Stalled for years by court case, this Lexington road will soon be connected

Construction will likely start this summer on a long-delayed section of Polo Club Boulevard from Deer Haven Lane to Old Todds Road, Lexington officials said last week.

Earlier this month, the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled in favor of the city of Lexington in a court case involving land needed to complete the section of Polo Club Boulevard. The lawsuit, filed in 2015, had delayed construction on the section for more than three years.

Drivers currently have to make a left at Deer Haven Lane, a right on Wargrave Walk and another left onto Dufane Pointe to connect to a completed section of Polo Club Boulevard that ends at Old Todds Road.

“It’s been a huge impact on this neighborhood,” said Doug Burton, director of engineering for the city of Lexington.

Burton said the $2.1 million project will be bid sometime this spring. That section is less than a quarter mile.

“This section has been stalled for years,” Burton said. “This will finally allow us to connect these two sections of Polo Club.”

The lawsuit involved a small section of land needed to build a 16-foot by 4-foot box culvert and drainage system off Deer Haven Lane. Justin Moore, the land owner, questioned why the city didn’t buy the property rather than seek an easement. Among other arguments, Moore was concerned about liability if something were to go wrong with the box culvert. The Fayette Circuit Court ruled in favor of the city, saying it was appropriate for the city to seek an easement. The Court of Appeals later reversed the circuit court’s decision and ruled in favor of Moore.

On Nov. 1, the state Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of the city.