OpEd: Implementing complete street policies in Lexington, KY

In March I visited Kentucky for the first time and spent my last night in a hotel about a mile from downtown Louisville. After I'd dropped my bags, I was excited to explore the neighborhood and find a good meal. I opted to walk so that I could stretch my legs and get a bit of fresh air, but as soon as I stepped outside I realized this was going to be more of an adventure than I'd thought. 

Even though my hotel was on a major road and near residential neighborhoods, there weren't any sidewalks. I looked for a place to cross to the other side of the street; perhaps there was a sidewalk there. But there were no crosswalks, so I ran across four lanes of traffic in search of safe passage. But the other side was the same story; no sidewalks and therefore no way to get around safely without a car. 

For me - this was inconvenient. I begrudgingly got into my car, drove 1 mile, paid for parking, and enjoyed a nice meal. 

But what about the residents of Lexington? Why is it that when they want to do something as simple as go for a walk, they are forced to get into their cars and drive? What about kids who want to ride their bikes? What about residents who don’t have cars? Why isn't the city built for all its citizens?

The next day, I asked everyone I met what I should see while I was in town. Locals recommended a great BBQ joint with an outdoor patio, a historic landmark draped in blossoming spring flowers, and a new boutique selling local goods. But even though all of these hot spots were within a square mile, when I mentioned that I was on foot, they all shook their heads. "No no," they said. "That wouldn't be safe." They mentioned that revitalization projects were coming, but they didn’t recommend walking around their own city.

This has got to change! Everyone deserves to live in a community where they can easily go for a walk, ride their bike to the store, or let their children play outside know knowing there are sidewalks, crosswalks and bike paths to help keep them safe. 

Luckily, it seems like an opportunity to change this might be just around the corner. Voters in Atlanta recently approved a proposal that secured money over the next five years for improvements to streets, sidewalks, bike paths and trail projects in the city. This was a forward thinking, smart decision - and Lexington should be next! By implementing these ‘Complete Street’ policies, you could create safe transportation networks for everyone. These policies require future road construction and reconstruction projects to make streets safe and comfortable for all users - kids, families, older adults, or people with disabilities - whether they are walking, pushing a stroller, using a wheelchair, riding a bike, driving a car, or taking public transportation.

I encourage the leaders and decision makers of Lexington to get behind these Complete Street policies in order to make every city more safe, healthy and accessible for everyone!