Campus News

New purple route to offer express service from College Way lots

Graphic designed by Callie Brown.

LEXINGTON, KY (Aug. 23, 2024) — University of Kentucky Transportation Services is introducing a new campus bus route this fall called the purple route.

The purple route will offer direct service from the College Way East and West lots to the Kroger Field area, providing another travel option for employees and students who park in the College Way lots. Individuals can opt to ride the existing green route buses that travel through Greg Page and Shawneetown, or they can take the purple route.

The purple route will run in a clockwise loop from College Way to Alumni Drive to University Drive. Buses will then travel through the interior of the Kroger Field green lot back to College Way. The entire loop is expected to take approximately 8-10 minutes.

Bus stops on the new purple route will include College Way north (formerly known as the motor pool stop), College Way south (formerly called the Wildcat Court stop), the west blue lot shelter, and a newly created south red lot stop. See map above.

“The impetus behind the development of the purple route is to provide fast and convenient access from the College Way lots to Kroger Field,” said Lance Broeking, director of UK Transportation Services. “This new route will primarily benefit employee periphery (EK), commuter periphery (CK) and residential periphery (RK) permit holders. It coincides and complements other changes taking place in the Kroger Field lots this fall.”

The purple route will operate from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, but this schedule will be evaluated over the Fall 2024 semester to ensure that it’s the most convenient timeframe for riders. It will be adjusted accordingly, if needed.

Riders on the purple route will be able to disembark at the Kroger Field west blue lot shelter or the south red lot stop to catch either a blue and white route bus or an orange route bus.

In a related development, the College Way west lot is being expanded toward the helipad this summer, resulting in the addition of approximately 72 parking spaces in that area. The College Way east and west lots are expected to become more popular parking options due to the expansion and the new bus route.

For more information about the purple route, visit the Transportation Services website or email transportation@uky.edu

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