Upcoming University Drive Lane closure, travel impacts

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 12, 2026) — Construction associated with the Utilities Infrastructure Public-Private Partnership (P3) is scheduled to begin Monday, June 15, impacting traffic, parking, transit and pedestrian routes in the South Campus area.

University Drive traffic impacts

Starting Monday, construction crews will begin rerouting and upgrading steam and chilled water utility lines along University Drive. This work is expected to last approximately one year and is necessary to facilitate construction of the Chandler Hospital expansion and to support future South Campus development.

Also starting Monday, the southbound lane of University Drive between Complex and Cooper drives will be closed. To maintain bi-directional travel, on-street parking and bicycle lanes will be removed, and southbound traffic will shift to the northbound section. While both north and southbound traffic will be accommodated, please note that travel lanes will be narrowed and turn lanes will be eliminated on southbound at Cooper Drive. 

This corridor remains essential for campus and city transit, emergency vehicles and healthcare, campus and construction deliveries. To ease transportation for these essential services, the campus community is encouraged to seek alternate transportation routes during this period and to exercise caution while traveling in this area.

University Drive Garage (PS#1)

As announced earlier this month, University Drive Garage (PS#1) is scheduled to permanently close July 13 to facilitate construction of the P3 Central Utility Plant. Construction crews associated with this project will begin preliminary work June 15 installing construction fencing; however, the garage and adjacent parking will largely remain open and available until mid-July.

Nevertheless, access to and from this garage will be impacted by the University Drive utility project. Consequently, employees may choose to park in other employee parking areas, such as the Kroger Field Orange Lot and North Red Lot, in advance of the garage closure to avoid inevitable travel delays.

Pedestrian impacts

Pedestrian routes will also be impacted by these projects. Sidewalks on the western side of University Drive between Complex and Cooper drives will be closed for the duration of the project. Additionally, the western crosswalk at Cooper Drive will be closed the week of June 15 to facilitate tree removal and project fence installation. During this period, pedestrians will be rerouted along the eastern side of University Drive.

Recommendations: How to navigate construction

• Before parking: 
  • Consider avoiding University Drive between Complex and Cooper drives to allow greater access for local traffic, transit, delivery and emergency vehicles when possible.
  • Employees who regularly park in University Drive Garage (PS#1) should consider shifting their daily parking to the North Red Lot or Orange Lot in advance of the garage closure.
• After parking: Connect back and forth to your parking area by walking or shuttling
  • Park and ride (bus) – use the Orange Route shuttle
  • Park and stride (walk) – use recommended walking paths. See the graphic online.

University Capital Construction and Transportation Services continue to work closely with the construction team to mitigate these impacts. Additional details will be shared throughout construction. To receive these updates, subscribe to UK Transportation Services’ e-news and follow them on X and Instagram.