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Have studies ever been done to determine what percentage of North New Circle Road traffic is passing through, as opposed to the percentage which is shopping or visiting other businesses in the vicinity? Such information would seem crucial to intelligent planning.
Yeah, the only reasons there are businesses around the east part of New Circle is because of poor planning and lack of foresight in the 70s when all this was done. Honestly, most businesses I see on East New Circle are just generic fast food restaurants anyway, who cares if some of them go out of business, I mean if its for the greater good of making traffic better, who cares! And it would be better than having to deal with residents, for sure. I heard somewhere that New Circle has close to the volume that the Interstate in Lexington carries at certain times, that alone should show that it should be made limted access! And during ball games or rush hour, heaven help whoever gets stuck on East New Circle Road, or even worse, Nicholasville Rd. So yeah, they are going to need to make New Circle totally limited access, So what if a Wendy's and Pizza Hut have to relocate..Big deal, if it makes traffic better, so be it!
And another thing, I've said it before and I'll say it again, Lexington has to figure out a way to improve downtown access to the interstate, and make downtown less of a cut off traffic bubble. Maybe the answer is making New Circle limited access, maybe building a new connector, or maybe making Newtown Pike limited access part way, but more has got to be done going forward! Because traffic is only going to get worse, thats a given.
New Circle should be limited access all away around. I understand that the current businesses on the east side of New Circle will be impacted but so goes life and progress. Making New Circle limited access everywhere is for the better of Lexington and you can't stop that for the businesses it may impact. Those businesses can either evolve or go out of business.
I think that you would find that the loss to the economic base of Lexington would then take a greater hit than either the the cost OR benefit of widening the road. Those businesses do stay in business so, there must be some sort of local travel to and from.
The only way to make it truly limited access is to build up the main roads for flyovers and thus ruining massive amounts of residential in the process.
I think that you would find that the loss to the economic base of Lexington would then take a greater hit than either the the cost OR benefit of widening the road. Those businesses do stay in business so, there must be some sort of local travel to and from.
The only way to make it truly limited access is to build up the main roads for flyovers and thus ruining massive amounts of residential in the process.
Well, maybe like you said, they need to start thinking about building crossovers like bridges so the main artery roads can pass over the cogested areas, and make them partially or totally limted access...I guess Lexington should be grateful that we at least have two interstates on the outskirts, and I hope that as development creeps farther from downtown, things will even out a bit more, and traffic flow improves...But yeah, remember when they made the South Broadway railroad bridge over South Broadway? That had to have been a total traffic nightmare before that was done..They should build more bridges in town, crossing over, thereby saving existing businesses and homes and also helping alleviate congestion...Maybe the Newtown Pike extension is a potential candidate for future limited access..But the ultimate solution is going to have to be making the interstates better connected to closer to downtown artery roads.
JakeIndy, the northern stretch of New Circle Road was constructed in the 1950s, not the 1970s, and has been lined with a wide variety of businesses for close to 60 years.
Well then maybe the answer to Lexington's traffic woes isn't altering what's already there, but building new access roads to and from the interstate, and doing them better this time..But I will acknowledge, that's several years away. I do think they could reasonably make Newtown Pike from New Circle to I-75 limited access at least, there aren't too many business there..
Of all the areas to consider about traffic, is getting to the Interstate that much of a problem for you? You are the only one doing all the talking about Interstate access while everyone else thinks that gridlock around the popular shopping malls is the top problem.
Most of what you guys are suggesting isn't possible. You can't mow down entire business districts just to widen roads. On top of being completely idiotic, it would be very disruptive to the local economy. It doesn't matter if they're pizza huts, or historic buildings in the urban core. And trying to "stack" cars on top of each other using crossways & bridges is hella expensive. You wanna pay for that? Do you even know the cost to maintain these things, and highways in general?? It ain't cheap.
On top of all this, Lexington has an urban growth boundary, which is a good thing because it curbs sprawl & promotes infill, but its been poorly planned around for the last few decades. Thats why it takes forever to get anywhere in town, even though your land mass is actually quite small.
The only way out is to start lessening car dependency & pushing for some kind of transit/rail system with its own dedicated right of ways (more pedestrian & bike networks too). Buses won't work because of obvious reasons (not to mention they suck & were only put into place after the streetcar destruction so people would drive more). You don't have to be a big city to use rail & everyone else is starting to figure this out & try to get back what they lost during the 30s & 40s (Lex had a pretty big streetcar system at one time too you know).
But good luck getting Lexington folks to go along with it. Most here would apparently rather pay much more in taxes/automobile ownership fees to use the insanely crowded roads than to pay less for rail. You're not doing yourselves any favors.
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