Traffic alert: New pedestrian safety changes at busy downtown Lexington intersection
Traffic signals at a busy intersection in downtown Lexington recently underwent changes in an attempt to improve pedestrian safety, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
The stoplights for the left and right turn lanes on Main Street onto North Broadway now feature flashing yellow arrows instead of the previous fixed green circle as a “yield and proceed with caution” signal. The transportation cabinet said the change was made to provide additional reminders to drivers turning onto North Broadway that they must yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk.
“Motorists should be aware of the signal pattern changes when traveling through the area,” the transportation cabinet said in a press release.
Main Street is a one-way street with three lanes, one that goes straight to cross North Broadway, and a left and right turn lanes onto North Broadway.
The intersection already features a lead pedestrian interval for pedestrians using a crosswalk. The transportation cabinet said a lead pedestrian interval gives pedestrians a few-seconds head start into the crosswalk before traffic begins flowing, allowing pedestrians to be more visible to traffic.
In 2023, 52 people died in fatal collisions in Fayette County, according to KSP data. Twenty of the 52 incidents confirmed by KSP involved a pedestrian getting hit by a vehicle. That’s a 566% increase from the previous year, when three pedestrians were killed in crashes.
A total of 18 pedestrians were killed between the beginning of 2019 and the end of 2022, according to KSP data.
Lexington traffic engineers and planners are working to establish a Complete Streets Model all over town, according to Mayor Linda Gorton. Susan Straub, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office, said there will be a presentation of the complete streets plan to the city council in early 2024. Implementation of the plan is expected to begin after that.
