Lexington subdivisions (Help!) (Louisville, Ashland, Nicholasville: work, hospitals, houses)

[ic-epi]

Yes, I'm still asking questions... I'm hoping someone can give me some fairly specific info on subdivisions. We're moving to Lexington from Iowa City in July. Our problem is that the relo company won't be assigned to us until mid-May (and thus we won't have access to our realtor until then), and a few days later we'll be going out there for a house buying trip. I'm envisioning viewing lots and lots of houses in a very short time frame and want to do as much research as possible ahead of time so we kind of know where we want to be. Thus my questions...

I have kids in grades 1, 5, and 7 (in '06-'07 school year). So schools are important. From all your great information from before, I've narrowed the schools down so that I kind of know what schools I might want. I'm looking at subdivisions within those school combinations. I think we want a house in the $250k to $350k price range, in a subdivision very oriented towards kids and families, preferably with a pool and clubhouse etc.

The subdivisions I'm researching are: Pinnacle, Palomar, Waterford, and maybe Woodfield (? can't find any info on that last one). Are there others I should consider?

Which of these (and others I may have missed) is the "most" desirable in terms of people wanting to live there, and schools?

Which of these (and are there others) are in areas where it's hard to commute (i.e. high traffic areas in terms of commuting to and from the UK and VA medical center area)?

Thanks much. I know these are really specific questions. I have to know as much as I can, before I get there (Can you tell I am a researcher for a living?)

[gimme it]

are you transfering to the VA Hospital? That is something I am considering since I have worked at another VA for 8 yrs. Is it true that Lexington and Louisville both have medical centers? Have you seen them? Any info would be very helpful.

[nlschr0]

Well, traffic to UK or VA hospitals will be bad for most of those places.

Nicholasville Rd, Tates Creek Rd, and Harrodsburg Rd are the main routes to take you towards campus from most of those areas, and they all back up pretty heavily during rush hour. Tates Creek seems to me the least congested, and Nicholasville Rd the worst, although I am not a regular commuter on any of them.

If commute is a major concern, you might want to consider areas inside New Circle (perhaps Ashland/Henry Clay/Glendover), but you won't find the newer homes/planned communities/neighborhood pools and clubhouses.

[ic-epi]

Originally Posted by nlschr0

Well, traffic to UK or VA hospitals will be bad for most of those places.

Nicholasville Rd, Tates Creek Rd, and Harrodsburg Rd are the main routes to take you towards campus from most of those areas, and they all back up pretty heavily during rush hour. Tates Creek seems to me the least congested, and Nicholasville Rd the worst, although I am not a regular commuter on any of them.

If commute is a major concern, you might want to consider areas inside New Circle (perhaps Ashland/Henry Clay/Glendover), but you won't find the newer homes/planned communities/neighborhood pools and clubhouses.

I can't afford Ashland or the Chevy Chase area. Wow... expensive.

Is there some other area I should be looking?

If we decide on Versailles (and yes I know they don't have the planned communities there), how is the commute to the VA?

Thanks for your help.

To the other poster, yes my husband is transferring to the VA in Lexington. He says it's a very nice facility. UK also has a medical center (I will probably try to get a faculty position at UK; that's what I do here).

[ic-epi]

I'm not used to a lot of traffic. We have virtually no traffic in the Iowa City area. Guess I have been spoiled! I thought other posts said Lexington traffic was not bad, though, so I'm a little confused.

[nlschr0]

I don't have a good way to characterize Lexington traffic. One of its biggest issues (and a hot topic in local government) is the fact that Lexington has grown a bit faster than its infrastructure was initially designed to support. There isn't a major interstate or expressway through Lexington (although I-64 and I-75 run along the outskirts of town). So, all traffic depends on local roads and New Circle Rd, which is partially like a four-lane highway with exit ramps, and partially like a normal road with stoplights, businesses, etc. Unlike many other cities, Lexington doesn't have a grid system of streets. It relies on a "spoke-and-wheel" design with major roads spreading out at angles from the central downtown area. There's no way to cut over a block or two to get around the traffic.

My experience, and I'm sure that others can add, is that traffic is bad but only considering the relative size of Lexington. It isn't extreme like you would find in larger cities, and the timing of the rush hour crunch is a shorter span than larger areas. It is more of a frustration - the lack of proper traffic flow that keeps everything backed up. And like most cities, people tend to work in the downtown/campus area and live more in outlying neighborhoods. To complicate things, the shopping and retail districts (especially on Nicholasville Rd) add their own traffic woes.

If you have a flexible schedule, shifting your commute by even 30 minutes can make a big difference. Since you're going to the campus area, your commute will greatly improve over the summer and during campus breaks. And like I said before, Nicholasville Rd always seems the worst, and with your choice of neighborhoods that is easier to avoid.

[stx12499]

Originally Posted by nlschr0

I don't have a good way to characterize Lexington traffic. One of its biggest issues (and a hot topic in local government) is the fact that Lexington has grown a bit faster than its infrastructure was initially designed to support. There isn't a major interstate or expressway through Lexington (although I-64 and I-75 run along the outskirts of town). So, all traffic depends on local roads and New Circle Rd, which is partially like a four-lane highway with exit ramps, and partially like a normal road with stoplights, businesses, etc. Unlike many other cities, Lexington doesn't have a grid system of streets. It relies on a "spoke-and-wheel" design with major roads spreading out at angles from the central downtown area. There's no way to cut over a block or two to get around the traffic.

My experience, and I'm sure that others can add, is that traffic is bad but only considering the relative size of Lexington. It isn't extreme like you would find in larger cities, and the timing of the rush hour crunch is a shorter span than larger areas. It is more of a frustration - the lack of proper traffic flow that keeps everything backed up. And like most cities, people tend to work in the downtown/campus area and live more in outlying neighborhoods. To complicate things, the shopping and retail districts (especially on Nicholasville Rd) add their own traffic woes.

If you have a flexible schedule, shifting your commute by even 30 minutes can make a big difference. Since you're going to the campus area, your commute will greatly improve over the summer and during campus breaks. And like I said before, Nicholasville Rd always seems the worst, and with your choice of neighborhoods that is easier to avoid.

Lexington traffic is not too bad, but at a moderate level for its size. As you note, Lexington lacks an advanced freeway system and the bus transit is pretty bad outside of campus. But, why live far out when the town is small enough to feel safe. I think the area around Gratz Park is nice, and you cannot overlook what they are doing downtown.

[ic-epi]

Thank you stx and nlschr0! You have both supplied great information and I really appreciate it. Part of the issue, I think, is just that I have to get used to living in an area that is three times the size that I'm coming from. Bound to be more traffic.

Thanks again both of you.

[ic-epi]

LOL, sorry. I just saw that the post I replied to today (another KY thread) was locked by the moderator. What's the deal? Certainly there was nothing in the thread that warranted locking it. I am an administrator for two very populated forums on vbulletin and we've never locked a thread at all, let alone for something as tame as this subject

[ic-epi]

Anyway, please. I'd love responses to my original question. Thank you!!!