Campus News

Alumni Drive Corridor Reopened Sunday, Aug. 16

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 17, 2015) — On Sunday, August 16, the newly reconstructed and realigned portion of Alumni Drive between Tates Creek and Nicholasville Roads reopened to vehicular traffic. The project, initiated by the Commonwealth and the University of Kentucky as part of an effort to improve the traffic flow and safety of this important transportation corridor, was approved during the 2014 legislative session and began in May. The reconstruction and realignment is expected to calm traffic and slow vehicular speeds on Alumni Drive, and new design features include enhanced bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

At the intersections of College Way and University Drive, roundabouts – also known as traffic circles – now replace former stop signs. Both are single-lane roundabouts. Drivers are advised to follow these tips when driving through the Alumni Drive roundabouts:

-       Decrease speed when approaching the roundabouts and look in each direction, paying particular attention to vehicles circling the roundabout to the driver’s left.

-       Do not enter a roundabout when an emergency vehicle is approaching in any direction.

-       If no vehicles are immediately approaching, it is legal to proceed into the roundabout without stopping and proceed through the roundabout following the roadway counterclockwise to the right of the center island.

-       Within a roundabout, do not stop for vehicles waiting to enter the roundabout. Those driving within a roundabout have right-of-way over vehicles readying to enter the roundabout.

-       Before exiting, use turn signals to indicate where you will exit the roundabout.

The reconfigured Alumni Drive corridor has new bicycle and pedestrian facilities; cyclists will be able to choose from multiple routes in navigating Alumni Drive between Nicholasville Road and Tates Creek Road. First, a shared use path will run the entire length of the corridor; this path will be located on the north side of the road from Tates Creek to University Drive and the south side from University Drive to Nicholasville Road. Additionally, this section of Alumni Drive will have a 5 foot bike lane in each direction. At the roundabouts, cyclists may choose to merge with traffic and travel through the roundabout as a vehicle or to exit the roadway and navigate the intersection on the pedestrian facilities that circle the roundabout.

Members of the campus community should allow extra time in traveling Alumni Drive during the coming weeks, keeping in mind that the campus population will be growing as students return and that an adjustment period to the Alumni Drive changes may be required for some roadway users.

For more information and a map of the project, view this PowerPoint presentation