Louisville 'ahead of schedule' for flood cleanup with Derby events around the corner

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville is ahead of schedule when it comes cleaning up after the historic flooding of the Ohio River.

At a news conference Tuesday, Mayor Craig Greenberg said cleanup began less than 24 hours after the Ohio River began to recede. He credited that response to the hundreds of volunteers who turned out over the weekend to start picking up debris at Waterfront Park.

"I want to give a giant thanks to all of the volunteers that came out and all of the hard working public servants and contractors that we're using to help recover from this," he said.

Greenberg repeated that the city will be ready for all the Kentucky Derby Festival events planned starting this weekend including the Tour De Lou bike race, which will happen on schedule and as planned. 

Since the floodwater started to recede, Greenberg said public works crews and contractors have been working sun up and sun down to clean up debris, trash and mud from public areas. He said the focus so far has been River Road downtown, east Louisville and the far southwestern part of the city.

Progress is being made cleaning up roadways including River Road from Witherspoon Street to Zorn Avenue, but Greenberg said River Road from 2nd Street to 9th Street will take more time based on the amount of debris and mud that needs to be removed. He said crews hope to reopen the 3rd Street ramp from Interstate 64 as soon as possible. Interstate 71 ramps to Zorn Avenue have also reopened. 

Greenberg also said work has started on major sections of southwest Louisville, including Dixie Beach, Catherine Station, Watson Lane and Lake Dreamland. The plan is to reopen Abbott Beach soon. 

"We have 16 crews that are working sunup to sundown, and so they are able to spread out around the city," he said. "I think we have four of them working between the 2nd and 9th street areas on River Road. But, again, we are trying to get to every area in record time." 

Additional effort will be needed to reopen several parks along the Ohio River that experienced flooding including Eva Bandman, Cox Park and the golf course at Shawnee Park, which was almost entirely under water. 

Greenberg said the last time the city experienced a flood of this magnitude, it took six weeks to clean up. This time, he said they're "well ahead of schedule."

The mayor said flooding coupled with tornadoes in Jeffersontown, Fairdale and Middletown damaged at least 1,200 homes and businesses in Louisville. He said the current focus is on homes along Harrods Creek where erosion is threatening homes in Prospect.

The city is finalizing a debris pickup schedule, and details are expected to be released this week.

Greenberg extended his appreciation not just to local volunteers but to Gov. Andy Beshear and representatives in Washington, including Rep. Morgan McGarvey, Sen. Rand Paul and Sen. Mitch McConnell for supporting the response from the federal government. 

McConnell spoke briefly at Tuesday's news conference.

"I'm here because this is my hometown and I was concerned when I learned what had happened," McConnell said. "Unfortunately, as all of you know, this has been a problem all across our state the last couple of years. Floods, tornadoes — it has been a very active period for these kids of disasters.

"It has been a remarkable team effort to get Kentucky ready for the Derby. Thank you for all the volunteers and all the outstanding work that's been done."

The city announced a $5 million plan to clean up before the Kentucky Derby on May 4.  Greenberg said he believes the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the federal government will provide all of the response the city expects, which he said is 87% of reimbursement for Louisville and Jefferson county for cleanup.  

"I'm hopeful and have no doubt the federal government will come through — as they have every other time in the past throughout our nation's history — to support us in this cleanup for this national disaster," Greenberg said. 

IMAGES | Ohio River reaches highest level since 1997 in downtown Louisville

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