolona, Heritage Creek, Minor
40
•
•
Lane Heights, Fern Creek,
7 schools
3 public parks: McNeely Lake Park, Fairmount,
Farman
Challenges: While much of the region is characterized by low-
density residential development and pastoral settings, there are
several infrastructure challenges that will need to be addressed
in final design and engineering of the Loop route. Determining
the safest route and access point to cross Preston Highway will
require special attention. Preston Highway carries in excess of
30,000 vehicles per day in some portions, particularly near the
Gene Snyder Freeway. Another challenge created by the exist-
ing infrastructure is the potential risk of aligning a shared-use
path along roads with a high-frequency of driveway crossings.
Many roads and right-of-ways in the region with the capacity to
accommodate a path and will require extra detail in the design
and engineering phase of the final alignment to mitigate poten-
tial conflict points for cyclists and motorists.
Opportunities: Along the corridor, several key opportunities
exist to connect the community to key destinations and leverage
construction on the future expansion of Cooper Chapel Road.
At the center of the region is McNeely Lake Park. The Loop’s
alignment through or next to the park will create new opportuni-
ties for the area’s residents to enjoy the parks’ amenities with
alternative options for arriving. In addition, tying the region to
Jefferson Memorial Forest in the west and the Parklands in the
east will provide this region direct access to some of the region’s
most unique natural settings. In the southeastern portion of
this region near Bardstown Road, Floyds Fork and its feeding
tributaries have carved a series of waterfalls in various places.
One of the falls, Fairmount Falls, is a Metro Park and could po-
tentially be linked to the Loop through soft-surface spur trails. In
addition, with General Electric’s Appliance Park just to the north
of Gene Snyder, there are potential opportunities to explore a bi-
cycle network that connects the Loop with this high employment
center. There are potential trail-oriented development sites at
Bardstown and Thixton Lane or near the future alignment of
Cooper Chapel Road extension currently being planned. These