Lexington has received $22 million in federal funding from the Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant, which will address safety concerns and reconstruct critical roadways.
“We are thrilled to receive this federal support to make improvements along the New Circle Road corridor on the north side,” Mayor Linda Gorton said. “Thank you to Senator McConnell, Senator Paul, Rep. Barr, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, and Kentucky Secretary of Transportation Jim Gray - they all worked together to make it happen.”
Gorton said with this grant, critical upgrades can be made that will help reduce pedestrian incidents and injuries, increase lighting, provide better neighborhood access, and create new shared-use paths. “These improvements complement our city’s Complete Streets policy aimed at creating efficient, safe and useful streets that are safe for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers,” she said.
The Safe Streets for Lexington project will address safety concerns along Lexington’s number one Priority Safety Corridor – Northeast New Circle Road. This commercial and residential corridor experienced the highest number of Lexington’s fatal and serious injury crashes from 2015-2021. There were 34 fatal or severe crashes during that period. Nearly half of those were people walking or bicycling, with no access to sidewalks or bike facilities, few ADA-accessible transit stops, and limited safe pedestrian crossings.
The award by the United States Department of Transportation will provide $21.7 million for three significant efforts to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes:
- A reconstruction of New Circle Road between Boardwalk and Bryan Station Road to address intersection-related crashes and bicycle/pedestrian and transit access and safety along the corridor.
- A robust public safety campaign to target safe driving behaviors.
- Establishing a vision zero coordinator position within the City to implement the recommendations of the Lexington Area Safety Action Plan.
“This is one of the largest federal grants in Lexington’s history,” Gorton said. “I went to Washington to talk to our congressional representatives and to the Biden administration about our safety concerns with this stretch of road. They listened, and we’re thrilled to have this funding.”
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell contacted the Secretary of Transportation in support of the city’s grant application.
“Traffic fatalities continue to take a tragic toll on communities across the Commonwealth, especially on New Circle Road in Lexington. Fortunately, we are taking important strides to reduce this deadly trend, and I’m grateful to see today’s significant investment help deploy commonsense safety improvements in the community,” Senator McConnell said. “I supported the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act because of programs like this, which will help improve traffic safety in one of our Commonwealth’s largest cities.”
“This funding allows for significant safety and infrastructure improvements on Northeast New Circle Road,” Congressman Andy Barr said. “I was honored to support the City of Lexington’s grant application and will continue to advocate for improved infrastructure across the Sixth Congressional District.”
