Work is continuing on Lexington's $100 million Newtown Pike extension project. City leaders received an update last week on the traffic and neighborhood revitalization effort. Eventually, one portion of the road extension will lead into the entrance of the UK campus. Traffic engineer Andrew Grunwald says in time, the project will lessen congestion in the downtown area. "When you open up the entire project it reduces the through traffic, which has a significant impact," Grunwald said. "Some intersections 20 percent, some only 15, still it makes a definite difference. It would be noticeable."
Grunwald says phase two of the Newtown Pike extension from Versailles Road to South Broadway is expected to begin before the end of the year. He says the section that leads into the heart of the University of Kentucky campus is getting quite a makeover. "There's significant utility work which will have to go on at this intersection," he said. "I think all of the University of Kentucky's steam tunnels, there's some major transmission lines that go down Scott Street. I think there's a KU substation."
Much of the work up to now has centered on revitalizing the Davis Bottoms area. Grunwald says there are six housing structures in place there with plans for more units on land trust property. Grunwald says there are some residents in the Davis Bottoms area still waiting to relocate. "Those are the individuals who are waiting to have permanent residence in the house that they are gonna buy," Grunwald explained. "When we transfer the land to the Land Trust, the Land Trust will begin to construct their permanent housing. They will then buy it from the Land Trust and then move in."
Grunwald anticipates the entire Newtown Pike Extension Project will be completed before 2020. ?
