Around Louisville, it's well known that Cardinals fly, but a project at the University of Louisville is working to ensure that they can also walk and bike.

The University of Louisville Transportation and Pedestrian Improvement Project plans to reshape how the streets surrounding campus operate, specifically 2nd and 3rd Streets from Eastern Parkway to W. Cardinal Boulevard on the northwest side.

UofL is working with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet on the plans, which are currently in the design phase. Officials hope to secure federal funding for the project, with the construction timeline TBD.

The project will:

Close a portion of 2nd Street — between Cardinal Boulevard and Brandeis Avenue — to vehicular traffic, converting it to a multi-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists
Close W. Brandeis Avenue — between 3rd and 4th Streets — to vehicular traffic, creating a facility for pedestrians and cyclists that will include bollards, seatwalls, and artistic paintingsAssuming paintings here! on the pavement
Reconfigure 3rd Street to create a new "road diet," which will include two dedicated bike lanes + two-way traffic
Create dedicated bus pull-offs along 3rd Street, allowing for traffic to continue around buses during stops
Install decorative fencing along 3rd Street to create a barrier between vehicle traffic and pedestrians
Remove street parking on a stretch of Cardinal Boulevard to create dedicated turning lanes
Move the entrance to the Speed Art Museum north

Unity Way, in front of UofL's Greek Row, would also be closed to vehicular traffic as part of the plan. | Photo via WHAS11

It coincides with a similar project happening up the road in Old Louisville, which will convert 2nd + 3rd Streets — from Cardinal Boulevard north to Broadway — to two-way traffic by 2027.

Want to weigh in on the project? Officials are currently accepting public comments + questions.Would copy link to highlight to automatically go to "Share your thoughts" portion!