---
title: "22: Brownsboro Road Hazard Elimination"
type: "pdf"
year: "2006"
canonical: "/projects/744"
---

# Kentucky Highway KY 22  Brownsboro Road Hazard Elimination 

Louisville Metropolitan Police Department Division 8, Louisville, KY

THE PROBLEM: Numerous vehicular wrecks occurring along the Brownsboro Road corridor and the subsequent extraneous deployment of police resources to investigate and mitigate the crash scenes and traffic congestion. Despite a few minor roadway corrections implemented by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet the results were negligible and community residents along with local and state government leaders continued to complain about the number of wrecks along this roadway.

ANALYSIS: Compared to other roadways in the police division a larger number of wrecks were occurring along Brownsboro Road (KY 22) and were utilizing a disproportionate demand for police and emergency services. Analysis of collision reports along this roadway indicated that two specific intersections along this corridor were involved in a majority of the wrecks and the contributing factors involved speed and slick roadways. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet had initially responded to the community's complaints by installing guardrails and by attempting to improve visibility around a curve by removing a portion of an obstructing hill. Despite these improvements the collisions continued.

RESPONSE: Officer Shingleton organized a community project to determine the level of impact that an increased police presence and aggressive enforcement of traffic laws might have on the reduction of automobile collisions. He also began attending district council meetings to develop a community perspective for this issue.

Since the initial improvements by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet in 2003 there had been no noticeable reduction in the collision rate and there were no additional planned enhancements to correct the roadway's character. Officer Shingleton eventually contacted the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and presented the collision and enforcement data to demonstrate that the highway still continued to be a dangerous location to travel upon. He also suggested different road modifications to help eliminate or reduce the hazards. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet acknowledged this continuing problem and agreed to implement changes to the road.

**ASSESSMENT:** Since this problem-solving initiative began in 2004, Brownsboro Road has been transformed into a much safer highway to travel. The improvements were finally completed in May 2005, and Officer Shingleton continued to monitor the roadway. The collision data before the road improvements reported 28 wrecks on KY 22 for the four (4) month period of June 2004 - September 2004, or an average of seven (7) collisions per month. After the May 2005 improvements were completed, there were only seven (7) collisions on KY 22 from June 2005 - September 2005, or an average of 1.75 collisions per month. A comparison of the data indicated a 75% reduction in the number of collision reports since the improvements were installed, which consequently significantly reduced for the demand for additional police response and necessity for emergency services.

**SCANNING**

In the city of Louisville, Kentucky Highway 22, better known as Brownsboro Road, has a hazardous reputation. An unusually high number of wrecks frequently occur along this highway and were highlighted by a news story that focused on the community's frustrations in dealing with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to recognize and correct the problem. The people living in the area or traveling the highway often encountered long and inconvenient delays because of these wrecks, or worse, found themselves involved with collisions occurring along this

narrow and scenic thoroughfare. A "combination of heavy traffic spawned by development"2 coupled with "blind spots aplenty along the mostly two-lane road has led to an increasing number of accidents. Major growth is bringing a big increase in traffic on KY 22."3 According to a "study conducted for the state by the engineering and consulting firm HNTB Corp., from January 2001 to January 2004, there were 652 accidents along the stretch from Herr Lane to Crestwood. Of those, 330 people were injured and three were killed."2

Officer William Shingleton routinely patrolled this area and was aware of the unique issues surrounding the hazards of this roadway. When wrecks occurred on this highway, often three patrol units were dispatched to respond and manage the incident. One officer would investigate the crash scene and because of the roadway's design, other officers were needed to direct and divert traffic.

Officer Shingleton decided to conduct an independent study to objectively identify the most hazardous intersections along this road, identify the factors which contribute to the collisions and develop a plan to respond to this serious community issue.

ANALYZING THE PROBLEM

An analysis of collision reports revealed that over a five (5) month study, from November 2003 to March 2004, 48 collisions were reported at the two (2) specific intersections of Ten Broeck Drive and Spring Crest Drive3A. Of the 48 reports, 36 wrecks were classified as non-injury collisions and 12 were classified as injury-related3B.

After collecting the data, scrutiny was given to identify any contributing factors that could be related to the problem. Human, vehicular and environmental conditions were analyzed with the two (2) leading factors being excessive vehicle speeds and wet/slick roadways. These factors coupled with the existing roadway characteristics (narrow two-lane roadway, no practical shoulder and

the blind curves of the road) merely augmented the dangers associated with this highway.

Before addressing these issues to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet a one month aggressive traffic enforcement project was initiated along this corridor. The goals of this phase were two-fold:
(1) Increase police presence along the area to slow motorist using this highway and promote safer driving habits, and
(2) To determine if enforcement along this route would affect the collision rates.

Enforcement results included: one (1) DUI arrest, thirty (30) citations for traffic violations and three (3) warnings for traffic infractions. Although an aggressive presence was attempted along this thoroughfare, traffic enforcement proved ineffective in the reduction of collisions. The study did, however, determine that traffic enforcement (specifically radar enforcement) was severely limited due to safety concerns for both the police and public because of the design of the roadway.

This project reaffirmed that the constant problems disrupting the Brownsboro Road corridor were:
(1) A disproportionate demand for police and emergency services compared to other areas of the police division,
(2) An unusually high concentration of collisions along specific points along the highway,
(3) A high probability of continued property damage and serious physical injuries to motorists and passengers if not corrected.

Absent enforcement, which was proven to have limited effectiveness and practicality, the analysis revealed the nature and extent of the problem was that road characteristics needed improvement. It also

suggested the problem would only persist and worsen with the continued development of commercial and residential development. The only option left to explore was improvement of the highway design.

The problem was presented to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet on April 22, 2004. It identified the disproportionately high number of wrecks, the locations of the most frequent collisions, and highlighted the leading environmental, engineering and human issues contributing to the problem. A presentation emphasized three important roadway deficiencies along the Brownsboro Road corridor:

(1) The blind curves that prevent motorist from having adequate line-of-sight observations to prevent or avoid collisions,

(2) The lack of shoulders provided no room for emergency maneuvering or for use by emergency vehicles, and

(3) The lack of shoulders and the narrow two-lane highway with several blind curves make it difficult for patrol officers to monitor traffic enforcement.

**RESPONSE**

A response strategy was developed by Officer Shingleton that was designed to achieve the following goals:

(1) Eliminate as many roadway hazards along the Brownsboro Road Corridor.

(2) Reduce the number of collisions on the roadway, specifically at the intersections with the most aggravated points of wrecks.

(3) Reduce calls for police and emergency services.

(4) Eliminate the community's frustrations encountered by the inevitable road closures needed to secure the collision scene.

Officer Shingleton developed two response alternatives to reduce the collision rate along the affected highway. The first involved the increased patrol of the targeted area with aggressive traffic

enforcement. This effort, however, was proven ineffectual as the collision rate continued. The second alternative was roadway modification. This was obviously a more expensive option and potentially more difficult to pursue because of complicated budgetary funding issues.

In considering what modification initiatives to pursue, evaluations were made for the best potential effectiveness (with regards to public safety), most cost effective (budgetary funding issues) and practicality (was the suggested road improvements feasible). For this phase Officer Shingleton suggested the following road modifications:
(1) Erecting dangerous curve signs to alert motorist of the blind curves,
(2) Modifying the existing roadway by installing a centerline rumble strips to produce an audible and tactile alert for the curves and,
(3) Further reduce or eliminate the line-of-sight issues encountered near the curves by further shaving or reducing the offending hillside.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet readily acknowledged the large number of collisions along the corridor and that enforcement efforts alone were an ineffective and impractical prevention measure. This recognition prompted the KTC to consider and implement two changes: a new skid-resistant asphalt overlay and the installation of the proposed centerline rumble strip ${ }^{4}$, which even though had been used on other highways was still considered an "experimental" control measure ${ }^{5}$.

# Table of Contents

- [Kentucky Highway KY 22  Brownsboro Road Hazard Elimination](#kentucky-highway-ky-22-brownsboro-road-hazard-elimination)
- [ABERGEMEN](#abergemen)
- [FOR MORE INFORMATION](#for-more-information)
  - [NOTES:](#notes)
- [EXHIBIT 1](#exhibit-1)
  - [Ky. 22 still too dangerous, group contends  SubHead: Critics target road from Herr to Crestwood](#ky-22-still-too-dangerous-group-contends-subhead-critics-target-road-from-herr-to-crestwood)
  - [MATT BATCHELDOR](#matt-batcheldor)
- [EXHIBIT 2](#exhibit-2)
  - [KY. 22: 'AN UNFORGIVING ROAD'](#ky-22-an-unforgiving-road)
  - [Drivers, state weigh fixes](#drivers-state-weigh-fixes)
  - [A number of wrecks](#a-number-of-wrecks)
- [EXHIBIT 3A](#exhibit-3a)
- [EXHIBIT 3B](#exhibit-3b)
- [EXHIBIT 4](#exhibit-4)
- [CRASHES ON KY 22 REDUCED FOLLOWING TRANSPORTATION CABINET IMPROVEMENTS](#crashes-on-ky-22-reduced-following-transportation-cabinet-improvements)
- [MEMORANDUM](#memorandum)
- [MEMORANDUM LOUISVILLE METRO POLICE](#memorandum-louisville-metro-police)
- [Kr. 22: 'AN UNFORGIVING ROAD' Drivers, state weigh fixes](#kr-22-an-unforgiving-road-drivers-state-weigh-fixes)
- [A number of wrecks](#a-number-of-wrecks)
- [Slowing down](#slowing-down)
- [Area's growth](#areas-growth)

# ABERGEMEN 

The method of evaluating the effectiveness of this project relied on objective patterned data comparison. The initial evaluation identifying the problem included a five (5) month collision history

at the two (2) most problematic intersections along this highway and a two month enforcement study to determine the impact that aggressive enforcement might have. Subsequent evaluations focused on four (4) months of collision data after the improvements were completed and the similar four month period of collision data prior to the improvements.

The only problems encountered in implementing the response plan were the safety factors during the enforcement phase, initial project funding due to the Kentucky's State Budget issues and weather conditions preventing the actual implementation of the proposed improvement project.

THE RESPONSE GOAL ACCOMPLISHED:

Before the road corrections, there were 28 wrecks on KY 22 for the 4 month period of June 2004 - September 2004, or 7 collisions per month. After the improvements, there were only 7 wrecks on KY 22 from June 2005 - September 2005, or 1.75 collisions per month. In other words, there has been a 75% reduction in the number of collisions reports since the rumble strip and new asphalt overlay was installed.

The dramatic reduction of collisions obviously reduced the need for police response, allowing the patrol units to remain in-service and available for other calls-for-service. An average collision investigation, depending on the severity and availability of wrecker services, routinely takes up to 45 minutes to complete. Three officers working a single wreck uses approximately 125 minutes (2 hours, 5 minutes) of man power. Thus, arguably, the reduction of collisions potentially increased the police resource availability by a factor of 3. Consequently, this reduction in collisions had a direct correlation in the reduction of the number of response calls made by all emergency services (police, fire and EMS).

The media became a valuable asset to the police department by covering the positive change the department was making towards this community sensitive project, as well as providing additional information to the public about future correction projects the KTC was intending to accomplish.

# FOR MORE INFORMATION 

For more information about the Louisville Metro Police Department's efforts, contact Officer William Shingleton at the Louisville Metro Police Department, Division Eight, 200 Juneau Drive, Louisville, KY 40243; phone: 502-574-2258; [ax: 502-245-1199; e-mail: william.shingleton@1mpd.loukymetro.org

## NOTES:

Batche1dor, Matt (2004, Jan 7) EY. 22 still too dangerous, Courier Journal.
Batche1dor, Matt (2005, July 5) KY. 22: 'AN UNFORGIVING ROAD', Courier Journal.
${ }^{38}$ Map KY 22 Spring Crest Drive to Ten Broeck Irive.
${ }^{39}$ Chart 1, Collisions $11 / 2003$ to $04 / 2004$.
${ }^{4}$ Wolfe, R. (2005, May 19) Jetterson Co. KY 22 Rumble Strip Request, KY Transportation Cabinet.
Shingleton, William (2005, May) Photographs Pre/Post Construction KY 22.
Chart 2, Collision Comparison 2004-2005.
Clifford, Andrea (2005, Dec 5) CRASHES ON KY 22 REDUCED, KY Transportation Cabinet.

# EXHIBIT 1 

## Ky. 22 still too dangerous, group contends  SubHead: Critics target road from Herr to Crestwood

## MATT BATCHELDOR

mbatcheldor@courier-journal.com
Source: The Courier-Journal
Guardrails have been added, a hill has been shaved down at Ten Broeck Way to improve visibility around a curve, and shoulders have been widened in some sections of Ky. 22.

Those improvements, described by state Highway Department spokeswoman Krista Seymour, were designed to make the road safer.

But the narrow, winding two-lane road that's also known as Brownsboro or Ballardsville road needs more safety improvements, say a group of residents who live along it.

Members of Brownsboro Road Area Defense, a group that monitors area development, say the Herr I ane to Crestwood section of Ky. 22 is still treacherous.

Neighbors became especially concerned after three crashes between Springdale Presbyterian Church and the entrance to the Cliffwood subdivision last year. A meeting was called Nov. 15 to discuss those accidents and others.
"We just have wrecks every day out there," said Joyce Weick, a member of the group who lives in the Woods of St. Thomas subdivision.

A month before the meeting, one wreck was fatal. Stephen "Clay" Crockett, 26, of nearby Wood Briar Place, lost control of his Ford Escort at Cliffwynde Trace early Oct. 9, sideswiped a guardrail and crossed both lanes of Ky. 22, and hit a tree, police said.

On Dec. 18, Brownsboro Road Area Defense Chairwoman Theresa Stanley put her concerns and a request for more improvements in writing to state Rep. Bob DeWeese, Metro Mayor Jerry Abramson and Metro councilmen Kelly Downard and Glen Stuckel.

Items she asked include flashers on speed limit signs, turn lanes at busier intersections and more guardrails to protect drivers from swerving into ravines that aren't visible because of high weeds.

She also asked for more police patrols to catch people exceeding the 45 mph speed limit. And she asked if it would be possible to add a nonskid coating to the road's surface.

She said she received responses from each, and they offered to pass the group's concerns on to the state Highway Department.

Seymour said the department intends to widen the shoulder of some sections of Ky. 22 this year, but the road is not slated to be repaved. She said, however, that it would be evaluated and considered for a future nonskid surface.

She said IJNIB Corp., the consultant the state paid $720,000 to study the corridor, will continue to look for solutions and eventually put out a report. She's not sure when.

She and Stanley say residents don't want "major changes," such as a widening of the section from Herr Lane to Hurstbourne Parkway.

On other sections, bigger changes may be coming, said DeWeese, who said he has been lobbying for money for the road nearly all the 10 years he's been in office.

DeWeese said a planning study is complete that calls for widening Ky. 22 from Hurstbourne Parkway to Ky. 1694, including a redesign of the interchange at Ky. 22 and the Snyder Freeway. But there is no money for construction, he said.

The road may also be widened all the way to Crestwood, but probably only if an effort fails to build an extension of Old Henry Road to Crestwood, which is the state's favored plan, DeWeese said.

Another project, a realignment of the Ky. 22-Murphy Lane intersection, is on hold because a resident declined to sell the state a piece of her horse farm, and the state is looking for an alternative route.

Subdivisions and developments continue to be built along the corridor. The Summit, a 327,000-square-foot retail center, opened at Ky. 22 and the Snyder Freeway in 2001. The 650-student Malcolm Chancey Elementary opened on Murphy Lane, near Ky. 22, in 2002.

And more development is coming. Old Brownsboro Crossing, a 114-acre retail and office complex, is slotted for the northeast side of the Snyder Freeway, opposite the Summit on the other side.

Farther east, the county's largest subdivision is planned. Norton Commons would have 2,800 homes, 360,000 square feet of offices and 200,000 square feet of commercial space.

Along that section, from the Snyder Freeway to the Oldham County line, traffic volume grew from 3,100 vehicles a day in 1974 to 23,000 in 2000, according to state figures.

# EXHIBIT 2 

## KY. 22: 'AN UNFORGIVING ROAD'

## Drivers, state weigh fixes

Rear-end accidents common, study shows
By Matt Batcheldor
mbatcheldon@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal
Kali Svarczkopf knows that Ky. 22 can be a dangerous road. She's one of the statistics.

Her 2004 Volvo was rear-ended by a Ford pickup truck as she stopped to make a left turn onto Ten Broeck Way during the evening rush hour June 2.

Svarczkopf, 22, said her accident could have been avoided if there were a turn lane at Ten Broeck. "Oh, completely, definitely," she said. "Because the guy
![img-0.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/06-30/img-0.jpeg)

A car turned across Ky. 22 onto Ten Broeck Way, the most dangerous intersection on a portion of the road that was surveyed in a study done for the state. Twenty-six accidents occurred there in a three-year period. (By Michael Clevenger, The Courier-Journal)
behind me was going straight."

Drivers and traffic analysts agree: Ky. 22 needs help from Herr Lane in eastern Jefferson County to Crestwood in Oldham County.
"It's an unforgiving road because of the roadway characteristics -- the curves, the lack of shoulders in some areas, " said Andrea Clifford, a spokeswoman for the state Highway Department.

The combination of heavy traffic spawned by development and blind spots aplenty along the mostly two-lane road has led to an increasing number of accidents. And many of them are rear-end wrecks, just like Svarczkopf's.

Over the long term -- 20 years or more -- the entire stretch from Herr Lane to the Ky. 329 Bypass in Crestwood needs to be widened, according to the preliminary findings of a state study released last month. The cost could exceed $\$ 69$ million.

But in the short term, adding turn lanes at nine intersections, including Ten Broeck, would improve safety and eliminate some of the rear-end collisions, the study said.

State Rep. Bob DeWeese, a Prospect Republican whose district takes in most of the area under study, said the state should be able to find money to do some of the turn lanes within the next year.

The Ky. 22 study, conducted for the state by the engineering and consulting firm HNTB Corp., took four years and cost $\$ 719,000$. The final report, incorporating public comments, will be completed by Aug. 1, HNTB project manager Karen Mohammadi said last week.

## A number of wrecks

There were 652 accidents on the 9.3 -mile stretch from Herr Lane to Crestwood during the study's threeyear period, from January 2001 to January 2004. In those 652 accidents, 330 people were injured and three were killed. Mohammadi said

Officer Dwight Mitchell, a Louisville Metro Police spokesman, said there has been one more fatal accident on the Jefferson County section of Ky. 22 since the study ended. Police in Oldham County could not say whether any fatalities had occurred on the section of the road they patrol since then.

More than one-third of the accidents studied -- 233 -- were rear-end collisions.

"Rear-end accidents can occur for a number of reasons, but a lack of turn lanes is certainly one of those reasons," Mohammadi said.

The most dangerous intersection was Ten Broeck Way, with 26 accidents during the three-year count.

Accidents "just happen all the time" on Ky. 22, said Simpsonville resident Charles Richmond, a member of the Taylortown AME Zion Church on the road near Murphy Lane.

Louisville Metro Police Officer Bill Shingleton was so concerned about the number of wrecks he saw while patrolling Ky. 22 last year that he kept his own log.

He said there were 54 from November to April on the curves near Spring Crest Drive and Ten Broeck Way.

Shingleton, an officer for three years, used the data to make a case for the Highway Department to add a rumble-strip along the centerline of the road. The strip, recently installed from Seminary Drive to Hurstbourne Parkway, noisily alerts motorists when their vehicles slip across the centerline.

**Slowing down**

Although he acknowledged that turn lanes would help reduce accidents, Shingleton said drivers could do more by slowing down. The two biggest factors in accidents on Ky. 22 are speeding and a slick road, he said.

The speed limit for the two-lane segment from Herr Lane to Hurstbourne is 35 mph.

"If you get to going more than 45 miles per hour, you'll end up crossing that centerline," he said. "With the blind curves, when you have a wreck and somebody stops and sees the wreck" that person's vehicle is often rear-ended, he said.

Residents concur.

"They need to slow down, get off their cell phones," said Sherry Kaelin, who has commuted from Crestwood to her job at Kitty's Plants and Produce on Ky. 22 near Ten Broeck for 14 years.

Shingleton said officers try to catch speeders but there are complications. The road has so many blind spots and so few shoulders, it's hard for them to find a place to park their cars and use their radar guns.

And officers put themselves at risk when they pull out to stop speeders, he said.

Speeding patrols also are interrupted when officers respond to wrecks. That ties up three officers -- one to take the report and two to direct traffic.

**Area's growth**

Major development is driving a big increase in traffic on Ky. 22, especially east of the Snyder Freeway.

In 1985, 6,470 cars per day passed from Ky. 1694 to the Oldham County line. That number jumped to 14,200 in 2004 and is projected to be 27,000 by 2030, Mohammadi said.

And development along the road near the Snyder has intensified in the past five years.
There's the new Norton Commons housing and shopping complex off Ky. 1694, which will have as many as 2,880 homes, apartments and townhouses.

On the west side of the Snyder Freeway is The Summit, a 375,000-square-foot shopping complex, and under construction on the east side is Old Brownsboro Crossing, a commercial, medical and office center approved for more than 1 million square feet.
"Who would've predicted 10 years ago the development out there?" DeWeese said.
The study suggests widening Ky. 22 to five lanes from Ky. 1694 to Ky. 329 in Oldham County. It recommends making the road three lanes from Herr Lane to Hurstbourne Parkway and between Ky. 329 and its bypass.

But not everyone is sold.
Theresa Stanley, chairwoman of Brownsboro Road Area Defense, said she doesn't want to see the road widened west of the Snyder. She's afraid a loss of trees would hurt the "ambience."

DeWeese also said he's not convinced the stretch from Herr I ane to Hurstbourne needs to be widened. He suggests smaller improvements, such as turn lanes, before deciding whether to widen the road.
"The consensus of people who live around 22 is you're not going to just jump in and do the three-lane widening," he said. "You're going to do these things to make it safer first and see where we are."

But Svarcokopf said the road should be made safer, even if a few trees are lost.
"If you're trying to choose between the way it looks and some trees or people's safety, it just shouldn't be an issue," she said.

# EXHIBIT 3A 

![img-1.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/06-30/img-1.jpeg)

# EXHIBIT 3B 

![img-2.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/06-30/img-2.jpeg)

# EXHIBIT 4 

SEE EXHIBIT 4, LMPD 2006 POP.PDF FILF

![img-3.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/06-30/img-3.jpeg)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Andrea Clifford
Public Information Officer
(502) 367-6411 - office
(502) 262-0777 - cell

# CRASHES ON KY 22 REDUCED FOLLOWING TRANSPORTATION CABINET IMPROVEMENTS

Louisville, KY (December 5, 2005) – Following improvements funded by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet this past spring on KY 22, the number of accidents have decreased by 75%. Resurfacing of the roadway and installation of centerline and shoulder rumble strips was completed in May of 2005 on KY 22 between Seminary Drive and Hurstbourne Parkway. According to the Louisville Metro Police Department records, only seven collisions were reported on this section of roadway from June 2005 through September 2005 as compared to 28 collisions reported during the same months in 2004.

"The efforts to eliminate the hazards along this highway have benefited countless citizens and have saved not only thousands of dollars in property damage, but arguably many lives and injuries of people as well," stated Officer Bill Shingleton, Division 8 of the Louisville Metro Police Department. "The greatest improvement seems to have been made from the installation of the centerline rumble strips that alert drivers when their vehicles are crossing into on-coming traffic."

"We are pleased to learn of the reduced number of crashes on KY 22 and that safety on this roadway has improved following implementation of the safety improvements," said Transportation Cabinet Secretary Bill Nighbert. "This project is helping to fulfill Governor Ernie Fletcher's commitment to providing a safe and reliable transportation system."

The 2.65 miles of roadway improvements were constructed by Commercial Pavers of Louisville, KY in the amount of $243,784.

|  | $-\quad$ RECEIVED |
| :--: | :--: |
|  | MAY 212004 |
| ERNE FLETCHER  GOVERNOR | D-S PERMITS |
|  | Maxwell C. Bailey  SECRETARY |
| TO: | Barry Sanders |
|  | Acting Chief District Engineer |
|  | Louisville - District \#5 |
| ATTENTION: | Brian Meade |
|  | TEBM for Traffic |
| FROM: | R. Jeffrey Wolfe |
|  | Transportation Engineer Specialist |
|  | Division of Traffic Operations |
| DATE: | May 19, 2004 |
| SUBJECT: | Jefferson County |
|  | KY 22 |
|  | Centerline Rumble Strip Request |

We have completed our review of the District's request to install centerline rumble strips on the section of KY 22 between Seminary Drive and Hurstbourne Parkway. Based on the crash history, there appears to be a pattern of crashes which may be susceptible to correction by the installation of these devices. In addition, many of these crashes involve multiple injuries. As a result, we approve of the installation of these experimental devices on this section of KY 22.

In order to assist with the evaluation of these devices, please inform this office of the completion date for this project. This will allow us to review before and after crash data to determine the effectiveness of these devices.

If you have any questions regarding our comments, please let us know.
RJW:sel

# MEMORANDUM 

LOUISVILLE METRO POLICE DEPARTMENT

JERRY E. ABRAMSON
MAYOR

ROBERT C. WHITE
CHIEF OF POLICE

TO: Officer William Shingleton
8th Division
FROM: Colonel Robert C. White $L L W$
Chief of Police
DATE: December 7, 2005
RE: Commendation Letter

Recently, I received a letter commending you for the outstanding job you performed in collecting data, identifying problems, and offering solutions regarding the Brownsboro Road (KY 22) corridor. Through your determination and dedication the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet recognized the hazards and approved your recommendation to use centerline rumble strips. The results have saved lives and thousands of dollars in property damage. I applaud you for a job well done.

Through your professionalism and dedication you have created a positive image for yourself and the department. The department and the citizens we protect, appreciate the great job you are doing.

You have been nominated for the Exceptional Merit Award.
RCW/pw
cc: Commanding Officer
Personnel
Awards Committee

LMPD Award Nomination Form

Medal of Honor Medal of Valor Purple Heart
[x] Exceptional Merit Distinguished Lifesaving Meritorious Unit Citation
Distinguished Community Service Distinguished Citizen Service
Letter of Appreciation Only Other (Must Name Award)

Personal Data

Name of Person Being Nominated: OR Bill Shnidleton Rank: OFC
Present Assignment: 3rd Action was: X On Duty X Off Duty

Narrative of the Individual's Performance of Action (Include Attachments):
SEE ATTACHED LETTER

Signature of Nominating Person: Norman Mayer Assignment: 87th
Phone Number: 574-2258 Date of Submission: 11/19/05

Award Committee Action

Date of Action: Approved: Amended:

Award or Action In Lieu of Recommendation:

Reason for Amendment:

Copies To: Division/Unit File
Chief's Office
Awards Committee
Personnel File

LMPD# 03-02-0350

# MEMORANDUM LOUISVILLE METRO POLICE 

TO: COL. ROBERT C. WHITE CHIEF OF POLICEFROM: SERGEANT NORM MAYER ${ }^{\text {R }}$DATE: NOVEMBER 18, 2005RE: RECOGNITION OF OFFICER WILLIAM SHINGLETON

For years countless wrecks have occurred along the Brownsboro Road (KY 22) corridor from Seminary Drive to Hurstbourne Parkway and the citizens who live and travel this highway have long complained about the roadway hazards to the Kentucky Department of Transportation, but have never met any satisfaction.

Officer William Shingleton also had personally noticed the unusually high number of wrecks along the highway and after reading the news story in the Courier Journal that highlighted the community's frustrations with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to recognize and correct the problem, he decided to address this serious issue.

After implementing a two-month enforcement solution designed to target speeding motorist and increase public awareness and after collecting over five (5) months of collision data, he contacted the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to make them aware of the hazards along this route. From the data collected, between the months of November 2003 to March 2004, there were 48 wrecks reported at the intersections of Spring Crest Drive and Ten Broeck Drive. Of those collisions, 36 wrecks were classified as non-injury and 12 wrecks were classified as injury collisions. In addition to identifying problems along this corridor, he also offered several solutions to help correct these problems.

On May 26, 2004, he received encouraging correspondence from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet that:

1) They recognize the hazards along the KY 22 corridor,
2) They have approved a resurfacing project, and
3) They have approved his recommendation to use centerline rumble strips.

Originally this improvement project was to have been started in the fall of 2004, but unfortunately it was met with funding delays because of Kentucky's budget crisis. The project, however, finally received funding and was completed on May 31, 2005. You will notice that Brownsboro Road as been resurfaced with skid-resistant asphalt and centerline and shoulder rumble strips have been installed from Seminary Drive to Hurstbourne Parkway.

Officer Shingleton has continued to monitor the roadway after the improvements were installed and in a four-month period, from 06/01/2005 to 10/01/2005, there have only been a total of seven collisions, one injury and six non-injury, along the corridor between the intersections of Avenue of the Woods and Hurstbourne Parkway. This trend is very encouraging because the data included several periods of rainy weather and actually covered a larger stretch of the highway than Officer Shingleton's original study.

For comparison:
Before the improvements in the months studied there were 9.6 collisions reported per month, but after the improvements there have been only 1.75 collisions per month. These results have saved not only thousands of dollars in property damage but also arguable many lives and injuries of people as well. The largest improvement seems to have been made from the installation of the centerline rumble strips that alert drivers when their vehicles are crossing into on-coming traffic.

Officer Shingleton should be commended for his hard work with this project. He has gone above and beyond what is typically associated with police work by challenging a very serious and community sensitive project. His efforts in working with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to eliminate the hazards along this highway have benefited countless citizens.

Additionally, the Courier Journal completed a follow-up story after the improvements were finished and features comments made by Officer Shingleton. A copy follows this letter.

# Kr. 22: 'AN UNFORGIVING ROAD' Drivers, state weigh fixes 

Rear-end accidents common, study shows
By Matt Batcheldor
mbatcheldor@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal
Kali Svarczkopf knows that Ky. 22 can be a dangerous road. She's one of the statistics.

Her 2004 Volvo was rear-ended by a Ford pickup truck as she stopped to make a left turn onto Ten Broeck Way during the evening rush hour June 2.

Svarczkopf, 22, said her accident could have been avoided if there were a turn lane at Ten Broeck. "Oh, completely, definitely," she said. "Because the guy behind me was going straight."

Drivers and traffic analysts agree: Ky. 22 needs help from Herr Lane in eastern Jefferson County to Crestwood in Oldham County.
"It's an unforgiving road because of the roadway characteristics -- the curves, the lack of shoulders in some areas," said Andrea Clifford, a spokeswoman for the state Highway Department.

The combination of heavy traffic spawned by development and blind spots aplenty along the mostly two-lane road has led to an increasing number of accidents. And many of them are rearend wrecks, just like Svarczkopf's.

Over the long term -- 20 years or more -- the entire stretch from Herr Lane to the Ky. 329 Bypass in Crestwood needs to be widened, according to the preliminary findings of a state study released last month. The cost could exceed $\$ 69$ million.

But in the short term, adding turn lanes at nine intersections, including Ten Broeck, would improve safety and eliminate some of the rear-end collisions, the study said.

State Rep. Bob DeWeese, a Prospect Republican whose district takes in most of the area under study, said the state should be able to find money to do some of the turn lanes within the next year.

The Ky. 22 study, conducted for the state by the engineering and consulting firm HNTB Corp., took four years and cost $\$ 719,000$. The final report, incorporating public comments, will be completed by Aug. 1, HNTB project manager Karen Mohammadi said last week.

# A number of wrecks

There were 652 accidents on the 9.3-mile stretch from Herr Lane to Crestwood during the study's three-year period, from January 2001 to January 2004. In those 652 accidents, 330 people were injured and three were killed, Mohammadi said.

Officer Dwight Mitchell, a Louisville Metro Police spokesman, said there has been one more fatal accident on the Jefferson County section of Ky. 22 since the study ended. Police in Oldham County could not say whether any fatalities had occurred on the section of the road they patrol since then.

More than one-third of the accidents studied -- 233 -- were rear-end collisions.

"Rear-end accidents can occur for a number of reasons, but a lack of turn lanes is certainly one of those reasons," Mohammadi said.

The most dangerous intersection was Ten Broeck Way, with 26 accidents during the three-year count.

Accidents "just happen all the time" on Ky. 22, said Simpsonville resident Charles Richmond, a member of the Taylortown AME Zion Church on the road near Murphy Lane.

Louisville Metro Police Officer Bill Shingleton was so concerned about the number of wrecks he saw while patrolling Ky. 22 last year that he kept his own log.

He said there were 54 from November to April on the curves near Spring Crest Drive and Ten Broeck Way.

Shingleton, an officer for three years, used the data to make a case for the Highway Department to add a rumble-strip along the centerline of the road. The strip, recently installed from Seminary Drive to Hurstbourne Parkway, noisily alerts motorists when their vehicles slip across the centerline.

# Slowing down

Although he acknowledged that turn lanes would help reduce accidents, Shingleton said drivers could do more by slowing down. The two biggest factors in accidents on Ky. 22 are speeding and a slick road, he said.

The speed limit for the two-lane segment from Herr Lane to Hurstbourne is 35 mph.

"If you get to going more than 45 miles per hour, you'll end up crossing that centerline," he said. "With the blind curves, when you have a wreck and somebody stops and sees the wreck" that person's vehicle is often rear-ended, he said.

Residents concur.

"They need to slow down, get off their cell phones," said Sherry Kaelin, who has commuted from Crestwood to her job at Kitty's Plants and Produce on Ky. 22 near Ten Broeck for 14 years.

Shingleton said officers try to catch speeders but there are complications. The road has so many blind spots and so few shoulders, it's hard for them to find a place to park their cars and use their radar guns.

And officers put themselves at risk when they pull out to stop speeders, he said.
Speeding patrols also are interrupted when officers respond to wrecks. That ties up three officers -- one to take the report and two to direct traffic.

# Area's growth 

Major development is driving a big increase in traffic on Ky. 22, especially east of the Snyder Freeway.

In 1985, 6,470 cars per day passed from Ky. 1694 to the Oldham County line. That number jumped to 14,200 in 2004 and is projected to be 27,000 by 2030, Mohammadi said.

And development along the road near the Snyder has intensified in the past five years.
There's the new Norton Commons housing and shopping complex off Ky. 1694, which will have as many as 2,880 homes, apartments and townhouses.

On the west side of the Snyder Freeway is The Summit, a 375,000-square-foot shopping complex, and under construction on the east side is Old Brownsboro Crossing, a commercial, medical and office center approved for more than 1 million square feet.
"Who would've predicted 10 years ago the development out there?" DeWeese said.
The study suggests widening Ky. 22 to five lanes from Ky. 1694 to Ky. 329 in Oldham County. It recommends making the road three lanes from Herr Lane to Hurstbourne Parkway and between Ky. 329 and its bypass.

But not everyone is sold.
Theresa Stanley, chairwoman of Brownsboro Road Area Defense, said she doesn't want to see the road widened west of the Snyder. She's afraid a loss of trees would hurt the "ambience."

DeWeese also said he's not convinced the stretch from Herr Lane to Hurstbourne needs to be widened. He suggests smaller improvements, such as turn lanes, before deciding whether to widen the road.
"The consensus of people who live around 22 is you're not going to just jump in and do the threelane widening," he said. "You're going to do these things to make it safer first and see where we are."

But Svarczkopf said the road should be made safer, even if a few trees are lost.
"If you're trying to choose between the way it looks and some trees or people's safety, it just shouldn't be an issue," she said.