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Lexington in a quandry


krazeeboi

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Main Street in Lexington underwent beautification that was completed two years ago as part of an attempt to turn the street into a shopper's destination. The project consisted of brick-lined sidewalks, planted islands, old-style lighting and benches, paid for by local tax dollars and federal aid. However, in order to relieve traffic congestion by widening Main, it would destroy all of the hard work put into the beautification project. The ultimate remedy to Lexington's traffic problem is a bypass; however, that idea doesn't seem likely to happen in the near future. For now, a few alternatives are on the table. To me, I think it would be a shame to see such money wasted if Main was widened. But I don't live there, so I don't really have much of an educated position on the matter.
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The need is there though. Main St gets backed up 2 miles towards Cola during rush hour.

There was a propsal last year to change the pattern in downtown into one way traffic, using Main st and I think Butler St as well as rerouting traffic on N/s Lake Dr and Church St.

I worked in Lexington some, and it sucked in that regard. The main problem is that the town has a very poor grid network, resulting in a lack of alternate route for traffic.

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The need is there though. Main St gets backed up 2 miles towards Cola during rush hour.

There was a propsal last year to change the pattern in downtown into one way traffic, using Main st and I think Butler St as well as rerouting traffic on N/s Lake Dr and Church St.

I worked in Lexington some, and it sucked in that regard. The main problem is that the town has a very poor grid network, resulting in a lack of alternate route for traffic.

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Like Krazeeboi, I don't live in Lexington either, so can't make a really educated comment, although I can say that in general, it would be a very, very bad idea to turn the downtown area into a commuter thoroughfare. Even if the town widened Main Street, they will still need to build a bypass, as well as other roads. Just because it is politically difficult to get a bypass built doesn't mean it is the wrong thing to do. With the type of low-density, sprawling development popular in Lexington, a bypass is a necessity and the sooner all own up to this reality the better.

In addition, once you destroy your downtown and turn it into a commuter highway, it is gone. You can't bring back the history and charm. You can always build another strip mall or bypass, though. I hope that Lexington takes the longterm view on this and keeps the recent improvements in downtown and looks elsewhere for the correct answers to their traffic woes.

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They have proposed about a dozen different bypasses over the years, and they have all failed usually because of a small number of people who would be effected directly, and also from the businesses who don't want to loose traffic that passes their business. The one-way system seems ot be the only way to do it with out widening or bypassing, the problem as said before, is that they don't want it to become a commuter road so much that it takes away from the sense of community and from any hope of turning it into a entertainment district.

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