Possible changes to US highway routings in Lexington

[hbelkins]

http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/counties/fayette-county/article174189176.html

Read down to the bottom of the story about proposed swaps of Lexington city streets for Kentucky state-maintained routes.

The changes would affect US 27 and US 60.

Presumably, US 27 would be routed across Virginia Avenue to join US 68 for its concurrency. Presently, US 27 has an odd routing in the vicinity of the UK campus to get to US 68.

Also presumably, US 60 would be routed across the new Oliver Lewis Way (currently KY 922) to reach US 25/421 at Main Street.

[froggie]

^ How does US 60 currently get through the core between W High St and Midland Ave?

[CardInLex]

US 60 East follows Maxwell to Broadway. Then turns left onto Broadway (US 27/US 68). Then turns right onto Vine (US 25/US 421) to follow to Midland.
US 60 West turns from Midland onto Main (US 25/US 421). Then left on Broadway. Then right onto High.
This swap would move US 60 onto Oliver Lewis and then onto Main/Vine.

Unrelated, the next section of Oliver Lewis between High/Maxwell and Broadway opens Friday afternoon. It ties in at where US 27 currently connects to US 68.

[hbelkins]

US 60 East follows Maxwell to Broadway. Then turns left onto Broadway (US 27/US 68). Then turns right onto Vine (US 25/US 421) to follow to Midland.
US 60 West turns from Midland onto Main (US 25/US 421). Then left on Broadway. Then right onto High.
This swap would move US 60 onto Oliver Lewis and then onto Main/Vine.

Unrelated, the next section of Oliver Lewis between High/Maxwell and Broadway opens Friday afternoon. It ties in at where US 27 currently connects to US 68.

I didn't know that it opens on Friday. Somehow I'd missed that bit of news.

That would indicate to me that KY 922 is going to be extended across Oliver Lewis and Bolivar and into that "triangle" where Upper, Euclid and Lime come together, to end at Virginia Avenue where US 27 will be shunted over to US 68 under this plan.

Wonder if they'll change the signs on the interstate to mark Exit 115 instead of Exit 113 as the exit to use to get to UK, since Newtown/Georgetown/Oliver Lewis will feed directly into the UK campus now?

[hbelkins]

Story about the opening of Oliver Lewis Way in today's Lexington Geraldo-Misleader

http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/counties/fayette-county/article174440991.html

The route is going to be extended over to South Limestone. It's possible that the rerouting of US 27 onto Virginia Avenue may be temporary, and when the extension is done, US 27 will be routed on it to join US 68.

Speaking of which, scroll down to the bottom of the story and you'll see a photo of signs being installed. Scroll through the slideshow and there's another distance photo of signage at the junction.

[Captain Jack]

I am kind of surprised they haven't done an Indiana thing and routed all of them around New Circle.

[hbelkins]

I am kind of surprised they haven't done an Indiana thing and routed all of them around New Circle.

They actually attempted to do that several years ago. Signage was changed on northbound US 25/421/ westbound US 60 and southbound US 27/westbound US 68 at their intersections with New Circle, directing the US routes onto KY 4. Oddly enough, the signage was never changed on the other side of town where those routes intersected New Circle. I forget exactly why that idea was abandoned, but the signage has since been changed back to indicate that the US routes run through town. All five routes would have been concurrent with KY 4 between North Broadway (where 27/68 came in) and Georgetown Street (where US 25 left).

I may have some pictures of the signage that was up, but would have to search for them.