New Circle Road

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For the former Route 4, see Kentucky Route 4 (1930s).
KY 4
New Circle Road
Maintained by KYTC
Length: 19.283 mi[1] (31.033 km)
Beltway around Lexington
Major
junctions:		 US 27 in Lexington
US 68 in Lexington
US 60 in Lexington
US 421 in Lexington
US 25 in Lexington
Counties: Fayette
Major cities: Lexington
Numbered highways in Kentucky
< KY 3 KY 5 >
Interstates - U.S. Highways - State Highways

New Circle Road is the common name of Kentucky Route 4, a Kentucky state highway that serves as an inner beltway around Lexington, which is part of the consolidated city-county government with Fayette County.

The state designates the start and finish of the road at its interchange with Nicholasville Road on the city's south side. Exit numbering increases as one travels clockwise.

Roughly three-fourths of the highway is limited-access, with all movements controlled at 10 interchanges. The remainder is an urban principal arterial highway with a heavy mix of driveway entrances and intersections with one single-point urban interchange at US 60 (Winchester Road). The dividing line between the limited-access segment and the urban arterial highway is US 25 (Richmond and Georgetown Road) north and east of the city.

Contents

[edit] History

New Circle Road, not named after an older Circle Road in Lexington, was constructed in segments from 1950 to 1967[2] as a circumferential bypass. The first segment to be built, from KY 922 (Newtown Pike) to US 25 (Richmond Road)/US 421, was constructed as a two-lane route in 1952.[3] The first portion to open was constructed by the city of Lexington. It included at-grade intersections at Palumbo Drive, KY 1927 (Liberty Road), KY 57 (Bryan Avenue), Old Paris Pike, US 27/US 68, and at KY 353 (Russell Cave Road), with one interchange at US 60 (Winchester Road).

To help finance the construction of the highway, driveway access was sold to nearby horse farm owners who hoped to cash in on the highway's future traffic counts for their own ventures.[4] This was because the highway was, at the time, "way out in the country" and permits for access were easy to obtain.

Traffic soon congested, however, so New Circle Road was widened to four-lanes in 1958.[3] In 1966, a study began on more improvements to the original stretch of New Circle Road due to "extremely congested conditions." One of the improvements suggested as another bypass east of New Circle but was ruled out as being "too expensive and disruptive." As an interim solution, frontage roads were constructed along a few portions of New Circle, and longer turning lanes were constructed.

The remainder of the highway around Lexington was constructed to urban freeway standards with interchanges at US 25 (Richmond Road)/US 421, KY 1974 (Tates Creek Road), US 27 (Nicholasville Road), US 68 (Harrodsburg Road), US 60 (Versailles Road), KY 1681 (Old Frankfort Pike), US 421 (Leestown Road), US 25 (Georgetown Road) and at KY 922 (Newtown Pike). The interchange with Alumni Drive was constructed in late 1984 at a cost of $2 million with the extension of what was then Mount Tabor Road southeastward towards Man o' War Boulevard.[5]

[edit] Winchester Road/US 60 Interchange Reconstruction

The interchange with US 60 (Winchester Road), built in 1961, was sorely out-of-date by the 1980s. Tight 15 mph ramps and a narrow underpass with no acceleration or deceleration lanes made this a dangerous pseudo-cloverleaf interchange. Trucks, too tall for the substandard overpass height clearance, would frequently damage the bridge girders. Work started in the late 1990s to convert this outdated exit into a single-point urban interchange (SPUI). There are two left turn lanes on each ramp, and those are controlled by a single traffic light instead of two. Longer ramps for merging onto New Circle Road were added. In the fall of 2000, the new Winchester Road interchange opened to traffic at a cost of $8.1 million.[6]

[edit] Reconstructing New Circle Road

An early study, part of the "Urban County Government's Year 2000 Transportation Plan", stated that New Circle should be widened to six-lanes by the year 2000.[3] There was no available funding for the project that would cost $31 million.

In 1987, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government recommended a solution to the 6.1 mile section of New Circle Road from Georgetown Road/US 25 to Richmond Road/US 25/US 421. New Circle Road in the northeastern quadrant of Lexington has high traffic volumes, numerous accidents and traffic delays as motorists face numerous commercial access points, congested intersections, poor traffic signal progressions, and a very low level of service made worse during peak hours. None of these recommendations by the urban government were implemented however.[4]

By 1997, a section of New Circle from Tates Creek Road to Nicholasville Road was averaging more than 60,000 vehicles per day, up from 17,000 30 years ago and an increase of 256%.[2] The section from Alumni Drive to Tates Creek Road saw an 155% increase, and the stretch from Harrodsburg Road to Versailles Road saw a 512% increase. A study was initiated at a cost of $2.6 million on widening a 13-mile stretch from Georgetown Road to Richmond Road around the western and southern reaches of the city. The traffic volume is so large that "officials could justify widening the road to as many as five lanes in each direction."

In 1999, a study of the 14-mile fully controlled access portion of New Circle Road was completed for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. The study focused on an eight and ten-lane alternative. The eight-lane alternative was recommended at a cost of $218 million but no funds have been allocated for that portion of New Circle Road as of this date. That study did not include recommendations for New Circle Road between Georgetown Road/US 25 to Richmond Road/US 25/US 421 other than proposed improvements for the interchanges at Georgetown Road/US 25 and Richmond Road/US 25/US 421.

In August of 1999, the Kentucky Transportation Center at the University of Kentucky College of Engineering completed Research Report KTC-99-55, "Conversion of New Circle Road to a limited Access Facility". The study compared the addition of one lane in each direction with the use of median U-turns and restricted left-turn strategies at selected intersections from Newtown Pike/KY 922 to Richmond Road/US 25/US 421. This was presented to the Lexington Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and is considered to have been the stimulus for the development of the New Circle Road Northeast improvement study that began on December 1 of 1999. [7]

Four alternatives for the segment from Newtown Pike/KY 922 to Richmond Road/US 25/US 421 were presented and a fifth was introduced later after combining several key ideas that the residents voiced their approval of at several public meetings: [7]

  • No Build Alternative (Cost: N/A)
    • Traffic congestion and a high accident rate will deter potential businesses and customers from traveling in this corridor.
    • Traffic volumes will increase making the need for roadway expansion a necessity.
    • Reduction in system speed, increase in travel time, and a decrease in safety.
    • Congestion on New Circle Road will encourage cut-through traffic on streets with lesser capacity.
    • No direct residential, commercial, or environmental disturbances, and no construction delays nor the expenditure of funds.
  • Alternative 1 - Six Lane (Cost: $67,200,000)
    • Widening four-lane New Circle Road to six-lanes curb and gutter.
    • Eliminating four signalized intersections. The number of traffic signals will decrease from 15 to 11.
    • Establishing access to businesses by a continuous right-turn lane and a raised median to prohibit left-turns except by designated mid-block U-turn lanes.
    • The alternate provides access to businesses by establishing right-turn lanes and using a raised median to prohibit left turns except via designated mid-block U-turn lanes.
  • Alternative 2 - Eight Lane (Cost: $81,900,000)
    • Widening four-lane New Circle Road (KY 4) to eight-lanes curb and gutter.
    • Eliminating one signalized intersection.
    • Providing median access points, right-turn entrances, and designated mid-block U-turns.
  • Alternative 3 - Partial-Limited Access (Cost: $163,800,000)
    • Widening four-lane New Circle Road to six-lanes from Newtown Pike/KY 922 to Russell Cave Road//KY 353 and from Richmond Road/US 25/US 421 to Liberty Road/KY 1927.
    • Widening four-lane New Circle Road to six-lanes from Russell Cave Road/KY 353 to Liberty Road/KY 1927.
    • Relocating Broadway on a separate alignment over New Circle Road immediately south of the railroad tracks and reconstructing "old" Broadway into an access road to New Circle Road.
    • Provide grade-separated interchanges at high traffic intersections.
    • The elimination of nine signalized intersections. The number of traffic signals goes from 15 to 6.
    • The median will be closed at less critical intersections permitting right-in and right-out turning movements. Left turns will be accommodated via median U-turn lanes located at mid block on each side of the intersection.
  • Alternative 4 - Focus Group Recommended (Cost: $96,140,000)
    • The elimination of five signalized intersections.
    • Widening the existing four-lanes to six with curb and gutter except between Woodhill Drive and Liberty Road/KY 1927 where there will be eight lanes.
    • No changes to the Georgetown Road//US 25 and the Richmond Road/US 25/US 421 interchange, and no changes to the intersections at North Limestone/Old Paris Pike, Bryan Station Road/KY 57 (with the exception of adding dual left-turn lanes from eastbound New Circle Road to KY 57), Industry/Sunshine Lane, Eastland Drive (with the exception of adding dual left-turn lanes from southbound New Circle Road to Eastland Drive), Trade Center Drive, Young Drive, and Palumbo Drive (with the exception of a three-lane median allowing a full left turn lane into Young Drive and dual-left turn lanes from southbound New Circle Road to Palumbo Drive and Palumbo Drive to New Circle Road).
    • SPUI's will be constructed at Newtown Pike/KY 922 and Russell Cave Road//KY 353.
    • "Medians will be closed at Boardwalk/Colesbury Circle, Meadow Lane, Floyd Drive, Pridemore Court/Jingle Bell Lane, and Family Circle. Left turns will be accommodated at these intersections via mid-block U-turn lanes to either side of each intersection."
    • "North Broadway will be realigned to the east of the CSX railroad, bridging over New Circle Road and passing over or under the railroad to tie back into existing Paris Pike. The remaining stubs of N. Broadway and Paris Pike/US 27/US 68 will connect to the relocated road via T-intersections on each side of New Circle Road. The T-intersections will be signalized with dual left turn lanes, dual through lanes, and single right turn lanes. There will be a short signal for right turns on New Circle Road and the two stub ends of N. Broadway and Paris Pike/US 27/US 68 at New Circle Road will have dual right-turn lanes entering and exiting New Circle."
    • "Only through and right turn movements will be permitted at the intersection of Liberty Road/KY 1927. Roundabouts are to be placed in the intersection of Liberty Road/KY 1927 at Christian Road and similarly at Creative Drive. The intersections of Christian Road and Creative Drive at New Circle Road will permit only right-turns in and out. Left turn movements will be accommodated via the "bowtie" created by the Christian Road and the Creative Drive loops. Woodhill Drive will continue to be an at-grade, signal controlled intersection retaining all existing movements. An additional left-turn lane from northbound New Circle Road to Woodhill Drive and a through/left-turn lane from Woodhill Drive to southbound New Circle Road will be added to the existing configuration."
    • Georgetown Road/US 25 Interchange: Due to the cost of reconstructing this interchange and the relatively low benefit to New Circle Road traffic, this was removed from the New Circle Road project.
      • Recommendation: No-build.
      • Cost: N/A
    • Newtown Pike/KY 922 Interchange: Reconstruct the partial cloverleaf interchange into a single-point-urban-interchange (SPUI).
      • Recommendation: Alternative 3.
      • Cost: $15,610,000
    • Boardwalk and Russell Cave Road/KY 353: Alternative #4 eliminates the traffic signal at Boardwalk/Colesbury and making the intersection a right in/right out. Left turns from Boardwalk are diverted to Russell Cave Road/KY 353 through Park Place behind Wal-Mart. A SPUI is constructed at Russell Cave Road/KY 353.
      • Recommendation: Alternative 1 Modified (Boardwalk); Alternative 3 Modified (Russell Cave Road).
      • Cost: $7,230,000 (Boardwalk); $13,845,000 (Russell Cave Road)
    • Broadway: Relocate Broadway over New Circle Road. The existing Broadway intersection would become a right in/right out intersection.
      • Recommendation: Alternative 3 (Inter Disciplinary Team Alternative 1).
      • Cost: $24,130,000
    • Limestone and Bryan Station Road/KY 57: Alternative 4 involves widening to six-lanes. A dual left-turn lane is added on New Circle at Bryan Station Road/KY 57.
      • Recommendation: Alternative 1.
      • Cost: $6,765,000
    • Meadow Lane to Winchester Road//US 60: Widen New Circle Road to six-lanes and eliminate the signalized intersection at Meadow Lane. A dual left-turn lane is added on New Circle at Eastland Drive.
      • Recommendation: Alternative 1.
      • Cost: $8,550,000
    • Winchester to Family Circle: Alternative 4 involves widening New Circle Road to six lanes and eliminating signalized intersections at Jingle Bell Lane and Family Circle.
      • Recommendation: Alternative 1.
      • Cost: $5,115,000
    • Liberty Road/KY 1927: Widen New Circle Road to six-lanes and eliminate left-turns from the intersection. Two roundabouts will be placed on Liberty Road to accommodate the turning movements.
      • Recommendation: Alternative 1.
      • Cost: $7,335,000
    • Young Drive and Palumbo Drive: Widen New Circle Road to eight lanes and leaving the existing signalized intersections. A dual left-turn lane is added on New Circle Road at Palumbo Drive.
      • Recommendation: Alternative 1 (Inter Disciplinary Team Alternative 2).
      • Cost: $4,445,000
    • Woodhill Drive: Widen New Circle Road to eight lanes.
      • Recommendation: Alternative 2 (Inter Disciplinary Team Alternative 1).
      • Cost: $3,115,000
    • Richmond Road/US 25/US 421 Interchange: Due to the cost of reconstructing this interchange and the relatively low benefit to New Circle Road traffic, this was removed from the New Circle Road project.
      • Recommendation: No-build.
      • Cost: N/A

[edit] Recent construction projects

A cable barrier system was installed along the median of the unsignalized portion of New Circle Road between the Richmond Road and Old Frankfort Pike Interchanges, which is a distance of just over eight miles. The $2.4 million project was started in the spring of 2007 and completed in the summer of 2007.

The first of many projects to improve the commercialized section of New Circle Road begin in the summer of 2007. It includes access management improvements, median construction, shoulder repair, turn lane extensions, and resurfacing from the intersection with Newtown Pike to the intersection with Industry Road. The $3.8 million project was completed in the fall of 2007.

[edit] Exit list

The entire route is in Lexington, Fayette County.

Mile[1] # Destinations Notes
2.224 2 US 68 (Harrodsburg Road) – Harrodsburg, Lexington
4.611 5 US 60 (Versailles Road) / Bluegrass Parkway – Versailles, Lexington Signed as exits 5A (east) and 5B (west)
6.336 6 KY 1681 (Old Frankfort Pike)
7.239 7 US 421 (Leestown Road) – Frankfort, Lexington
8.731 8 US 25 – Georgetown, Lexington
9.324 9 KY 922 (Newtown Pike) to I-64 / I-75 – Lexington Signed as exits 9A (south) and 9B (north)
10.356 KY 353 (Russell Cave Road) At-grade intersection
10.665 US 27 (North Broadway) / US 68 At-grade intersection
11.339 KY 57 (Bryan Avenue, Bryan Station Road) At-grade intersection
12.704 13 US 60 (Winchester Road) to I-64 / I-75 – Winchester, Lexington Single-point urban interchange
13.669 KY 1927 east (Liberty Road) At-grade intersection
14.843 15 US 25 / US 421 – Richmond, Lexington
16.123 16 Alumni Drive
17.748 18 KY 1974 (Tates Creek Road) – Lexington
19.283
0.000		 19 US 27 (Nicholasville Road) – Nicholasville, Lexington

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Kentucky Transportation Cabinet - Division of Planning - Highway Information System Official Milepoint Route Log Extract. Retrieved on 2007-04-07.
  2. ^ a b Hall, Elizabeth Wade. "TO WIDEN OR NOT: SOME WITH HOMES NEARBY WORRIED." Herald-Leader [Lexington] 25 Feb. 1997. 10 Jan. 2007.
  3. ^ a b c Gaines, John. "A NEW WAVE OF DEVELOPMENT SWEEPS OVER NEW CIRCLE ROAD." Herald-Leader [Lexington] 12 Nov. 1984. 10 Jan. 2007.
  4. ^ a b "New Circle Road ." Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. 2002 [1].
  5. ^ Davis, Merlene. "SEVERAL PROJECTS HELPING TO EASE AREA'S TRAFFIC WOES." Herald-Leader [Lexington] 27 Jan. 1985. 10 Jan. 2007.
  6. ^ "Interchange Done Ahead of Schedule ." Herald-Leader. 19 June 2000. Page B1.
  7. ^ a b (August 1998). "Conversion of New Circle Road to a limited Access Facility". . Kentucky Transportation Center, University of Kentucky, Federal Highway Administration

[edit] Further reading