Olmsted Parkways, Southern Parkway Improvements – Louisville, KY
Frederick Law Olmsted is considered one of America’s pioneer landscape architects, best known for designing the grounds of New York City’s Central Park and the US Capitol in Washington, DC. Olmsted’s firm also designed Louisville’s Olmsted Parkway System, which has been a part of the city’s history for over a century. Originally, the six parkways – Northwestern, Southwestern, Algonquin, Southern, Eastern and Cherokee – were designed as tree-lined corridors linking the city’s parks. The roadways were intended to accommodate carriage, equestrian and pedestrian traffic; as automobiles became more prevalent, safety concerns grew.
BA Engineers previously provided survey mapping for Southwestern Parkway and Algonquin Parkway, and is again working with Gresham Smith to provide survey mapping for the 2.5 mile stretch of Southern Parkway. This mapping will be used for design of improvements that focus on better access for all modes of transportation, increasing safety and creating public space, all while honoring Olmsted’s original vision for the parkway system.