THE APEX TIMES
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet widening New Circle Road segment, redesigning Leestown interchange in Lexington project
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is expanding New Circle Road between Leestown Road and Georgetown Road and reconstructing the Leestown interchange as a double crossover diamond to improve traffic flow and reduce crashes, officials said.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is carrying out an ongoing widening and interchange reconstruction project on New Circle Road in Lexington, focused on improving how vehicles move through a high-traffic corridor and addressing safety concerns tied to crash patterns in the area, according to LEX18.
The work includes widening New Circle Road between Leestown Road and Georgetown Road. The project is intended to increase roadway capacity and reduce congestion-related conflicts where traffic volumes and turning movements can contribute to delays and crashes.
In addition to the widening, the cabinet is reconstructing the Leestown interchange into a double crossover diamond configuration. That design uses crossover movements to consolidate lane changes, with the intent of simplifying signalized traffic patterns within the interchange footprint.
LEX18 reported that the project’s stated goals are to improve traffic flow and reduce crashes for motorists traveling through the New Circle Road/Leestown Road area and the adjacent segment toward Georgetown Road.
As the project continues, drivers are likely to encounter construction-related traffic shifts and changed lane configurations near the work zone, affecting commuting times and access to local roadways connected to the interchange.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet projects typically involve phased construction and temporary detours or report timing adjustments while crews complete earthwork, roadway paving, and interchange elements; specific staging and dates were not detailed in the report.
Motorists planning trips through Lexington’s New Circle Road network are expected to follow posted construction guidance and roadway signage near the work zone as the cabinet advances the widening and interchange redesign.
The cabinet’s next steps, as the project proceeds, will depend on construction staging and completion of the widened roadway and reconstructed interchange components, after which the interchange and traffic operations will be transitioned to the new configuration.
Why It Matters
- New Circle Road is a major Lexington roadway where delays and crash risk can affect daily commuting and local access.
- Widening the corridor and redesigning the interchange are intended to change how drivers maneuver through a safety-sensitive area.
- Motorists may face temporary traffic shifts during construction, which can affect travel times and access to connecting roads.
- The double crossover diamond redesign could alter turning and crossing movements at the interchange, changing traffic operations after completion.
- The project reflects a state transportation effort to address crash frequency and congestion through capacity and design changes rather than enforcement-only measures.
Key Facts
- The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is widening New Circle Road in Lexington between Leestown Road and Georgetown Road.
- The project also reconstructs the Leestown interchange.
- The reconstructed interchange will use a double crossover diamond design.
- LEX18 reported the project aims to improve traffic flow and reduce crashes.
- The work is ongoing and will require motorists to navigate construction-era traffic changes in the corridor.