Two of Lexington’s elevated pedways get ‘glow up’ with new lighting
Two downtown elevated pedestrian walkways got a “glow up” this week with the installation of multi-colored light displays.
The color-changing light displays are part of a much broader effort called LexLights!, spearheaded by the Downtown Lexington Management District, to bring more light to downtown.
The LED lights have unlimited color-changing capability.
“Theoretically, if you do the math, we can create a palette of over 16 million colors,” said Matt Klasmeier, field service technician with Vincent Lighting, who programmed the lights.
Both pedways cross over Broadway. One goes between The Square and a Lexpark garage at the corner of Broadway and Short Street . The second is between the Hyatt Regency and Central Bank building, near the corner of Broadway and Vine streets.
The lights can change for different celebrations —red, white and blue for July 4th or blue for University of Kentucky men’s basketball games. The lights will be coordinated with the Helix parking garage on Main Street, which was recently named one of the coolest parking garages in America.
Additional lighting makes downtown safer, but it can also gussy up mundane infrastructure, Klasmeier said.
“Lighting can take a boring piece of architecture like a pedway and turn it into something fun and interesting. It becomes a piece of public art,” he said.
The $200,000 lighting display was financed through both public and private money, including $60,000 from the management district, $40,000 from Lexpark, $30,000 from VisitLex and $5,000 from the Downtown Lexington Partnership. Adjoining private properties contributed $62,500. Those private donors include: The Square, the Webb Companies, Langley Properties, Central Bank, First Lexington Company, Hyatt Regency and Community Trust Bank.
The corner of North Broadway and Short street will soon be getting even brighter.
The Lexington Opera House plans to have a new marque and neon sign this spring, said Luanne Franklin, director of performing arts for the Opera House. The parking authority also will add new signs and lights to its garage at Broadway and West Short Street in time for this fall’s Breeders’ Cup, said Gary Means, executive director Lexpark.
Other LexLights! projects include new lighting at the McAdams and Morford building, Christ Church Cathedral, Bourbon on Rye and City Center.
