OHIO RIVER BRIDGES PROJECT OFFICIALS APPROVE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR KENNEDY INTERCHANGE
Design plans for the new Kennedy Interchange have been revised to reduce the canopy over the Great Lawn and the number of piers.
March 2006 -- Design engineers working on the Kennedy Interchange rebuild must take into account the historic and environmental context of neighborhoods such as Butchertown and Phoenix Hill as they redesign Spaghetti Junction.
Urban design guidelines, recently approved by the Bi-State Management Team, have been developed to serve as reference tools for the Kennedy Interchange, the largest component of the Ohio River Bridges Project. These guidelines will help engineers and architects achieve a context-sensitive redesign of Spaghetti Junction.
Public input --
Input from the affected communities has been used to develop guidelines that incorporate elements such as lighting, landscaping, smooth overpass undersides and pedestrian-friendly sidewalks. Meetings with the Area Advisory Team, Kentucky Historic Preservation Advisory Team and with the public have focused on creating an open, accessible environment for the entire community.
Public feedback has done much to convey a sense of each neighborhood’s character and potential, and helps designers see them as areas of unique architectural, historic and cultural significance.
Context-sensitive design –
Context-sensitive design is a comprehensive process that blends the engineering consideration for safety and mobility with the preservation of scenic, aesthetic, historic, environmental and other identified community values. It is a critical step in the design process. The Kennedy Interchange design team has researched the areas of impact, taking note of the textures, colors, architecture and landscaping that define the neighborhoods affected by the Kennedy Interchange rebuild. This research has helped direct the development of the urban design guidelines.
Some of the key elements of the urban design guidelines include:
• Well-defined, attractive gateways into the community
• Landscaping and grading intended to enhance driving and pedestrian experience
• Clean, elegant and well-proportioned superstructures, piers and wall structures
• An attractive, uncluttered environment under the viaduct for pedestrians and bicyclists
• Use of uniform, lightly colored elements, such as railings, light poles and sign supports
Next step –
Officials with the Kennedy Interchange design team will implement the urban design guidelines, as approved by the Bi-State Management Team. Their design plans will take into account the measures needed to preserve the distinctive character of the affected areas.