Street Patterns & Continuity

Improving Safety & Connectivity for All Users

Residents have repeatedly made it clear that they want safer transportation and more options. Lexington’s current regulations are designed for cars, and we’ve built precisely that; a car-centric city that produces congestion and discourages bike and pedestrian activity. The changes actually improve the conditions for cars through better traffic distribution, but also provide a street pattern that allows for a more walkable and bikeable environment.

This Subdivision Regulation Amendment, or SRA for short, is a direct implementation of Imagine Lexington, and is one of many projects that are in various stages of development to match our regulations to the vision of the Comprehensive Plan. This SRA will bring our regulations into alignment with:

Theme D – Connectivity - This theme is dedicated to policies that prescribe a complete and connected transportation network. A set of action items derived from these policies serve to guide the direct implementation of these concepts, as they call for amendments to the Land Subdivision Regulations (such as this one) and the continued employment of the goals within the Lexington Area MPO Bike & Pedestrian Master Plan.

Shortcomings of Current Standards

Nationally, most new desirable neighborhoods provide a high proportion of four-way intersections, few dead-end streets and small street block sizes in the range of 250 to 600 feet. However, currently, in Lexington:

Maximum block lengths allowed are roughly three times the national standard
About 25% of all intersections lead to a cul-de-sac (the least connected)
Only 10% of all intersections are 4-way (the most connected), and most of those are located inside New Circle Road

The Evolution of Street Patterns Over Time

Road systems began as a series of interconnected paths which evolved into a walkable grid. Following World War II, the Increased use of automobiles began to lead to longer block lengths and curvilinear streats, and eventually to a system of disjointed cul-de-sac streets.

Pre-Industrial

~1920

~1950

~1970

Today

What is Changing?

A more connected street network creates safer, more desirable neighborhoods with reduced congestion and improved bicycle and pedestrian options. Traffic bottlenecks, emergency response times, walkability and overall network continuity can be improved by proactively looking at Lexington’s standards for new development street patterns:

Revised standards for more manageable blocks
- Maximum block length from 1,600 ft to 1000 ft
- Remove 500 ft minimum block length
Revised standards for cul-de-sacs
- Prohibiting cul-de-sacs off of cul-de-sacs
Revised standard for access to adjacent developments
- Require street connections into adjacent developments or vacant land in at least every direction
- Existing or proposed public facilities (parks, schools, open spaces, greenways) must have the majority of the facility front onto a street in new developments

Note: These changes will take effect starting February 1, 2023.

Why Change It?

Improving the layout and continuity of our streets has a number of benefits:

Supports the Mayor’s Commission for Racial Justice & Equality goal of integrated, walkable, transit-accessible neighborhoods for all residents
Improves emergency service response time
Reduces severe and fatal crashes
Reduces congestion through better traffic distribution by increasing network capacity without adding extra lanes to major roads
Reduces speed on major neighborhood streets
Encourages the use of non-motorized transportation
Better transit access
Supports the development of desirable neighborhoods and sets up future development for success with ample access

Access the full list of resources related the benefits of street continuity in urban environments.