Several Lexington intersections may be getting a makeover based on a new $360,000 study of whether six city-owned intersections should become roundabouts.

According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, roundabouts can reduce total crashes by 37%, fatal crashes by 90%, injury crashes by 75%, and pedestrian injuries by 40%.

Palmer Engineering analyzed geometrics, safety, and traffic operations at the following intersections and found that only four are suited for circular intersections:

🚗 Alexandria Drive and Cross Keys Drive: A final design concept for a $350,000 roundabout was recommended.

🚘 Loudon Avenue and Maple Avenue: A final design concept was recommended for a mini roundabout, in order to limit impact on historical properties, with a cost of $300,000.

🚙 Winburn Drive and McCollough Drive: A final design concept for a $350,000 roundabout was recommended.

🚖 Pleasant Ridge Drive and Bryant Drive: A final design concept for a $550,000 roundabout was recommended.

🛑 Beaumont Centre Circle and Beaumont Centre Lane + Laredo and Walden Drives were determined not to be good candidates after an initial review. Beaumont has too few issues. Other alternatives to make Laredo and Walden safer are being considered due to how steep it is.

What comes next?

The study was presented to the Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee of the Urban County Council earlier this week. Engineering experts told the committee that doing these projects in phases of one or two at a time would be best due to staffing concerns.

That means the next step is to find funding for one or more of the projects to move ahead. That could happen as early as Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 3 p.m. when the budget committee turns into a Committee of the Whole meeting and assesses the balance of various funds.