Imagine
NEW CIRCLE
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Imagine New Circle is an opportunity to take a fresh look at the future of one of Lexington's most important roads - from Newtown Pike to Richmond Road - and help it better meet community needs while preserving its unique cultural features.
This study will bring together residents, business owners, policymakers, and other community members to imagine how northeastern New Circle Road can be improved over the coming decades. Changes could include transportation and streetscape improvements, new housing and development opportunities, and ways to support existing and new businesses.
The ideas gathered will be combined with research data and national best practices to create a roadmap for northeast New Circle Road’s future and will help guide new designs, new policies, and decision-making by Lexington’s city government.
Imagine New Circle is a study initiated by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) in partnership with the Lexington Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (LAMPO), Lextran, and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. It is part of the implementation of the 2018 Imagine Lexington Comprehensive Plan.
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Why Imagine New Circle?
New Circle Road has changed a lot since it was first built in the late 1950s. Originally spanning Fayette County farmland, the northeastern portion of the New Circle Road corridor now is heavily used by more than 40,000 vehicles a day and provides access to tens of thousands of homes and hundreds of small and large businesses. This growth has brought both opportunities and challenges. While northeastern New Circle Road is home to some of Lexington’s most diverse neighborhoods and businesses, it also is challenged by uncomfortable roadways, traffic congestion, and a lack of support services for new businesses.
The Imagine New Circle study is an exciting opportunity to make sure its future growth meets the needs of the community while creating policies that preserve and support the businesses and neighborhoods that make it unique.