I Though Traffic Bad in the Louisville area until...

Mar 5, 2014
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For the first time in 19 years I was in Lexington during the workday. What a damn mess.

I was looking for Kerr Bros. Funeral Home on Harrodsburg Road. When I got to Harrodsburg RD. and New Circle I was like what the hell is this.

Like driving in Berlin or something.

Lexington is busting at the seams.
 

BlueVelvetFog

Heisman
Apr 12, 2016
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May 7, 2002
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For the first time in 19 years I was in Lexington during the workday. What a damn mess.

I was looking for Kerr Bros. Funeral Home on Harrodsburg Road. When I got to Harrodsburg RD. and New Circle I was like what the hell is this.

Like driving in Berlin or something.

Lexington is busting at the seams.

It is bad during the workweek during rush hours in Lexington. I live in the Hamburg area and traffic between the interstate and Alumni drive on Man O' War is actually worse than weekday rush hour all day on Saturday. I guess all of Central/Eastern Kentucky comes into town to shop or go to movies or (?) but MOW Saturdays in Lexington are like a parking lot ALL DAY LONG. Last weekend seemed like the same traffic as the weekend before Christmas.
 

jtrue28

All-Conference
Feb 8, 2007
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Thought there was a stat before the Harrodsburg Rd double diamond that had that section of road with the most traffic accidents in Lexington. Now if I'm not mistaken there are zero accidents on that stretch.
 

Rebelfreedomeagle

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Feb 24, 2017
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Last year when my momma was at the uk hospital I decided to go by the mall and look around. I turned on the wrong road and came up on one of those round crossroads that doesn't have a stop sign. I didn't know what to do there and I was trying to get back towards the mall anyways so I just gunned it and slid that S10 around like one of the dukes of hazard would. I don't know if that was right or not but it was fun and looked badass.
 
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Tskware

Heisman
Jan 26, 2003
25,335
22,169
113
Thought there was a stat before the Harrodsburg Rd double diamond that had that section of road with the most traffic accidents in Lexington. Now if I'm not mistaken there are zero accidents on that stretch.

I used to live in Beaumont, that Double Diamond made my commute much easier, once you get used to it, it works great

Nicholasville Road by the Mall and MOW is a killer most times of the day, but when the Summit opens, will need armored Humvee with 50 caliber machine gun to get through that stretch, going to be BRUTAL!!!!
 

funKYcat75

Heisman
Apr 10, 2008
32,419
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I used to live in Beaumont, that Double Diamond made my commute much easier, once you get used to it, it works great

Nicholasville Road by the Mall and MOW is a killer most times of the day, but when the Summit opens, will need armored Humvee with 50 caliber machine gun to get through that stretch, going to be BRUTAL!!!!
Double Diamond is a cool concept, but I'm not sure it has cut any drive time off. The corridor from Pasadena to New Circle is still crazy backed up nearly all the time and Alexandria to Harrodsburg is insane too. At least folks aren't dying, I suppose.
 
May 7, 2002
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Traffic in Kentucky sure is cute.
What makes Lexington traffic "worse" is really just a matter of perception. Traffic sits still a lot and certain areas it will take you 20 minutes to go a mile under regular conditions. So a 10 mile commute can (and regularly does) take you 30 minutes at certain peak times. It isn't Chicago where your commute may be 30 miles end to end and take you 1.5 hours. That really sucks, but for the distance traveled the ratio is about the same.
 

gamecockcat

Heisman
Oct 29, 2004
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I live in Houston and deal with an insane amount of traffic every day. However, every time I return to Lexington I am amazed at how congested a town of maybe 325,000 gets when compared with really large cities. Not having a main interstate that goes through town is a killer as far as traffic. As Lexington continues to grow, I'm afraid the problems will only get worse.

IIRC, one of Lexington's sister cities is Austin, TX, a city of over 1 million with literally only one highway through and it is a complete joke trying to get around Austin any time of the day or night. Wonderful city with a very definite personality but getting from one place to another is a complete nightmare. So, at least in that respect, Lexington and Austin truly are related. Keep Lexington Weird!!
 
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NCukcat62

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Jul 22, 2007
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Believe it or not New Circle is a peach compared to 3 years ago. The stretch between Newtown and Versailles was like driving the autobahn but with random brake checks. I'm surprised more people didn't get killed on that stretch over the last 20 years.
A lot of cops now catching psycho drivers.
 

Tskware

Heisman
Jan 26, 2003
25,335
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Double Diamond is a cool concept, but I'm not sure it has cut any drive time off. The corridor from Pasadena to New Circle is still crazy backed up nearly all the time and Alexandria to Harrodsburg is insane too. At least folks aren't dying, I suppose.

When are you talking about, Bro? I left my downtown office a bit early today, a little before three, and turned left off High Street onto Broadway/Harrodsburg Road, and made it to the intersection of Harrodsburg Road and Man O War in 12 minutes, and to the Jessamine County line in less than 15 minutes. What else can you ask for?

Sure, at 5:30, the double diamond intersection gets backed up, when Beaumont and Corporate Center let out all their employees . . . but tell me what fairly large US city doesn't have traffic tie ups at drive time?

I do agree not having a freeway through the middle of town, like Louisville and Cincy, is a bit of a chafe, but everyone I know that moved here from other large cities laugh when the locals complain about traffic. Been through Atlanta lately? :smiley:
 

Ukbrassowtipin

Heisman
Aug 12, 2011
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Are you talking about the famed Double Diamond? It is the single greatest traffic innovation in all the land.
They are putting another one in on Versailles rd I believe. I went to traffic school about a year ago and they said that figure 8 thing has reduced accidents big time...said the only ppl that wreck there are out of towners bc they're like wtf
 
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dgtatu01

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Sep 21, 2005
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When people say traffic in Louisville is bad I shaky my head. You can get anywhere in Louisville quickly. Lexington on the street level is awful and for interstate traffic Atlanta is horrendous.
 
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vhcat70

Heisman
Feb 5, 2003
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I live in Houston and deal with an insane amount of traffic every day. However, every time I return to Lexington I am amazed at how congested a town of maybe 325,000 gets when compared with really large cities.
Dat be true. Part of it is culture - no one in a hurry. Don't care if anyone else gets thru the next light or not.

Live in Cincy area. Lex off the freeways is much worse.
 

BlueVelvetFog

Heisman
Apr 12, 2016
13,956
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Thought there was a stat before the Harrodsburg Rd double diamond that had that section of road with the most traffic accidents in Lexington. Now if I'm not mistaken there are zero accidents on that stretch.
I'll go eff that up. That stat ain't staying perfect on my watch
 

BlueVelvetFog

Heisman
Apr 12, 2016
13,956
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Believe it or not New Circle is a peach compared to 3 years ago. The stretch between Newtown and Versailles was like driving the autobahn but with random brake checks. I'm surprised more people didn't get killed on that stretch over the last 20 years.
That stretch is much smoother. Wish they'd continue it south to TC
 

RacerX.ksr

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Sep 17, 2004
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When people say traffic in Louisville is bad I shaky my head. You can get anywhere in Louisville quickly. Lexington on the street level is awful and for interstate traffic Atlanta is horrendous.
I've always laughed too. People who talk about how bad it is haven't been places where traffic is actually bad. "waaa, it took me fifteen minutes to get from Hurstbourne Lane to downtown this morning".
 

uksam21

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Jan 14, 2013
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What makes Lexington traffic "worse" is really just a matter of perception. Traffic sits still a lot and certain areas it will take you 20 minutes to go a mile under regular conditions. So a 10 mile commute can (and regularly does) take you 30 minutes at certain peak times. It isn't Chicago where your commute may be 30 miles end to end and take you 1.5 hours. That really sucks, but for the distance traveled the ratio is about the same.

The infrastructure of Lexington is too small for the amount of people on the roads. It's built for a town for 200 K not 400 K.