LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Jan. 13, 2012) – Mayor Greg Fischer, along with officials from the Muhammad Ali Center and the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, unveiled design images Friday of the walkway that will provide pedestrian access across Sixth Street, linking the Ali Center to the Belvedere.
The 170-foot long walkway will be nine feet wide, with exterior metal panels that will complement the Ali Center plaza’s design. It will structurally be supported by the existing Ali Center garage and two new concrete piers.
“This walkway will be a wonderful way for visitors to easily access on foot some of our greatest downtown attractions, including the Ali Center, the Kentucky Center, the Belvedere and even the KFC YUM! Center,” Fischer said. “It will be a healthier, more convenient way to explore our vibrant downtown.”
“This new walkway will generate the kind of energy that we want to see flowing throughout downtown,” Kentucky Center President Stephen Klein said. “Now, by linking together our great venues, by joining hands across Sixth Street, we’ll be inviting visitors to Louisville to experience all the best that the world has to offer in the arts, sports and cultural attractions.”
Crews are expected to break ground on the walkway this spring. Weather-permitting, it should be completed later this year. The construction schedule will accommodate events taking place at the Ali Center and the Kentucky Center as well as other downtown events to minimize traffic disruption.
The project was awarded to Whittenberg Construction, with an estimated cost of just over $835,550. About $410,000 will come from the city’s capital budget. The remainder will be funded by the Parking Authority of the River City (PARC).
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