Newtown Pike extension road opens

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ)- Starting today Lexington drivers have a new route available when going in and out of downtown.

The new Oliver Lewis Way connects Versailles Road to South Broadway giving drivers a direct route to Interstate 64 and 75.

After more than a decade of planning and construction the new Oliver Lewis Way looks to help traffic move quicker out of downtown while also giving new life to an area that has been struggling for years.

The new road, a part of the city’s Newtown Pike extension project, consists of four lanes connecting Versailles Road with South Broadway.

City officials say the road will help lessen traffic in the busy downtown area by creating a route that directly connects UK’s campus to the interstate.

The road goes through what used to be the Davis Bottom neighborhood whose homeowners were forced to move out to make room for the road.

Officials say a new housing development called the Davis Park neighborhood has been built off Oliver Lewis Way to welcome back those displaced during the construction.

“Lets remember that this was once an entire community that’s been relocated and then those that wanted to return have had opportunities to return. But there’s going to be a lot of other affordable homeownership opportunities here through the community land trust,” said David O,Neill, Lexington’s Property Valuation Administrator.

In addition to housing, officials say they expect several businesses to pop up along the new road creating what they hope will be a new popular area in downtown Lexington.

The next step now will be to finish the final section of the project by continuing this road through South Broadway all the way to Nicholasville Road.