Lexington Planning Commission has big ideas for highly trafficked corridor

© Provided by Lexington WKYT The Planning Commission hopes they can show developers, and even city leaders, just how much land in this area is being underutilized, especially in terms of housing development.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Imagine New Circle Road, with more crosswalks or bike paths. Imagine it with more small businesses along the corridor. Now, even imagine it lined with more places for people to live, specifically from Newtown Pike all the way to Richmond Road, along North New Circle.

That’s exactly what Jim Duncan with Lexington’s Planning Commission has done.

“Provide opportunities for people who live here to have a better quality of life. That would result in reinvestment in some of these areas that are under performing. That could do more. Particularly large parking lots or undeveloped spaces all together.”

Imagine New Circle Road isn’t a development plan. It’s actually a guide. The Planning Commission hopes they can show developers, and even city leaders, just how much land in this area is being underutilized, especially in terms of housing development.

“Most of the businesses along the corridor turn their backs to the residents who are directly behind them. There’s not a good strong connection between the people who live there and the businesses along the corridor.”

While there’s plenty of room to invest in housing and new businesses, Duncan says there’s even more opportunity to make the corridor safer.

“We want to look at making better sidewalk and trail improvements and certainly better crossings at intersections that could be safer. We’ve got a variety of recommendations throughout the plan depending on what intersection it is.”

With hopes to improve the New Circle Road Corridor over the next 20 years.

You can see the Planning Commission’s full presentation of ideas here.