LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Access to Louisville's riverfront will continue to grow, with projects by the state and local nonprofit, Waterfront Park, underway and even nearing completion.
For Portland resident Zachary Simmons, Portland's riverfront is the best kept secret in the city.
"Just a mile away is a whole different world," Simmons said. "You're pretty much in paradise."
But Simmons knows it may be difficult for some people to find spots like Lannan Park.
Now, a federal grant may help uncover that gem.
Kentucky received $14.5 million to help reconnect Louisville's Portland neighborhood with the Ohio River.
Railroads, levees, floodwalls, and Interstate 64 limit riverfront access for people who live in the neighborhood.
Because of that, the state qualified for a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, which is aimed at improving access in communities.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet plans to use the money in a few ways to improve pedestrian connectivity to the Ohio River from the Portland neighborhood. It plans to make roads around 22nd Street and I-64 better suited not only for drivers, but also cyclists and pedestrians.
The State Transportation Department and the Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency applied for the grant (KIDPA).
"It's cut off so much from parks and facilities," said Greg Burress, community outreach director for KIDPA. "In order to make those connections more viable, it's just great for the area because if you can open those area's up it's going to attract more people at the end of the day."
Plans also include rebuilding two pedestrian bridges that cross I-64.
The design process is expected to wrap up next year, with construction beginning in 2028.
This comes as crews still work on an entirely separate project. The westward expansion of Louisville's Waterfront Park.
Waterfront Park's first stage of phase four is expected to be complete this spring. It will include a large picnic area, playground, and community center.
"All of these projects that are focusing on reconnecting our people and our community to the river are just really positive in terms of health and well being as well as economic development," said Waterfront Park Executive Director Deborah Bilitski.
Bilitski said the latest expansion means 10,000 residents will be within a 20 minute walk to the park.
The $50 million expansion project will extend Waterfront Park into the city's west end along the Ohio River to a 22-acre area between 10th and 14th streets.
For a closer look at the park plans, click here. To read more about the westward expansion, click here.
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